New Project in Nicaragua

This summer, as part of the internship for my master of public health program, I will be working in Nicaragua with an organization called Project H.O.P.E. (their website is www.pjhope.org). I will be working on several exciting projects. The first is a needs assessment for a daycare and feeding center. The daycare will be instrumental in helping mothers work and keeping teenage girls in school. I will also be doing follow-up research on the effectiveness of an intervention that taught mothers how to take care of children with diarrhea, a common condition because of poor water quality. Diarrhea is a leading cause of malnutrition among these children, and it can affect their physical, mental, and emotional development. Some other things I may be involved with are free health clinics, Community Health Educator (CHE) visits, a program to educate young new mothers and children's ministry. I am looking forward to these projects, because this is the type of work I would like to make a career of. I appreciate your support, and I could use your prayers. I leave June 10th.

Things I've Taken for Granted

Now that I'm home, I am really enjoying some things I used to take for granted...

1. Houses with walls (hence no chickens, rats, stray cats, wild birds or geckos in your living room)
2. Hot showers (need I say more?)
3. My washer and dryer (so the rain doesn't become the rinse cycle)
4. Soft things to sit on (i.e. not the floor)

Past Week in Surveying

*The following two posts are about a week late. I literally got sick in the middle of writing them last Wednesday. I am home now and feeling much better. Thank you for your prayers and support!

The families that we have been surveying are recent transplants from an area right on the ocean. They were actually forced from their homes by the government because the land was sold to a developer for a hotel. In addition, there is no running water in the area they had to move to. The Samoan government promised water last October, but as of now they still have to draw water from a truck that comes around. This situation made the social worker inside me want to organize and petition.

I have been struggling with the amount of child abuse there is on the island. In many families, if you are sick you get hit for being a burden, if you get hurt you get hit for being stupid, if there are guests you get hit for playing or wanting to be near them. It is really hard for me to handle being able to hear a 3-year old being beaten from 30 yards away. There are no protective services for children. They even get hit in the head in school by their teachers. I have been praying often for the Lord to protect these kids' hearts. Anger is a huge issue here, and it does not surprise me since many children grow up being hit all the time, often for (what seems to me) no reason.

Miscellaneous

I am leaving Samoa on Friday, so I am tying up lose ends and working with the hospital eye clinic to get statistics on the number of patients they diagnose with cataracts and pterygium. After a preliminary look at my surveys, I counted 19 people in the 31 households I surveyed as having cataracts or pterygium, which is surprising. Most of the 19 were pterygium. There are no ophthalmologists in Samoa, so they rely on mission teams to do any eye surgeries, especially the YWAM Marine Reach. I'm hoping that bringing light to this will cause more ophthalmologists to go there on mission.

The School of Mission outreach team (which includes Emily) left from the YWAM base on Monday for Fiji. They are training people on how to build the biogas for cooking fuel and doing evangelism. In 5 weeks they are going to Vanuatu where they will be doing similar things plus reconciliation ceremonies for the missionaries that have been killed there and going through the jungle to a village that has never been reached by the Gospel. PLEASE PRAY FOR THE TEAM. Especially when they are in Vanuatu, which should be the end of July-beginning of September. There is a lot of witchcraft there and physical dangers. They also need more finances.

Keep Praying

I think I might have a parasite or something. I have had stomach problems for several days, I vomited this morning and I am tired, so please pray I will figure out what it is because I have meds with me and that there won't be any more vomiting (sorry for the graphic details).
At least you know how to pray :-).

Please Pray

Please pray

I am getting sick, please pray that it will go away over the weekend. I still have surveys to finish up on Monday, which involve a lot of walking in the heat and as it is now I will not be able to do it. Thank you for your prayers!

Lessons Learned in Samoa

1. Never stand under a coconut tree.
2. If you talk loudly on the bus the old ladies will shush you.
3. Always carry a stick. (To fend off the stray dogs) 4. An umbrella is not just for rain. It is good for the sun and dogs (see above).
5. Pigtails do not denote the gender of a child.
6. If the bus is full, your lap doubles as a bench.
7. It is not acceptable to drink or eat while you are walking.
8. Always take your shoes off before entering someone's house.
9. If you are on the sea wall at night, you have to be on guard for giant cockroaches.
10. Samoans talk with their eyebrows.