Two More in Medical School

Adrian an Antonetta are both very smart and committed young adults. I have admired both of them and knew they had high potential. They both took the entrance exam to medical school and passed. We already had two of our staff in medical school. Nius and Melly are doing well and now will be joined by these two. It is very costly to start school. We are planting seeds for the future. Someday we will have four amazing doctors running our clinic and ward. Adrian and Antonetta will begin school this summer then they have five years of hard work ahead of them. It takes time to grow strong leaders.

Onward Into 2009

What a challenging year we have experienced in 2008--our world has changed in these few months. Now we face 2009 with it's own challenges and hopes. I have found that even with the ebb and flow of the world economy there are things that do not change. They do not move aside when world markets crack under their own weight. Like the false assurance that may come while taking the first few steps on a frozen lake--soon it will begin to reveal it's strength. You either find the ice capable of holding your weight or you hear the sound of cracking under your feet. It is no fun navigating on cracking ice.

The unchanging things are serious and challenging. Hunger does not wait for the economy to stabilize. Disease is not on vacation when the markets take a nose dive. People living in poverty are the real victim to these changes--there are more added to their numbers. We serve the poorest-of-the-poor and find they know nothing about AIG and the DOW Jones. They are only looking for the next meal and a place to sleep. Their lives are simple--they live day-to-day.

We will not change our mission--we will continue to serve the poor. We will look for ways to assist them in their medical needs. We have children who were thrown away and would not have a future. We care for lepers who are the rejected outcasts of this region. We plan to build another home for their treatment this year.

We cannot and will not stop our care of the least and lowest. We look with hope and optimism to 2009. I know thousands will have their lives changed because when they seek help they will find a place of hope.

Looking Back At 2008

When I look back at 2008 I am amazed at the forward steps our work has made. I credit the awesome staff led by Peter and Esther Scarborough. They are the real heroes and have worked with integrity and compassion.

Here are some of the highlights:

• Building and dedication of new 21 bed patient ward.
• We now have 28 children in our care. These are orphaned and abandoned children.
• Three new vehicles were purchased giving us reliable transportation.
• The "Hohidiai" Clinic in Halmahera treated over 10,000 poor.
• The clinic is now wired with a LAN computer system.
  
• The second four-plex unit was built for the Tamariska (Leper Treatment Center).
  
• Self-sustaining programs are being developed--including the sale of coffee.
  
• Three children are being treated overseas--Yulce, Vino and Kasih.
  
• 22 short-term foreign teams came to assist our work.
• We have over 80 full-time staff at our base--about 30 are medical workers.
  
• Two of our staff are in medical school, five in nursing training, two are training for dentistry, two more as midwives and a pharmacist.
  

The most rewarding part of our work is knowing lives were saved and a mountains of compassion was given to the poorest of the poor. Our care is based on need--no one is turned away. These are only the highlights, there are so many individual miracles and breakthroughs. We just want to be a part of changing the future of this region by investing in the people.

Now we look ahead to 2009 with enthusiasm and hope.

Narrow Roads

The roads on the remote island near our base are narrow. Those of you who have been there and know what it feels like to pass an oncoming truck understand the sense of relief after both vehicles pass untouched. There is no shoulder and it is not uncommon to have a pile of sand or even road crews on the road without any warning--no signs or flagmen. The dogs are the worst--they just lay down in the road daring you to hit them. Pigs, chickens, goats, and dogs just run loose. If you hit one you will have to pay the owner an unrealistic amount of payment for the animal They calculate the value of the animal and the potential off spring that would have been born due to the loss of the animal. It can be costly to hit an animal.

On Christmas eve three of our staff were coming back to our base after transporting a terminally ill patient to Tobelo. They were coming around a corner near our base and a speeding vehicle came around the corner and the driver had to make a quick decision. He had a moment to decide to turn into the ditch and take his chances instead of a certain head on collision--he turned into the ditch. Our driver is very safe and thankfully he was going slow around that corner. All three of our staff were not injured in the crash but the one riding in the middle broke the windshield.

Peter Scarborough wrote, " Whilst the damage looks extensive the car doors still open and close OK and the wheels are seemingly in alignment. The front headlights are undamaged. We will need to purchase a new bonnet (hood), front quarter panels, grill, bumper assembly, windscreen and a new radiator. Praise God it can be fixed.

We can fix the little truck--we are very thankful our three awesome staff are fine other than some soreness.

Cars--Boats--Air Planes

It was the afternoon before our team was to leave the remote island of Halmahera. Our team was scheduled to leave on a flight in the morning. We were in town purchasing some of the last items before we were to leave. We were just getting ready to drive to our base some 20 miles away but we were flagged down by the ticket agent who had sold us the tickets a week earlier. She told us that our flight had been canceled. That meant we had to work quickly and find a way to get to our international flight that was to leave in three days. Three days seems like plenty of time--but not on these islands. We had few options--we had no time to spare.

There were no flights off the island we were on for days but we were able to get the last seats on a flight leaving on another island the next day at around 1 p.m. I knew what that meant but my team didn't. We were also asked to help three Australian young people to get to that flight. They were in the same dilemma we faced. We were in for a long day. We got a private car to take us to catch a boat. We left at 5 a.m. and sped down the road to our base where we picked up the Australian's and now had a two car caravan. It is an experience you will never forget as you drive down the jungle roads at a high rate of speed in the dark--dogs , pigs, chickens and goats all in the way. Finally, the sun came up but we just kept flying down the road. It was beautiful but hard to enjoy the sights when they are just flashing by the window.

We made it to Sofifi around 9:30 a.m. and negotiated for a speed boat. We had to cross open water to reach the island of Ternate where our flight would depart in a couple hours. It is better to cross in the morning as the waves are not as big. I look at the number of outboard motors on each boat. The vast majority have only two motors and the most I have seen is five. The more motors the bigger the boat. These are water taxis. We were able to find a three engine boat and got a good price. We loaded all our luggage on the boat and we were on our way. I joke that the extra motors are for parts. It is rare that all the motors work. I was surprised when all three of our motors never missed a beat. It was a beautiful clear day and the seas were calm. We made good time and only hit a couple waves that tossed the boat. One of our Australian friends got a little stressed but we were able to help her feel safe.

We landed and got two taxis and stopped at the airlines office to get our tickets. The ticket agent told us that we got the last seats on that flight. A nice lunch awaited us at the airport and a few minutes of rest until we finally checked in and boarded our flight. This is not Singapore International Airport we had to ride a bus to the plane and walk on the pavement to board our flight. It didn't matter, we were on our way and in time to make our international flight.

In these remote areas you must have a back-up plan at all times. The options are few if something like this happens. We were blessed to get the last seats on the flight and thankfully the ticket agent saw us and informed us the flight was canceled. We were totally exhausted by the time we made it to our hotel and the hot shower I enjoyed would have been worth a hundred dollars.

Prince Daud

We call him a prince because he seems to have a domain of his own--he has a northern and southern kingdom. He was six years old when I first saw him. He came in the back of a pick-up truck. He had just had a very bad burn injury and was in a lot of pain. I remember him crying that first day and threatening to have his uncle, a police man, come a shoot the nurse who was treating his burn wounds. He needed urgent care and was in for a couple years of painful therapy. He was really strong and proved to have a lot of will power to improve.

I remember when he went with us a village about 40 miles north of our medical base. We were getting ready to leave and he told us he was going to stay there because his grandmother lived there--he wanted to spend time with her. He was then left in the care of his grandmother.

In about 10 days he shows up at our medical base. He was on public transportation and just came into the main base office and said--you will have to pay the driver. We paid the driver and we realized he had his northern domain (where his grandmother lived) and his southern kingdom (our medical base). We started calling him Prince Daud that day. His name is Nino or Daud (David) and he is now 11 years old. He has a special place in all of our hearts because he has been in our care for five years. He has made remarkable progress.

He generally doesn't smile but if you can get him to laugh it is contagious. He will get an entire room rolling on the floor. We love him and want him to prosper. He has a good heart and is pretty smart--even though he seems to miss more school than he attends. He is one of the little ones that will be with us for years to come. He comes and just pulls up a chair to the dinner table--he is welcome and he knows it. I hope to see him grow up to be a good man. I do know he will not be crippled or useless. He is normal and has little evidence of his burn.

He painted his face like a cat in the photo--you never know what a prince might do.

More Lepers

It was raining hard and then the skies cleared so I walked to the leper treatment center. I wanted to see Hendrik who was the first leper in our care. He was sitting in front of his unit. I called out his name and heard his call back to me. He inspired the building of these units to help other lepers. He was rejected by his village and lived like a dog for 15 years. He is now happy and loved by everyone.

Hendrik was not alone at the Tamariska (dwelling place of kings). The two buildings have four units each and they are completely full. I saw a young man sitting outside his unit and went over and shook his hand. He would not look up at me--it appeared he carried some shame about his condition. I was told he had a form of skin leprosy. It is highly transferable but also treatable. If he stays on his medication and builds up his health he can full recover.

The third building will be started in 2009. This will give us four more units and the ability to care for more lepers and T.B. victims.