Remember

It has been over eleven years since I first set foot in Indonesia. It was a life changing experience to walk in the refugee camps and witness the sad struggle of thousands of people. Those memories set the direction of our work even a decade later.

We have a passion to serve the poorest-of-the-poor in the remote island of Halmahera. The challenges are always before us--funding--medical resources--training of staff--organizing the construction of facilities. I strongly believe the real heroes in our work are the staff members led by Peter and Esther Scarborough who serve every day. They serve without seeking praise and give unselfishly day after day. They face the challenges directly and keep serving the sick and injured.

The region is now facing an HIV/AIDS crisis. Our staff are treating those who come to us with the breakdown of their immune system--wondering why they are so weak. Every story is so sad and yet we are there to give them comfort and respect. It is a privilege to put our arms around them and to offer them compassion. When I look at the faces of those who come asking our staff to help them I remember the early days.

Remembering Those In Need

They come asking for help. They are poor and in crisis. Their needs range from illness to injuries. The one common thing about all of those who come is they all believe our medical staff can help them. Recently a little girl was brought to the clinic for examination. She had a growth on the right side of her head, including her right ear and it wrapped around to cover her right eye. The concern is that she was allowed to get to this condition. She should have been brought in months or even years earlier. Her growth is in an advanced condition. She is in need of treatment we cannot provide at our clinic. We are looking for an open door for her to get the care she needs.

It is an honor to help those who find themselves in need medically. It is why we are working in the remote islands of Indonesia. The entire staff is committed to giving the best care with compassion to those who ask for help. Those on the staff are just amazing people—they do give their all to serve the least and lowest.

Surgical Team

TheIFC/Hohidiai staff at the Medical Clinic and Hospital are looking forward to this team coming to focus on cleft lip surgeries. The permits have been secured with the Department of Health for this team to bring hope to the poor that come for help. Those needing the cleft lip surgeries are now just waiting for the team to arrive.

There are a couple other special cases for the medical team to assess. The top of the list is a middle aged man who is badly burned on his back from his neck down to his feet. He is in desperate need of specialized burn care.

There is a lot of logistics for a medial team of 13 people. Our short-term team coordinator and team leader, Dan Holmgren, have worked long and hard to get the travel, lodging, visas, letters, supplies and permits organized. It is a huge job but well worth the investment--those cleft lip patients will leave with a new face and new future.

Dr. Gigi

In Indonesia the word for teeth is gigi--so a dentist is Dr. Gigi. We had our own Dr. Gigi on the recent team. He came from the place on the planet that has had a record snowfall and now he is in the remote islands of Indonesia pulling and filling teeth.

Dr. Paul (Dr. Gigi) was just been amazing as he patiently took a look at the dental needs of each person. He was also there to train the dental support staff. It was fascinating watching him instruct each one of them--they were each at a different skill level.

The bonus was his interpreter, Annie. She was born in Indonesia and moved to America as a young woman. She has family who live in Java. She flew up to the base and was a great help to Dr. Gigi as he instructed his staff. She just stood back until she was needed. She had a very good grip on the more technical part of the language.

He has children come to the dental room who did not want to get close to a dentist and others who just opened their mouths and came out smiling. I saw the first boy who came to see the dentist and his dental needs were major. There was another that needed the best part of three days to help his mouthful of cavities.

I could see the confidence of the dental staff increase as each day passed. Dr. Paul let them assist and even do some of the work under his tutelage. The staff is learning the practical experiences and upgrading their skills--step-by-step.

Clean Water

Our mobile clinics go to some of the most remote places on the planet and serve the poorest people in these secluded mountain regions and isolated islands. I have personally been on several of their mobile clinics and I am amazed at, and blessed by, the devotion of these mobile team members. Sometimes the teams are greeted with dancers and music and there is usually food served to the team members. These teams stay in the villages for as long as three months or just for the day. The lines of patients can be long as they wait to be seen by the medical staff.

These villages do not always have clean water available. I recently met an amazing man, Jon, who is an inventor and specializes in clean water systems. Jon donated one of his smallest units—only 21 pounds—which are very portable but very efficient. You can literally pump out of any river and have drinkable water. The fact we can have good water at any place makes our medical care that much better. This clean water hand pump system is just what we need to improve our treatment. If it saves a life or reduces suffering it will be worth every mile it travels to these remote places.

Heavy Hearts

Baby Junita fought a good fight but lost her battle for life. We are all heavy hearted about her passing. Our hopes were high and the help that was offered to her was monumental. She was given every ounce of help we could give. She faced a domino effect of the tragic burn--dengue fever--a twisted bowel. It was just too much for her to overcome.

Jien is the nine year old who had T.B. and was severely malnourished. She was shockingly thin at around 15 pounds. Our medical staff assessed her battle was due to damaged organs that just could not process the food she consumed. She got weaker and weaker even though she was given an enriched formula. She was at our base for about a year. During that year she received lots of love and attention. This week her father came and took her back to their village. He could see she was not making progress and needed to be with family as her tiny body was not getting stronger. I think it will be best for her to be with her family during these days. She is a fighter and proved the power of the human "will to live". She touched many lives and was an example of tenacity.

Reality

I just reported the passing of baby Junita. She fought a good fight but just had too much for her frail body to overcome. If the burn injuries were not tough enough she got Dengue Fever and then a twisted bowel. The internal bleeding due to the Dengue Fever and the emergency surgery for the twisted bowel was a huge challenge to survive. She came out of the surgery but could not fully recover. This is the reality of the medical work. The staff and all our supporters put everything into saving her life. Even with the huge effort, sometimes a patient does not survive.

Jien is also a real concern. I recently saw her and spoke to the staff. She was not doing very well. She is very thin and is fighting for her life. This is reality. We want the best outcome but we have to walk in an understanding of what is actually happening.

We just continue to pray and do everything medically to join the fight to live.

Walking

This is such an encouraging photo. Jien is now walking--it have been a long time since she tried to walk. We are praying she has turned a corner and will gain weight and strength. She is so brave and wants to live. This is a small step but it is so encouraging to the staff who have worked with her over this year. I credit her strength and the loving care of the staff for her improvement.

Encouraging

I do not know what you need to have a sense of encouragement. The recent reports on two of the children who are being cared by our medical staff in Indonesia was exactly what made me feel encouraged. There were two little girls who have needed our help and prayers. Jien is now nine years old and Junita is less than a year old. They both needed miracles.

Jien has recently started to walk with assistance. She is so weak and frail but seems to have turned a corner. She is now eating better and is growing from the 15 pound she when we first met her 10 months ago.

Junita was badly burned on her head and upper body in a hot oil spill. She went to Bethesda Hospital in Kalimantan where she had had skin grafts over her head. She is really doing well.

Both of these children were not expected to live but it looks like they have a chance now. That is what makes me encouraged today.

A Few Steps

Jien has been fighting for her life. The medical staff have treated her with little progress. She is now nine years old and less than 20 pounds. She has T.B. and malnourishment--that is a terrible combination. We have all been concerned and cheering her on. It seemed like every small bite of food was one more step closer to her being healthy.

We just got the best news yesterday. She is not only walking but she has begun to eat more. She is a miracle and so many are praying and hoping she makes it. I can't wait to hear the next report that she is even better than today's great report.

The staff have just done an amazing job in loving and treating her. She has been through so much sadness in her short life. Her mother died of T.B. and she has to fight everyday.

Jien--a fighter

Little Jien is still alive and continues to fight. She is now 9 years old. Jien has T.B. and has recently lost two kilograms (around 4 pounds). She is now around 15 pounds. She has little gains but she need to have sustained weight gain.

Jien's mother died of T.B. and she has a grandmother with her. She gets lots of love and support from the medical staff. She has had very good medical care but continues to barely hold on to life. She does not like the feeding tube but it offers a way to get the life giving formula into her stomach. She doesn't seem to process the food she consuming.

She has taught us a lot about having a"will to live". She is a fighter. We pray she will win this battle.

Dr. Paul

Dr. Paul came to Indonesia knowing he would be there only a short time. He filled the days he had with hours of training and dental work. Neni, the dental nurse, was so amazing. She was hungry to learn and Dr. Paul kept giving her more and more opportunities. His teaching style was to show her, then let her do what he just showed her. Neni is smart and was the perfect student. She wanted to learn more and more. It was the perfect team--Dr. Paul was willing to teach her and she was eager to learn.

Dr. Paul could have pulled and filled a hundred teeth and then go home. It would have blessed a hundred people. Now Yeni can pull and fill many times the hundred teeth Dr. Paul could have filled in the time he was in Indonesia. Neni is now an extension of Dr. Paul--she will get better and better because of what she learned under his instruction.

The investment of skilled professionals in the training of our staff is invaluable. This is the model we feel is the most effective. I appreciate Dr. Paul very much--he came in with the right attitude and gave everything he had.

Dental Needs

In March, a dental team went to our base and treated over 100 children and then visited a public school. It was a dynamic time. The dental needs where we work are great--no one get regular dental care. Two of our staff are studying to become dentists. We want to relieve suffering of those who come with dental issues. All of us know the pain you can have when you have dental problems.

I leave in three hours for Indonesia. I will be joining a dental team. This team will be training our dental staff and will be caring for those who come to our clinic during their stay.

I admire these volunteers who give their time and pay their own way. They just want to help those who are serving the poor. This year we have had two dental teams from the U.S. who have traveled over the Pacific Ocean. The timing is good for these teams to share their knowledge and professional skills. It all translates into a better trained staff.

Surgery for Billie

Billie is four years boy who came to the U.S. for surgery for a imperforate anus when he was less than two years old. Liz Wood, a nurse from Fairbanks, led the effort and his life was saved by her coordination of all the travel, funding and medical and personal sacrifice. Billie was operated on by Dr. David Bliss of Emanuel Hospital in Portland Oregon. The professional skills and compassion of Dr. Bliss gave Billie a future. He did very well following these surgeries. He went back to Indonesia where he started a normal life.

Liz heard recently that Billie was having problems with an obstruction in the small bowl. He had a successful six hour surgery in Indonesia. He is now recovering and time will tell how he will do following this surgery.

I admire the heart and efforts of Liz as she has remained committed to Billie and his future. She is going to be in Indonesia this month and will be able to see him in person.

It Is Done

Indra will get the needed surgery for the hole in his heart.

I have to thanks a couple very generous and compassionate couples for stepping forward with the needed donations. It will mean a lot to give him a future.

It amazes me that it really doesn't take much to make a difference. The average surgery costs about $ 500 USD. I recently went to the hospital for a two night stay here in the U.S. and the cost was shocking. Thankfully, that is not the case in our region of Indonesia. Esther Scarborough, IFC Medical Director, is very selective about who we can help. We do not have an endless supply of funds for surgeries but we want to respond when we can--especially to save a life.

Indra and his aunt will be traveling to Jakarta after arrangements are made to admit him into the hospital. I can see him already--he will get to play with the other children without getting too tired. He will feel so much better and his future will be bright.

That is how it works--help one person at a time.

He Has a Name

The little boy I wrote about in the last story is named Indra. He is four years old. He was abandoned by his parents and his aunt is now raising him. He is always in her arms. He has a hole in his heart and needs surgery for PDA.

He is in a difficult time as his future is in question. He cannot run and play like the other children in the camp where he and his aunt are living. The camp they live in is depressing and not a good place to live. Indra's aunt does not have a husband or children. He is her sunshine and needs to get his heart repaired soon.

So far we have raised half of what he needs for his surgery. He needs another $ 1,000 to cover the rest of the costs. We are trying to give him a normal life.

Hole in His Heart

I just got a note from IFC medical director, Esther Scarborough. She told me about a small boy (I do not have his name) who is living in a camp and needs surgery to close a hole in his heart. I got to see him because I have stopped at that camp a number of times. He is always in the arms of his mother and cries a lot. He seems lethargic and doctors feel they need to get him help soon.

There are about 500 people living in this camp--they are unable or unwilling to return to their homes because of lack of money or safety issues. They remain in these poor conditions and life seems to go on. This small boy is in need of surgery in Jakarta. It can be done but we need the funds to get him help. It costs around $ 3,000 to get him and his mother to Jakarta, lodging and surgery. Please pray with us about this little boy.

I have several photos of him but he is crying in every photo. His family is praying but they are very poor and need some help.

Jurambi

We were taken to the Ward to see the newest arrival. It seemed important and had an sense of urgency. When we went to the room we could see a young man in serious condition. Jurambi is 21 years old and has an unknown illness. It was a little early to know because he had just arrived and was being diagnosed. He was malnourished and very weak. He looks like someone with AIDS. The Doctor was doing tests and asking the questions about contracting HIV.

His parents had brought him to the Ward. We spoke to them and it just seemed like they had no more options. Jurambi had been working in West Papua for a couple years. He began to get sick while he was there. They wanted answers but needed a miracle. I thought how hopeless this must feel for them. They were poor and had waited until he was near death to bring him into the Ward. This is not uncommon for the sick to come to our clinic when they have allowed their illness to progress to a very serious point. He was receiving 24 hour care and had improved slightly in a few days.

Medical care can be very difficult at the ends of the earth due to the serious condition of patients when they arrive at our clinic. They are poor and even the transportation costs can be a more than they can afford. There are many remote islands that require the sick to travel in small boats in open ocean waters. The storm seasons make the already daunting travel even more dangerous. Then there is superstition which can be an obstacle to getting help soon enough. These families are desperate and sometimes rely on witchdoctors to cure their loved ones. The challenges facing medical workers in these remote regions can be monumental. It is never a question of the concern or love of a family for their sick or injured loved ones--it is how many obstacles are in the way to getting them to help.

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.

Network Time

Cat 5e cable, crimping tools, switches, plugs and much more--these are the parts we need to build a computer network at our clinic in Halmahera. This will greatly increase our ability to keep records of all of the patients that come to the clinic. Last year there were over 10,000 who came to our clinic for help. The intake form was done hard copy. That is a lot of records and sometimes difficult to find needed information. This network will increase the effectiveness of our care. We plan to link the clinic to the new Ward (21 bed in-patient facility). Our team will be installing this network in the month of November. We have a good computer tech on staff.