Practical classes - Integumentry (Skin) system

Practical classes...after vital signs we learned about sterile technique, dressing changes, wound care, surgical wounds and drains, and bandaging.  So fun to work with!!

Bishwazit and Halim

Kapil and Mintu

Baby and Johanna

Dezy and Irine

Bishwazit and Kapil

Bishwazit, Noyan, and Arup

Halim and I

The lovely bunch

I miss...

Hard to believe it's been more then two months since arriving home in Canada from Bangladesh.  In some aspects it seems like a long time ago, other moments it seems like yesterday.  Not a day goes by I don't think and pray about it.  I'm not done blogging...yet.  There's still more to say and share, I'm just a bit behind.

I miss having cha tea and samosa's everyday for tea, I miss hanging out at the mess eating icecream or just drinking more cha tea and being in Bengali friends company.  I miss the students cheery faces twice a week at 7am in the hospital saying 'Goodmorning madam' or 'Sister, what does this mean?'.  I miss seeing them learn something I've taught them...and remember it a week later, ok sometimes :)  I miss laughing with them, in practical time, in the hospital, and in my Bangla communication.  I miss laughing with Ashim and Sadonna in the college office about random things.

I miss chatting with the Bengali hospital staff the night before clinical or during clinical hours and them laughing at my butchered Bangla.  I miss all the medics...and all the times I was treated to tea.  I miss seeing their heart and pride involved in the care they give.  I miss curry.

I miss the missionaries...Susan, Lisa, and Glenda at the college, other medical and nonmedical missionaires, 24 nights with the Longs/Weldy's and of course Christel and Lynette - pumpkin curry, chocolate dessert balls, movie nights, night swims, and of course our chats. 

Through all the challenges faced by everyone from multiple directions it's so comforting to know God is Sovereign and we can rest in that.  Coming home and having a chance to reflect, pray, read God's word, and process thoughts - He's teaching me so many new things!  Reading different missionaries biographies and different mission magazines, it's comforting to know and see other missionaries dealing with challenges and how God is working through that. 

I miss being able to relate to others about Bangladesh.  I'm so blessed to have had the opportunity to experience what I did, yet part of me is so sad to not have shared that with someone here at home.  Just to be able to chat about it and what's happening there now, to agree with someone about it in prayer - not that people don't care but to have that personal connection.  I am thankful at least for email and facebook to keep somewhat in contact with what's happening half way around the world. 

A verse shared by one of my Bengali friends:
Joshua 24:15  'But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.'

How this rings so true not only in Bangladesh but here at home. I'm so thankful that God's word is applicable universally!

Memorial Christian College of Health Sciences

 Sadonna - the cleaner, provider of tea, and 'Mashi' of the college

Tea time

Johanna, Hanna, and Bipasha

The men.

Ashim - the answerer of my million questions

Susan - coworker, supporter, and friend

Lynette - my Riverside Inn roomate :)

Christel (Obstetrician Dr) and Suhki (medic)

On this rock will I build my church...

A few weeks ago Memorial Baptist Church (church partnered with Memorial Christian Hospital) had a baptism.  It was really encouraging to see!

Last weekend was a official recognition of one of the new church's in one of the local communities.  Here the pastor from Memorial Baptist Church handing the new pastor a certificate of recognition.

Community people out to celebrate this occasion.

Cute little ones who get so thrilled when you take their picture.

Prayer for the new pastor

Some neighboring school kids of the new church curious as to what was happening.

If you want more information please email me at wiebejolene@hotmail.com 

VVF & Hope Hospital

Sometimes it definitely is a small world...it was really nice to have a visitor in Bangladesh!  Dr. Steve Arrowsmith is a VVF (vesicovaginal fistula - birthing injuries) surgeon from Michigan who came to Bangladesh partnering with Worldwide fistula fund and Hope Hospital.  Hope Hospital is located at Cox's Bazaar, which happens to be approximately one hour from Malumghat.  I had the pleasure of working with Steve on Mercy Ships in Ghana and Togo, and with WFF (Worldwide Fistula Fund) in Danja Niger.  How cool to meet up again in Bangladesh!

Hope Hospital was started in 2005 by a Bengali man who practices as a pediatrician in Florida.  He saw a need in his home country and has made his vision a reality by opening a Women and Children's Hospital called Hope Hospital.  It was an honor to meet with these men who have a vision for the healthcare needs in this area as well as education.

I was invited to come speak with the nurses at the hospital about VVF care pre and postop.  It was great to be back in VVF land...missed those ladies!   They're definitely so special!  Even though the distance is far between Bangladesh and West Africa, the patients stories are so similiar.  Married when I was 13, was pregnant at 14, was in labor for 3 days  (obstructed labor because of their tiny pelvis') the baby died and I started leaking urine.  I've not been able to get pregnant since, I've been leaking urine for 10 years.

After teaching the nurses, and after morning surgeries were finished we had Bengali lunch together - rice, chicken and vegetable curry, hard boiled egg, so tasty!   

 Steve and I

Group of administration, local nurses, Dr. Arrowsmith and I.

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

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!