Hellos & Good-byes!

Life always brings constant change - sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worse.  It's always harder to say good-bye than hello.  During our time here in Zambia, we've had to say farewell to some precious people.  But there are a few hellos as well.  This flux of hellos and good-byes always results in a friendship that lasts beyond our brief time together.

1. Good-bye, Meiring, Juanita, and Abigail!  On May 5, 2014, we said farewell to our good friends who have decided to go back to South Africa after serving as missionaries at Riverside Farm Institute in Zambia for so many years.  We will miss you dearly!!!

2.  Good-bye, Mom!  On May 7, 2014, Paul made his usual airport run to send off his mother back to Hawaii.  We have missed your cooking and can’t wait for you to come back to Zambia!!!

3. Hello “Uncle Robbie!”  Robbie Nutt is a senior medical student (and aspiring ophthalmologist) from the UK who joined us at Lusaka Eye Hospital for a 3-week rotation, starting May 10^th.  It was wonderful to have him around and encourage him to pursue this wonderful field of eyes.  And Jaycee took a special liking to her “Uncle Robbie!” 

4.  Hello Medical mission team!  From May 25 – 30, 2014, we had our first eye/dental camp in the Eastern Province at Mwami Adventist Hospital.  We were delighted to have our friends from the U.S. join us for this trip. Ross Colins, Joanne Cross, Shiela Cruz, Carlos Moretta, Carrie Smith – you made a great team!  Sara Uribe, a student missionary currently serving at Riverside Farms, and Robbie Nutt, also joined us for the week. 

 

We were welcomed by Dr. & Mrs. Ang's amazing dinner feast.  
Our surgical eye team managed to complete surgery on 84 eyes. 

 

 

 

 

  

 Somehow we got through the cases, despite the power outages that forced one case to be completed by flashlight.  

 

The optometry team, headed by Dr. Ross, saw a whole lot of patients (they especially flocked when word got out that we were giving away free sunglasses). 

 

 

 

The dental team did lots of dental work and helped support the dental therapist serving at the hospital.  The ultrasound team (i.e. Carrie) performed ultrasounds on a variety of patients, one of which was me.  The enlightening news that Carrie contributed that week was that…it’s actually not a girl…but a boy!  

Many memories were made, and we were able to serve in very tangible ways for the people of Eastern Province. 

One patient in particular who touched my heart was a 53-year-old man named Robson.  He had gone blind in both eyes in the last 2 years due to uveitic cataracts.  He had gone to numerous hospitals and eye clinics, and each time he was told his cataracts were too difficult to operate on; that there was nothing that could be done for him.  After evaluating him, I agreed to try to release the posterior synechiae and attempt cataract surgery on one of his eyes; I offered no guarantees.  The next day, he was so happy that he was able to see more clearly from that eye, and so he asked us to perform the same surgery on his other eye.  We did so 2 days later.  By the end of the week, the patient was so happy; he was dancing for joy because of his newly regained sight.  He stated that he was now able return to work (he’s a businessman, selling knick knacks in town) and resume his life.  He also asked me if he could be my Zambian husband.  I simply smiled and told him I was already married. 

5. Hello Mukuyu Outreach!  After our long week of service at Mwami, our team headed down toward Siavonga to a self-supporting ministry run by our friends, the Myburghs.  We had a wonderful time relaxing along the Zambezi River with Hein, Melissa, and little Inge, spending time reflecting on God’s nature out in the bush before heading back to Lusaka to send off our dear medical mission team to the airport. 

 

6. Good-bye, Andrews family!  It’s always difficult to say good-bye to friends who are near and dear to your heart.  Ben & Cherry Andrews have become special friends in our lives here in Zambia.  Not only are they some of the first Americans that we befriended upon arrival into this strange, new country, but Cherry has been a wonderful doctor who accommodated my schedule and would see me on weekends in her own home.  When they left Zambia on June 3^rd, they left a small void in our lives that will never be replaced. The sweet smiles of each of your four children will be missed. May God bless your family as you settle back into the U.S. 

7.  Hello Botswana!  From June 8 – 14, 2014, Paul, Jaycee, and I flew with our theatre nurse, Mercy, to Botswana to conduct an eye camp at Kanye Adventist Hospital as well as to assess and assist the dental clinic there.  

 

The staff there were very friendly and helpful.  And over the course of the week, we managed to complete cataract surgery on 88 eyes!  

 

 

 

 

It was a tiring week, but well worth it.  Never had I seen so many patients who were NLP (no light perception) in one eye and LP (light perception) in the other due to such advanced cataracts (NLP from secondary glaucoma due to cataract)!  This particular eye camp was a surgical feat because of the number of complicated cases that were brought.  Almost each and every case was a new challenge due to some complication or other, but by God’s grace we managed to maneuver through the hard nuclei, the weak zonules, and the posterior synechiae in order to bring vision and healing to many underserved individuals. 

 

Hopefully, we will have a chance to return to that hospital, as they are still remaining with a backlog of between 200-300 cataract patients!

8.  Good-bye, Birkenstocks!  At the end of August, we will probably be saying farewell to a wonderful couple who have served in Zambia for 5 years.  Pierre and Esther have been administrators of the Emmanuel Adventist Secondary School, and they have done a wonderful job of enhancing the school into a quality educational center for many students in their most formative years.  As you return to South Africa, may the Lord bless your new ministry opportunities and use your talents for His glory.

9.  Hello, Busl family!  We were so excited that in May 2014 another family joined our Zambian community.  Jabal and Michelle Busl, with their three kids (Hudson, William, and little McKenna), have decided to join Riverside Farm Institute to serve as missionaries.  We spent some time with them, the Birkenstocks, and the Myburghs at Mukuyu Outreach last weekend, and that was blessed time of fellowship and playtime (for the kids).  

 

 

It is nice to know that although we have many friends leaving us in Zambia, we also have a steady influx of friends joining us as well.  Welcome to Zambia!

 

 

 

 

10.  Good-bye, seven years of marriage!  Today, June 24, 2014, marks our 7 year anniversary!  It’s hard to believe that seven years have passed since that surreal day that we walked down the aisle together.  

Hard to believe I have been married to this wonderful man for seven full years.  We have gone through so much together, and it has been a blessing to grow and experience so much together.  Never would I have imagined such a perfect match for myself, and it is to God that I give the glory for having the foresight and wisdom to give us to each other.  Thank you for being a wonderful father to Jaycee.  You bring so much happiness into our lives.   

 

 

Happy anniversary, love!  And here’s to many more years to come!