Local Hospital Visit

Our neighbor Jelly is sick with dengue and a cold.  Her treatment is free because she is Dominican.  Planks were heading over to see her and invited me to go.  I had been to the hospital before to visit sick students.  I think I wrote about dried blood being on the waiting room floor.  This time there was no blood.  That's a plus.

There is a metal door that goes into the hospital that has a padlock.  It was unlocked and a guard man in regular clothes came back and said the kids couldn't go to the back.  So, the Planks and Jelly's family went to the back as I waited with the little ones.  Jelly's mom came out to relieve me after a few minutes and she pointed to where I should go to find her room.  No one cares who you are or where you are going, I don't really know why they have a guardman.  I went searching and all the room doors are completely open, so I poked my head in doors looking.  She was in a small room with a total of 5 beds.  There were 2 other patients in there at the time.  All the beds had sheets of different patterns and light blankets of different patterns/fabrics.  I'm sure all of them are just donated to the hospital from people.  There were 3 IVs for the patients set up.  Two stands were the same and one was different.  All had paint chipped off the bottom and rust.  The nightstands had rust on them too.  I could see into the bathroom and it didn't have a toilet seat.  Jelly's roommate has a parasite.  It worries me that she has dengue, and then is using that girl's toilet knowing she has a parasite.  I saw the girl bring toilet paper with her into the bathroom.  It made me wonder if the hospital stocks the toilet paper.  I wouldn't be shocked if you have to supply your own. The beds were metal and had a thin blue cushion covering it. 

Ants crawled up the dirty walls in many different lines.  Mold covered parts of the ceiling as paint had flaked off already.  I moved off Jelly's bed because a new visitor came in, and so I sat on an empty bed.  Ants were crawling on me and I had to flick them off. 

One of our little girls from Barrio Balls was looking for her friend.  Her name is Ambar.  She poked her head in our room and I saw Kathy's eyes get wide.  I looked over in excitement.  Ambar was all smiles, too!  Love those stinkin kids!!  She stayed to talk for a minute.

At one point there were about 15 people in the room.  I kept thinking this totally sucks for the one patient that doesn't have any visitors and maybe wants us all to leave!  She has no choice but hear us cut up and talk.  We headed out and saw a lady, without gloves on, rolling gauze in a chair.  I looked in to the front desk area and a nurse had her feet up on the desk.

We got in the car and Trevor was talking to Luke.  I heard him say, "Listen, I want you to know if me or my family ever get sick, DO NOT take us there."

Uh, don't take me there either!

The last two times we skyped our pastors, JJ asked how we were doing health-wise.  Both times we said fine.  1st time after getting off with him, we had issues with head-lice that afternoon.  This past week I've had bacteria issues, again.  STOP asking JJ!! Maybe let Chris ask next time! 

Does God Care About Wanting a Computer?

Have you ever been so filled with JOY (gozo), you actually cry?

It is, by far, my favorite part about being a Christian.

Last week Luke said that he thinks we should pray for things that we need or want, and ask God to supply them.  This isn't a new concept, of course, we are Christ Followers.  Okay, we all know I do not pray for kittens and headaches, so asking God for things isn't usual for me.   I always pray about decisions but asking God to give me something is hard for me to do.  I believe we should and can, it's just I ask for the Lord's will to be done and pray about the things He prompts me to pray for.  If you ask me to pray for you, I ask God what He wants for your situation and pray on that.  Maybe it is healing.  Maybe it is peace.  Maybe it is contentment with where you are.  Whatever He says, I lift that up.  If He doesn't answer specifically, I just give Him the whole situation.  So, I have never prayed for you to pass a test. :)

My computer is getting old and yesterday the Spirit reminded me of what Luke said the second I thought about a new one.  I told God, "Ummmmm.  Okay, listen, if it is possible, I would like a new computer.  If you don't think that I need that, that is fine.  I will be fine with that Macbook until You decide something else for me.  You had church give me that one for free without ever asking for it, and if You want to give me another, then You will make it happen.  I know you have blessed me greatly these past few months, but if You can send me a big chunk, I will be able to purchase a computer."

It was taking forever to open my document for our Prayer Warrior mailing list today and I thought, "I should back up all my docs on a jump before this quits on me."  Ay yi yi.  Yikes.

So, I was texting with Heather tonight and she said, "Oh, I got your tax refund."  Now, I have just been HOPING I DIDN'T have to pay in!  She told me the chunk of money amount and I texted back, "I'm about to hysterically cry!"  She wrote the classic Heather statement, ''Get your life together, Brady!"  I explained to her I just asked God yesterday for money to buy a laptop.  I don't have a paying job and can't save up for things like that!  I live off of whatever God tells people to give me monthly.   He decides what comes my way. 

Wooooo hoooo, new laptop, here I come!  Thanks, God!

Guest Blogger: Kristi Wilson

Kristi is one of my sisters in Christ and a 4th grade teacher at Chain of Lakes Elementary where I use to work.  She came to the Dominican for vacation with Heather and Belinda last week.  I miss these friends terribly!  Here is her recap:

“And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;”

Ephesians 4:11

                  So Phyllis asked me, or more so told me, to write an entry for her blog after my visit to the Dominican Republic.  Her words were, “it is about time for me to write another entry, so you can cover that.” LOL!  On my Facebook, I labeled my album of DR photos, “Visiting Phyllis in her new home.”  This seemed fitting to me after my visit.  While Phyllis screams at the top of her lungs about not having reliable hot water and power, not being able to flush toilet paper, getting milk out of a cardboard box, etc. – she is quick to correct when someone asks “Americana?”  On several occasions I heard her say that she was Dominican and there were only tres Americanas.  After only a year, Phyllis is home – permanently or until God tells her otherwise.  While I sarcastically called her my hero, I do truly believe she is AMAZING for what she is doing!  I would not have the strength to do and give up half the things she does on a daily basis. 

                  Our trip began, Tuesday, with me arriving at Phyllis’ and within the hour puking my guts out due to the anti-malaria medicine I was taking.  Phyllis was right there with me holding my hair and rubbing my back.  Luckily the next day I was feeling better and able to participate in the planned itinerary- hiking in the mountains to the waterfalls.  Heather kept commenting on how amazing the whole thing is, because something as beautiful in America would have been commercialized and turned into a profit.  By end of day Wednesday, rain had moved in and stayed for the duration of our trip.  We didn’t let the rain dampen our fun though.  Our beach day, Thursday turned into go cart races in the pouring rain (there are no regulations about rain and go cart tracks in the Dominican) and on Friday we toured Jarabacoa on motos in the rain. 

                  The parts of the trip that stick out to me the most though were the times we spent with the locals: the families, the children, the moto drivers.  Wednesday night we had a birthday celebration for the Plankenhorn’s children and on the invite list were their neighbors.  They came and ate dinner, birthday cake, opened gifts, laughed and fellowshipped with us. Everyone was included and everyone felt a part of the family during the celebration.  On Thursday night, the Ostbergs took us out for a tour of Jarabacoa after dinner.  At night and in the rain, children came running out to wave and say hi at the recognition of the Ostbergs vehicle.  We stopped and were invited into a home of several of the families.  The families sent their kids to the neighbor’s house to get chairs so we all had somewhere to sit.  They talked with us, while Phyllis and the Ostbergs translated.  The smiles on their faces as they shared about themselves and showed photos to us gave me a little insight to the impact these missionaries are having on the area they live in.  The kids were all asking if we were still going to play with them the next day even if it was raining.  The answer was a unanimous YES! 

Friday at 2:00 we showed up at the field where FIGHT Ministries meets to play with the children, which after the rain was a MUD PIT.  About twenty kids came out to interact and be loved on by the group.  Games of baseball, soccer, and volleyball were taking place.  Laughter could be heard all around and huge grins covered faces.  The relationships these families;  the Plankenhorns, the Ostbergs, and Phyllis Brady, are building with the locals is laying the groundwork for the awesome work God has prepared them for. 

Rain and all I had a memorable trip.  I cannot wait to go back and visit Phyllis and the FIGHT Ministry Team again.  I started my blog entry with a scripture – this group was definitely called to the ministry on which they are embarking.  The small steps they are taking now are going to leave LARGE footprints on the hearts of all those they minister to.