Sunday, May 20, 2012

My Heavenly Father

To keep an eternal perspective…how can I do that? How can everything I do and say reflect Him in my life? It’s so easy to get bogged down in earthly circumstances, easily picking out what could be better if things were done this way, or if this person acted this way.

To see things through the eyes of Christ. To see people through the eyes of grace and not condemnation. To recognize the weaknesses in me, yet relying on His strength to accomplish the purpose He has for me, not growing faint in well doing.

To be reminded of the grace He’s shown me in times where I need to show grace to others. Where is the line between standing up against what’s wrong or where to administer grace? To have discernment to rightly divide the word of truth.

To long for Him in each area of my life, trusting Him not myself. To rely on His Spirit to guide and teach me. To be immersed in His presence…daily, moment by moment. To pray without ceasing. How is this possible? In my strength it’s not, this is where I love that He is my Father. May He be glorified!

From the inside out – Philips, Craig, & Dean
A thousand times I've failed
Still your mercy remains
And If I stumble again
I'm caught in your grace
Everlasting, Your light will shine
When all else fails
Neverending, your glory goes
Beyond all fame

My heart and my soul
I give You control
Consume me from the inside out Lord
Let justice and praise
Become my embrace
To love You from the inside out

Your will above all else
My purpose remains
The art of losing myself
In bringing You praise
Everlasting, Your light will shine
When all else fails
Never-ending, your glory goes
Beyond all fame

My heart and my soul
I give You control
Consume me from the inside out Lord
Let justice and praise
Become my embrace
To love You from the inside out

Everlasting, Your light will shine
When all else fails
Never-ending, Your glory goes
Beyond all fame
And the cry of my heart
Is to bring You praise
From the inside out
Lord my soul cries out



Friday, May 11, 2012

Moshkali Mobile Clinic

In April I had the opporturnity to head out to one of our mobile medical clinics to an island called Moshkali a couple hours from Malumghat.  This was the first time MCH (Memorial Christian Hospital) has had a clinic in this area.

This is Nancie, an amazing woman who's been in Bangladesh longer then I've been alive, yet has more energy then a few of us put together.  Here she was blocking the bystanders view of us bideshi's (white people) at one of our stops to pick up a community member.  Outside of Malumghat in the rural areas we definitely are a spectacle.  It was funny how people riding their bikes would see us and suddenly brake, turn around, and come stare into the van window.  No qualms about being obvious.  Taking pictures of us with their phones also is quite common.


 We held the clinic at a school.  4 medics (like nurse practitioners at home) and one Dr assessed the patients making referals, health teaching, and giving prescriptions as needed.





Here Nancie, along with another midwive held a class for these traditional birth attendents/midwives.


 My job was working in the pharmacy, filling the prescriptions and giving them to Glenda (another missionary nurse) and the translator for teaching and translating.  Here are some women waiting at the pharmacy window...and yes I did help them.


Our 'pharmacy'.


On our drive home we ran into some water buffalo.


A dokon (shop).

Out in the rural areas the truth about women staying home and men going to the market was definitely true.  Not really any women were seen driving through the towns/villages.



Salt patties.  Also the building you see in the distance is a cyclone shelter.  These are scattered throughout the country for emergency use. 


Palm Sunday & Easter in Bangladesh

Don't miss it...get to the bridge in Chabagon (town across the road) by 7am for the Palm Sunday parade, so we get there at 7 and are the only ones there :).  Then the kids start coming around 7:30am -it's definitely closer to Western time here but sometimes I'm still reminded of African time.

For Palm Sunday the Sunday school kids all decorated palm branches with flowers to parade through Chabagon singing a Hallelujah chorus.  It was very cute and pretty special!  Everything includes banners, so here was the banner at the front of the parade. Boys on one side of the road, girls on the other. (The man on the left is one of my students). 



This is our office assistant Ashim's daughter Aditi and his father (one of the nurses at the hospital).  I think she's one of the cutest kids here!

For Good Friday morning I was invited to one of the mission homes for an amazing brunch.  At 1pm the town church had a service emphasizing the 7 sayings of Christ on the cross.  In the evening we had bideshi (white people, aka missionary) church on the compound.
Easter Sunday included a sunrise service, treats at church followed by a Sunday school program.  It was so interesting to see how the culture is so conservative yet had tamborines, cultural dancing, and women acting in the drama. 



After the Sunday school program we had a feast at the church dinning hall of Bengali food - rice, egg, dahl (lentils), and vegetables with curry sauce.  In the evening the missionaries celebrated with a potluck and service.  What a special time!

This was a display set up in front of the hospital saying the tomb is empty - we serve a living God!