Vino

Vino was brought to one of our clinics. I remember seeing him and wondering what could be done to help him. He had been badly burned in a kerosene spill accident. His right arm, right hand, chest and neck were scared and he needed expert reconstructive surgery. He was presented to the Children's Burn Foundation and Grossman Burn Center. He came to the U.S. to be treated. He has made wonderful progress and is now free of the burns contractures and continues to be treated. He is going to school and seems to have adjusted very well.

Vino is facing some challenges that could effect his recovery. He is running out of harvestable skin for grafting. He is having "balloons" placed under his good skin to stretch the skin to provide more usable grafts. We are now waiting to see the results of the new skin harvest. I will keep you posted on the progress.

Home Sweet Home

New bricks are setting ready for the beginning of the foundation for the next leper house. This new building will be the third house at the Tamarista. These are all four-plex units which will provide homes for the lepers and their families to live.

We are in the process of filling the two other buildings with lepers from remote villages in this region. There are several lepers who have asked to come to the Tamarista. This is the stormy time of year and these lepers and their families have to take care in being transported by boat. They will begin to fill these two homes in the days and weeks ahead.

Those who suffer from leprosy can be treated with good results. They need more than a negative report on the leprosy--they need their emotional and self-esteem rebuilt as well. It can take two years of treatment to finally get a negative status on their leprosy. These families will live in clean units with a bathroom, served nutritious food, and have a daily medical care. It is an honor to move forward in the construction in order to help the least of the least.

Extravagance

I was in one of the villages near our medical base and was served some coffee. It was one of the best cups of coffee I have ever had. I asked where did they get this coffee--an old woman smiled and told us it was from her tree. She told us that all of the fruit tree and coffee trees had been destroyed in the crisis. She got this twinkle in her eye and said, " My coffee is from a few branches that survived." I asked her if she had more and she raised her eyebrows. This is the same as nodding affirmatively for us. I wanted to buy some of her coffee to take home with me. She agreed to sell me some of her coffee.

We walked down the road to her home. The front of her home was just a huge hole where bombs had found their target. She walked in and went thru another door. A few minuted later she comes with about five ounces of coffee. She told me it was all she had left. It was a small amount but it was also an opportunity to bless this old woman. I looked into my wallet and I had a 5,000 Rupiah (55 cents) and 100,000 Rupiah ($ 11 USD.) and I had a choice to make. She offered to just give me the coffee. There was no way I was going to miss the chance to shock her with a big gift. I rolled up the 100,000 bill and put it into her hand. I took my coffee beans and started to walk down the road.

I felt great knowing she was getting more than she expected. She was a surviver who had excaped with her life from the years of the conflict. She and her coffee had that in common. As I walked down the road I heard her excited shouts to the woman across the road. She was saying, "You cannot believe what that crazy white man gave me for my coffee." She got more for this small amount of coffee than most workers get in a week of hard work. She had reason to shout. This was a day when extravagance came to her door.

The coffee was wonderful. I had it roasted and enjoyed every sip. It was also especially nice knowing a small amount of the bitterness of life had been removed from this old woman's life.

We are now growing 200 coffee trees on our base. These trees were started from seeds from this village. These beans came from the branches that survived the conflict. The trees are now 10-12 feet tall and are just full of coffee beans--our hope is to market the coffee in the future.

Keys To the Future

The conflict (1999-2003) left this region devastated. There are ruins almost everywhere you look. This was a difficult time for those who survived the conflict. It is now a season of rebuilding their homes and lives.

This photo seems to illustrate the status of this region. The portion of the ruins of a church is still standing next to the new church under construction. This is a place that is between the dark past and their future.

Our hope is to be a part of a positive future for those who are rebuilding their lives. Villages and businesses are being rebuilt and the economic outlook is much better. The markets and stores are very busy. There are smiles and it seems the future could be bright. I am hopeful but cautious--there has to be real forgiveness and restoration as a foundation to the future. The evidence of a peaceful future is not necessarily new roads and buildings--it is inner healing from the sorrows of this region. Forgiveness and reconciliation are the keys to the future.

Rain

It can rain in the tropics--as you can see. This photo is taken at the Medical Base House--it was taken in February during the rainy season. These islands have dense jungles drenched nearly every day during the rainy season. The rich volcanic soil combined with a perfect climate produce ideal conditions for the growth of fruit and vegetables.

It also provides a wet playground for the children at the base. Epen (big brother) is enjoying the downpour with Teresa and Victor. It wasn't long before they we running and splashing in the big puddles. They played for over an hour and came in completely soaked. When you witness these fantastic downpours it is easy to see why these islands are so green and fruitful.

Yulen's Story

Yulen's story in her own words:

"I remember the time and date the 22nd of February at 7 o'clock at night I
wanted to light the kerosene lamp at our house. I put more kerosene in the
light then I went to put the container of kerosene back but I was still
holding the light when all of a sudden my hair and face was on fire. At the
time my hair was long and it was falling off onto my body, hands and legs as
it burnt. I screamed and fortunately my neighbour who was bathing nearby at
the well heard me and threw water over me. I was cared for at home for a day
where a nurse gave me intravenous fluids but then I went to the public
hospital in Tobelo. I was in that hospital for 20 days but the nurses only
changed my wounds every 2 or 3 days. The other patients were upset by my
wounds because they smelt so bad. We heard from a nurse that the clinic here
(IFC Clinic named Hohidiai) has good cream for burn wounds so we asked the
clinic for help. For the time we were in the public hospital we had to pay Rp. 8
million (that is about $ 900 USD). We received assistance from the church
and other friends and relatives but we were almost out of money when my
relatives and I made the decision together to take me to clinic Hohidiai. We
arrived here on the 14th of March with the hope that the medical staff would
serve me here. We are so grateful that I can be in this clinic. God Bless
you."



"Yulen's burns are very extensive. Whilst we will do our best to get them
healed she will be in our clinic for many months and may end up with severe
scarring. She may need plastic surgery later. Whilst she has a long haul
ahead of her we count it a privilege to serve her here. She is not out of
complete danger. Burns patients can die in the first 6 weeks from infection,
fluid loss and malnutrition." Esther Scarboroug

Ribbon Cutting

It was the only day we got a reprieve from the tropical rain. It was a beautiful night for this celebration. The Tamarista, Leper Center, had two four-plex buildings completed. We were there that night for a ribbon cutting and celebration of the completion of these leper houses.

The children danced a traditional dance and we enjoyed a nice dinner. I shared the story of Mephibosheth who was a lame boy who was a relative to Jonathan. King David sent his servant to find him and then brought him to his home. Mephibosheth was a throw-away and when he met King David he called himself a “dog”. This was the very word that Hendrik, the leper living in the Tamarista, was called when he was cast out of his village. I love that about the Lord—He is for the least and lowest. He shows mercy to them. Mephibosheth was given a place at the table of King David. He was accepted and given honor. This seemed so fitting for this dedication.

Lyle Gresehover represented his “home group” who had given funds to build one of these homes. Dale and Shirley Shelley stood for First Presbyterian Church in Fairbanks who also gave funds to build this site. They cut the ribbon and we rejoiced that those who suffer the effects of leprosy can find a place where they are accepted and treated.

The remaining units will be filled soon. The team knows were there are lepers who want to come. Thank you for your prayers and support.