I'd like to introduce you all to my new bicycle; Anna-belle! She and I are going places!
Friday, January 23, 2009
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Gratefulness!
It's baby season! I swear! It's like as soon as we hit December the babies started popping!
We've had 4 babies born since December. Three beautiful girls and one precious boy! I just took two more girls to RHAC (reproductive health association of Cambodia, run by USAid) health clinic to have an ultrasound yesterday! Ratanak has been funding the births as well as vitamins/supplements and one ultrasound for each girl. I am so thankful.
It's a magical gift to shower attention and concern onto these mothers who have known none of this before. They are treated with respect and get to see and hear about their baby. They are given a 3-D picture of their little miracle to take home. I feel as if this in itself is showing them and proving to them that even though they can't see with their own eyes and touch with their own hands their children, that their little babies are real. I pray that their husbands will be inspired as well to care for their wives better after hearing and seeing their baby!
We have one girl who is HIV positive and pregnant. She is due next. She may be the cutest woman I've ever seen. She's very young and her belly is SO big! I always come and talk to her tummy and ask it how it's doing in khmer. The mother laughs and thinks I'm quite strange. I have a cousin back in Winnipeg; Lisa-Joy. She is due the exact same day as this precious girl. So when I see this girl grow and complain about her giant belly; i like to think of my cousin. It's kindof a nice gift to have this visual reminder of my cousin. I need you all to pray for this gorgeous girl. I have got her connected to a hospital here that will pay for her birth and give free antiviral meds to her baby as soon as it is born. The baby needs to be delivered in a special hospital and this hospital has agreed to pay for it. They are even willing to take the baby for 6 months to care and nurture it through the time that is most crucial for a child born of a HIV positive mother. Pray that God's hand would be in the baby as it is being delivered and that a miracle would happen; that it would not contract the virus.
I just received an email from a stranger that has without knowing it inspired me with their words. I thank God for the amazing people keeping me in prayer. This particular angel sent me a quote which was EXACTLY what I needed to hear at this particular time. I had been struggling with not doing enough. Not doing big enough things or curing enough or not meeting the girls expectations of a nurse. Oh dear! Will I ever learn that I am NOT enough but He is more then enough for me and all of Cambodia!?
Here's the quote: "Do not think that love, in order to be genuine, has to be extraordinary. What we need is to love without getting tired. It is the intensity of the love we put into our gestures that make them something beautiful for God. Intense love does not measure it just gives."
Thank you. Thank you also to my dear friend who called me yesterday and renewed my vision in Christ. I love you.
We've had 4 babies born since December. Three beautiful girls and one precious boy! I just took two more girls to RHAC (reproductive health association of Cambodia, run by USAid) health clinic to have an ultrasound yesterday! Ratanak has been funding the births as well as vitamins/supplements and one ultrasound for each girl. I am so thankful.
It's a magical gift to shower attention and concern onto these mothers who have known none of this before. They are treated with respect and get to see and hear about their baby. They are given a 3-D picture of their little miracle to take home. I feel as if this in itself is showing them and proving to them that even though they can't see with their own eyes and touch with their own hands their children, that their little babies are real. I pray that their husbands will be inspired as well to care for their wives better after hearing and seeing their baby!
We have one girl who is HIV positive and pregnant. She is due next. She may be the cutest woman I've ever seen. She's very young and her belly is SO big! I always come and talk to her tummy and ask it how it's doing in khmer. The mother laughs and thinks I'm quite strange. I have a cousin back in Winnipeg; Lisa-Joy. She is due the exact same day as this precious girl. So when I see this girl grow and complain about her giant belly; i like to think of my cousin. It's kindof a nice gift to have this visual reminder of my cousin. I need you all to pray for this gorgeous girl. I have got her connected to a hospital here that will pay for her birth and give free antiviral meds to her baby as soon as it is born. The baby needs to be delivered in a special hospital and this hospital has agreed to pay for it. They are even willing to take the baby for 6 months to care and nurture it through the time that is most crucial for a child born of a HIV positive mother. Pray that God's hand would be in the baby as it is being delivered and that a miracle would happen; that it would not contract the virus.
I just received an email from a stranger that has without knowing it inspired me with their words. I thank God for the amazing people keeping me in prayer. This particular angel sent me a quote which was EXACTLY what I needed to hear at this particular time. I had been struggling with not doing enough. Not doing big enough things or curing enough or not meeting the girls expectations of a nurse. Oh dear! Will I ever learn that I am NOT enough but He is more then enough for me and all of Cambodia!?
Here's the quote: "Do not think that love, in order to be genuine, has to be extraordinary. What we need is to love without getting tired. It is the intensity of the love we put into our gestures that make them something beautiful for God. Intense love does not measure it just gives."
Thank you. Thank you also to my dear friend who called me yesterday and renewed my vision in Christ. I love you.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Back in the saddle?!
Yesterday was my first real day back after the holidays and the YWAM team.
I was exhausted when I got home. 17 patients!! Amazing! All of those feelings and struggles and questions re-flooded my mind. Questions like: what impact have i had? Have I even dented the situation?
I am a person that sees the big picture. We're always told; "look at the big picture" or, "step back and take it in". BUT I CAN'T HERE!!
The Big Picture is out of my control. It's got too many little pictures of despair and struggles that when I even toy with the idea of looking at it's entirety then I melt into a puddle on the street. It takes all of my energy to just look at one girl at a time. To look at one area of health at a time. To have one goal at a time.
Not only do I love to look at the big picture but I am also a person that wants to SAVE THE WORLD! Yep. I am. I admit. And so I have this tendency to want to sink my nails into things. To want to control. To want to give and give and give and give. And when nothings coming back to fill me up....I "melt into a puddle on the street!" I recently had, i guess you could say, a bout of exhaustion. I learned of God's amazing grace. To be easy on myself....because?: I AM HUMAN! Wow. I feel quite silly to think that that was my lesson. Obviously I'm human! duh! But when all you see when you look around is need, and all you want to do is give, then the combo becomes deadly.....
So...I guess I'm being easy on myself. I'm praying now that God would give me a clear direction to go in. What area should I focus on? Should I focus on getting all the children vaccinated? Or all the girls tetanus shots done? Or should I teach some education classes on basic hygiene or the importance of wearing shoes/sandals? Should I get all of their eyes tested? Or should I just simply get them all HIV tested? Should I gather all the preggy ladies and do a lesson on self care and baby care? AHHHH.....there's a lot. And I want to do it all. But I just can't...
I had a revelation come to me yesterday. It was simply that "I need." I need just as much as these Daughter's need. Just as much as they need love and encouragement. I need that as well. I am the same. They are my peers. They are my sisters. I am not above or below them. They are not beyond my reach. And I am not beyond theirs. We are human and we are sinners and we are loved despite that.
I am humbled that even though I am the same age as them, that I sin just like them, that I am lost without God, just like them...that God somehow sent ME here.
And I think I know what He wants me to do.
He wants me to show them;
that I am just like them.
Amen.
I was exhausted when I got home. 17 patients!! Amazing! All of those feelings and struggles and questions re-flooded my mind. Questions like: what impact have i had? Have I even dented the situation?
I am a person that sees the big picture. We're always told; "look at the big picture" or, "step back and take it in". BUT I CAN'T HERE!!
The Big Picture is out of my control. It's got too many little pictures of despair and struggles that when I even toy with the idea of looking at it's entirety then I melt into a puddle on the street. It takes all of my energy to just look at one girl at a time. To look at one area of health at a time. To have one goal at a time.
Not only do I love to look at the big picture but I am also a person that wants to SAVE THE WORLD! Yep. I am. I admit. And so I have this tendency to want to sink my nails into things. To want to control. To want to give and give and give and give. And when nothings coming back to fill me up....I "melt into a puddle on the street!" I recently had, i guess you could say, a bout of exhaustion. I learned of God's amazing grace. To be easy on myself....because?: I AM HUMAN! Wow. I feel quite silly to think that that was my lesson. Obviously I'm human! duh! But when all you see when you look around is need, and all you want to do is give, then the combo becomes deadly.....
So...I guess I'm being easy on myself. I'm praying now that God would give me a clear direction to go in. What area should I focus on? Should I focus on getting all the children vaccinated? Or all the girls tetanus shots done? Or should I teach some education classes on basic hygiene or the importance of wearing shoes/sandals? Should I get all of their eyes tested? Or should I just simply get them all HIV tested? Should I gather all the preggy ladies and do a lesson on self care and baby care? AHHHH.....there's a lot. And I want to do it all. But I just can't...
I had a revelation come to me yesterday. It was simply that "I need." I need just as much as these Daughter's need. Just as much as they need love and encouragement. I need that as well. I am the same. They are my peers. They are my sisters. I am not above or below them. They are not beyond my reach. And I am not beyond theirs. We are human and we are sinners and we are loved despite that.
I am humbled that even though I am the same age as them, that I sin just like them, that I am lost without God, just like them...that God somehow sent ME here.
And I think I know what He wants me to do.
He wants me to show them;
that I am just like them.
Amen.
Friday, January 2, 2009
Blogging time again?
Happy New Year!
wow. Things I still can't believe:
1. I'm in Cambodia, S.E. Asia!? What!
2. It's January!? What!
3. We just had Christmas!? What!
4. It's 2009!? What!
Honestly. I still can't believe it to be true until I get back to Winnipeg and I see the '09 sticker pasted on my Dynasty's license plate!!! Seriously.
Okay. Yes. It's been a while. One of my New Year's Resolutions is to blog more. Although, right now, to me, that sounds pretty lame. My life is a bit weird. So i guess that makes it a good blog!?
New Year's: It poured on Phnom Penh all night. So after we got stuck in the traffic and the rain didn't let up, we just went home. Some friend's from church came over and we (very un-celebratorily) had the count down at home. After we pulled ourselves away from the dry apartment, we went to a Chinese restaurant where E. drank 2 Red Bulls! and I had 2 SourSop's (it's a fruit drink. and it's sour. as you would assume. yes.). Then we jumped on our mottos and headed down around the airport to a "sister church" of ours and we had a DANCE PARTY!! So...there was a bit of Khmer music but then the J.T. and the T.I. came out and we had loads of fun! We got home at 5 am...and slept the next day away!! obv!
Work: well, the YWAM team has left us so it's back to normal now. i had my first normal day today. it was strange to sit in my chair and ask the usual questions and do the usual things. it's been a month since i last worked in the clinic. And i got a bit scared cause it's coming to the time when Ruthie will leave me! I'm apprensive and also excited. what a challenge?!
Random News: E. and her sister and I were in a photo shoot this afternoon at hotel Cambodiana!
It has to do with promoting tourism to Cambodia. We had to sit at this small round table on the sand, facing the Mekong River. We sat and had cocktails and got filmed doing it! It was really fun! ....nurse...aunty....actress? Sounds good to me!
wow. Things I still can't believe:
1. I'm in Cambodia, S.E. Asia!? What!
2. It's January!? What!
3. We just had Christmas!? What!
4. It's 2009!? What!
Honestly. I still can't believe it to be true until I get back to Winnipeg and I see the '09 sticker pasted on my Dynasty's license plate!!! Seriously.
Okay. Yes. It's been a while. One of my New Year's Resolutions is to blog more. Although, right now, to me, that sounds pretty lame. My life is a bit weird. So i guess that makes it a good blog!?
New Year's: It poured on Phnom Penh all night. So after we got stuck in the traffic and the rain didn't let up, we just went home. Some friend's from church came over and we (very un-celebratorily) had the count down at home. After we pulled ourselves away from the dry apartment, we went to a Chinese restaurant where E. drank 2 Red Bulls! and I had 2 SourSop's (it's a fruit drink. and it's sour. as you would assume. yes.). Then we jumped on our mottos and headed down around the airport to a "sister church" of ours and we had a DANCE PARTY!! So...there was a bit of Khmer music but then the J.T. and the T.I. came out and we had loads of fun! We got home at 5 am...and slept the next day away!! obv!
Work: well, the YWAM team has left us so it's back to normal now. i had my first normal day today. it was strange to sit in my chair and ask the usual questions and do the usual things. it's been a month since i last worked in the clinic. And i got a bit scared cause it's coming to the time when Ruthie will leave me! I'm apprensive and also excited. what a challenge?!
Random News: E. and her sister and I were in a photo shoot this afternoon at hotel Cambodiana!
It has to do with promoting tourism to Cambodia. We had to sit at this small round table on the sand, facing the Mekong River. We sat and had cocktails and got filmed doing it! It was really fun! ....nurse...aunty....actress? Sounds good to me!
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Merry Christmas.
I love and miss you all so much!
Here is my Christmas poem to you...
The snow smells good from over here
and your heart warmth is loud and strong;
like it's speaking in Tongues
all while the Hymnal sits comfortably in your palms
I close my eyes just to remember you laughing on the sleigh
And as I open them the music plays quickly
and I see myself in you
Oh, how the Ocean separates!
And a plane couldn't fly me quick enough to you.
My dreams are still our loves salvation road and as you sing your heart song,
I'll sing mine
And tomorrow night when you fill my lonely plate,
I'll lift my eyes to the moon and thank God for this food.
Oh, how the Ocean separates
but oh, thank God for Bethlehem!
Here is my Christmas poem to you...
The snow smells good from over here
and your heart warmth is loud and strong;
like it's speaking in Tongues
all while the Hymnal sits comfortably in your palms
I close my eyes just to remember you laughing on the sleigh
And as I open them the music plays quickly
and I see myself in you
Oh, how the Ocean separates!
And a plane couldn't fly me quick enough to you.
My dreams are still our loves salvation road and as you sing your heart song,
I'll sing mine
And tomorrow night when you fill my lonely plate,
I'll lift my eyes to the moon and thank God for this food.
Oh, how the Ocean separates
but oh, thank God for Bethlehem!
Saturday, December 13, 2008
The muchly overdue UPDATE!
Merry Winter Time!
Twelve days till Christmas!? I can't believe it! The only change in seasons here is that the rains have stopped and the gorgeous winds have taken the raindrop's place! It's cooling down at night time to around 20 C and up to 30 in the day time. E. and I have been out for more walks at night and we are thoroughly thankful that we aren't drenched in sticky sweat ALL day. We're bringing out the jeans a bit more and even sweaters on some nights!! I think I may get frost bitten in July when I return to Canada's temperatures!
Oh! I still miss ski-doing with Matthew or skating on the river with Lenny or x-country skiing with Uncle Alvin or Loni. I miss sledding with the boys and cozying into bed with a comforter. I miss.....SNOW!! (i actually really do. no sarcasm here. nope!)
Okay, what can I tell you about what's been up with me?? Hmmm...so many things.
Well, I've been VERY busy this week. I've been facilitating a YWAM group from Colorado Springs. It was a last minute decision to have them come to Daughter's and Ruth asked me if I would step up. And...I DID!! They have been wonderful. They are teaching workshops on child care i.e. child abuse, hygiene, dental health, baby development, etc. Also they have taught on Domestic Violence i.e. the cycle of violence, what to do, etc. And they most recently spoke about tidiness, cleanliness and organization. Our cake making girls had a full cleaning overall on Thursday afternoon!! Spick and Span, as my mom would say!!
So I haven't been working in the clinic at all this week. It felt a bit strange but I am enjoying the break and the refreshed vision I have for myself. The team is sticking around for 3 more weeks at Daughter's. I am heading out of town for the Christmas Holidays with E.'s family from the 22nd till the 28th of December so I am not sure who's going to facilitate the team while I'm gone. I'm sure it'll all work out.
Everyone here drives with motto s. Everyone. That is the vehicle of the country. There are cars but most everyone has at least one motto per family. One day traffic was especially tight and slow so E. and I hopped off the motto and walked the rest of the way. I got off on the Right side and touched the exhaust!! My leg instantly burned with pain. I had touched my inner calf of my right leg to the exhaust and had burned myself...BADLY. It is okay now but it will scar quite definitely. It's approximately two inches in diameter. Pink, healthy skin. But a mother of a scar!! You'll see it soon!! It is very common for Cambodians to have at least one major burn from a motto. They call it the Kampuchea Kiss. So...I guess I've been branded. Should I count myself lucky?
Ruthie the nurse I work with will leave the second week in January to pursue other Cambodian adventures so I will be running solo (but we all know I really won't be;)). It is not by my power but by God's. I truly believe that. Everything will be fine...
Talk to you later,
from the one with an ugly burn on her not so white legs anymore,
Happy Holidays....
Love,
Kimber.
Twelve days till Christmas!? I can't believe it! The only change in seasons here is that the rains have stopped and the gorgeous winds have taken the raindrop's place! It's cooling down at night time to around 20 C and up to 30 in the day time. E. and I have been out for more walks at night and we are thoroughly thankful that we aren't drenched in sticky sweat ALL day. We're bringing out the jeans a bit more and even sweaters on some nights!! I think I may get frost bitten in July when I return to Canada's temperatures!
Oh! I still miss ski-doing with Matthew or skating on the river with Lenny or x-country skiing with Uncle Alvin or Loni. I miss sledding with the boys and cozying into bed with a comforter. I miss.....SNOW!! (i actually really do. no sarcasm here. nope!)
Okay, what can I tell you about what's been up with me?? Hmmm...so many things.
Well, I've been VERY busy this week. I've been facilitating a YWAM group from Colorado Springs. It was a last minute decision to have them come to Daughter's and Ruth asked me if I would step up. And...I DID!! They have been wonderful. They are teaching workshops on child care i.e. child abuse, hygiene, dental health, baby development, etc. Also they have taught on Domestic Violence i.e. the cycle of violence, what to do, etc. And they most recently spoke about tidiness, cleanliness and organization. Our cake making girls had a full cleaning overall on Thursday afternoon!! Spick and Span, as my mom would say!!
So I haven't been working in the clinic at all this week. It felt a bit strange but I am enjoying the break and the refreshed vision I have for myself. The team is sticking around for 3 more weeks at Daughter's. I am heading out of town for the Christmas Holidays with E.'s family from the 22nd till the 28th of December so I am not sure who's going to facilitate the team while I'm gone. I'm sure it'll all work out.
Everyone here drives with motto s. Everyone. That is the vehicle of the country. There are cars but most everyone has at least one motto per family. One day traffic was especially tight and slow so E. and I hopped off the motto and walked the rest of the way. I got off on the Right side and touched the exhaust!! My leg instantly burned with pain. I had touched my inner calf of my right leg to the exhaust and had burned myself...BADLY. It is okay now but it will scar quite definitely. It's approximately two inches in diameter. Pink, healthy skin. But a mother of a scar!! You'll see it soon!! It is very common for Cambodians to have at least one major burn from a motto. They call it the Kampuchea Kiss. So...I guess I've been branded. Should I count myself lucky?
Ruthie the nurse I work with will leave the second week in January to pursue other Cambodian adventures so I will be running solo (but we all know I really won't be;)). It is not by my power but by God's. I truly believe that. Everything will be fine...
Talk to you later,
from the one with an ugly burn on her not so white legs anymore,
Happy Holidays....
Love,
Kimber.
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