There's nothing like satisfying a hungry gastric container with delightful sugar-coated, carcinogen-containing delicacies from Quillen's First Annual Halloweenie Roast. It sure beats the typical brown-bag sandwich lunch that most of my comrades and I consume during the lunchtime hour.
The past few weeks have been a series of small "treats" for me as I've been wearing out I-81 and I-40 to see those dear to me in the form of pleasant hikes through the Smokies and HTI's semi-annual board meeting in Nashville. I will not be disappointed in the least when in heaven, I don't have to make such exhausting solitary drives to see everyone because we will all be in one place. I am truly grateful for those of you who took time out of your schedules so that I could spend time with you.
If you never have taken the opportunity to drive I-40 during autumn, you must put it on your "10 Things to Do Before I Die" list. The brilliance of the foilage is simply astounding. There's something about being outside that's good for the insides of man. I think if every family in the United States was required to spend one day outside in nature (real nature-not the pseudonature our city government creates in the form of baseball diamonds and glaring stadium lights), I think that the incidence of crime and violence would dramatically decrease. To observe such intricate design and beauty puts everything back into perspective and gives one time to reflect upon their purpose in being here amidst the grand scheme of life.
As the morning devotional Saturday, we were asked to reflect upon Luke 10:1-12 and select a word from the passage that caught our attention. I have been blessed with the opportunity the past few months to take a deeper look at Luke and the life of Christ through Beth Moore's study. The more I study about our Savior the more I am awe of him. I don't think people are turned away from being a Christian by Christ; rather, they are turned away by Christians bearing his name but not understanding what it means to live under that name. How could you not devote your life to someone who had unending compassion for the poor, the sick, the impoverished; deep wisdom to confront the intellectually elite and spiritually empty, unmeasured strength to stand in the face of great opposition, and unfathomable patience to bear with the infedelity of the faithful? How can anyone's life not have more than just a shallow relationship with such a person?
My word from the passage was "intended." We are never sent out somewhere where God hasn't already planned to go. I just ask your prayers as I consider this palette of seemingly unending opportunities presented before me and that he leads me where he intends to go and that we never hold such busy schedules that we fail to set aside time to meditate on the beauty of the life of Christ.
"A man should hear a little music, read a little poetry, and see a fine picture every day of his life, in order that worldly cares may not obliterate the sense of the beautiful which God has implanted in the human soul." -Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
10.31.2005
10.21.2005
10.17.2005
Five Favorite Scents...
...from this past week that will never be marketed as candles.
Isn't it amazing how a smell can evoke a memory? The whiff of an odoriferous substance like bubble gum, the kind that came in the square package with the baseball player on the front, can instantly transport you back 20 years to your childhood and standing in line at the toy store. Or another example--freshly sharpened number two pencils and crayons and you're back in the classroom for your first day of school. The following are five of my favorite scents (in no particular order) from this past week:
1. Horse and Leather
I can't tell you how great it was to be "back in the saddle" again. I hadn't ridden since my wreck over two years ago, and I'd forgotten how wonderful it feels to be astride an animal twice your size barreling down (ok so maybe it was more like ambling down) a grassy field like you're the next messenger for the Pony Express. Thank goodness for classmates whose in-laws own horses near my parents' home :o)
2. Dried Leaves and Haybales
I love the first signs of autumn: the smell of freshly fallen leaves, pumpkins, hayrides, and hot apple cider. No fall break is complete without a trip to the Walden's Pumpkin Farm and the purchase of a few soon-to-be Jack-O-Lanterns. Anyone have any carving or recipe suggestions?
3. Corn Dogs and Funnel Cakes
Cammie and I decided to take another road trip. No, we didn't make it all the way to Vegas this time, just to the Webb School Art and Craft Fair in Bell Buckle, Tennessee. There's nothing like wandering around streets filled with the handiwork of local artisans. I wanted to give 3 adorable snowmen/women good homes but my med. school budget wouldn't allow it. Did I ever mention how cute snowmen can be?
4. Homemade Biscuits and Mashed Potatoes
What a wonderful feeling it is to come home to freshly-cooked meal, especially when you don't have to cook it. Spending time in the Emergency Department this past week has made me appreciate how blessed I am to have parents like mine. I think a large part of who we become depends upon our upbringing and the love and support our parents show us.
5. Unwashed-purchased Clothes
Have you ever noticed how all clothes seem to have a particular smell to them after purchasing them? I'm convinced that all department stores/clothing carriers secretly manufacture and use a fabric spray called "New Clothing Smell." With all this talk about the big "P" word going around school, I decided it was time to purchase some garments that better fit the definition of the big "P" word. Needless to say, I am currently banned from going to the mall or any distributor or seller of textiles and/or related materials.
The past week has been a nice respite from the daily grind of medical school. Unfortunately, the aforementioned scents will soon be replaced by the stale coffee and copy paper aroma of Stanton Gerber Hall. Only two more months until the next break!
Isn't it amazing how a smell can evoke a memory? The whiff of an odoriferous substance like bubble gum, the kind that came in the square package with the baseball player on the front, can instantly transport you back 20 years to your childhood and standing in line at the toy store. Or another example--freshly sharpened number two pencils and crayons and you're back in the classroom for your first day of school. The following are five of my favorite scents (in no particular order) from this past week:
1. Horse and Leather
I can't tell you how great it was to be "back in the saddle" again. I hadn't ridden since my wreck over two years ago, and I'd forgotten how wonderful it feels to be astride an animal twice your size barreling down (ok so maybe it was more like ambling down) a grassy field like you're the next messenger for the Pony Express. Thank goodness for classmates whose in-laws own horses near my parents' home :o)
2. Dried Leaves and Haybales
I love the first signs of autumn: the smell of freshly fallen leaves, pumpkins, hayrides, and hot apple cider. No fall break is complete without a trip to the Walden's Pumpkin Farm and the purchase of a few soon-to-be Jack-O-Lanterns. Anyone have any carving or recipe suggestions?
3. Corn Dogs and Funnel Cakes
Cammie and I decided to take another road trip. No, we didn't make it all the way to Vegas this time, just to the Webb School Art and Craft Fair in Bell Buckle, Tennessee. There's nothing like wandering around streets filled with the handiwork of local artisans. I wanted to give 3 adorable snowmen/women good homes but my med. school budget wouldn't allow it. Did I ever mention how cute snowmen can be?
4. Homemade Biscuits and Mashed Potatoes
What a wonderful feeling it is to come home to freshly-cooked meal, especially when you don't have to cook it. Spending time in the Emergency Department this past week has made me appreciate how blessed I am to have parents like mine. I think a large part of who we become depends upon our upbringing and the love and support our parents show us.
5. Unwashed-purchased Clothes
Have you ever noticed how all clothes seem to have a particular smell to them after purchasing them? I'm convinced that all department stores/clothing carriers secretly manufacture and use a fabric spray called "New Clothing Smell." With all this talk about the big "P" word going around school, I decided it was time to purchase some garments that better fit the definition of the big "P" word. Needless to say, I am currently banned from going to the mall or any distributor or seller of textiles and/or related materials.
The past week has been a nice respite from the daily grind of medical school. Unfortunately, the aforementioned scents will soon be replaced by the stale coffee and copy paper aroma of Stanton Gerber Hall. Only two more months until the next break!
10.10.2005
Coming to a Hospital Near You
After a juggling of schedule away from doing a preceptorship at Vanderbilt due to the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, I'm back at Smyrna's hospital. I'm in the emergency department all week, and so far it's been a blast. Nothing like spending a day with crushed appendages, myocardial infarctions, MVAs, mentally-unstable patients, and lots of blood (ok maybe not lots of blood). No, it's nothing like the hit show ER, but it's definitely exciting.
I'd write more, but medical students have no time, and this week is no different. I just ask for your prayers for the flood victims in Guatemala (why does it seem like those who have the least are prone to lose the most?) and for myself. Wednesday night is the unveiling of years of God's preparation of me, unbeknownst most of the time, as I present my future plans to the missions committee at church.
I hope you all are doing well, and I apologize for my lack of blog reading. I just don't have time. Drop me a line or a phone call and let me know you're still alive. If you're in Ktown next Monday I invite you to dine with me at the noontime hour. Cheers!!
10.07.2005
I'm Back
Seeing how you've missed me by the massive amount of email, phone calls, and hand-written letters I've received, I assure you that once again my presence graces the blogging world. After spending the past week in a midst of sniffles, sneezes, studies, sleepless nights, and stressful exams, I can finally say that fall break has arrived.
Look for more posts to come when I can muster up a more coherent thought other than "H. influenzae is a fastidious pleomorphic Gram negative rod that that is characterized by satellite colonies grown in the presence of S. aureus and factors X and V."
2 Year Anniversary of the confirmation to embark upon this crazy journey and 35% completion of such=time for a well-deserved nap.
Look for more posts to come when I can muster up a more coherent thought other than "H. influenzae is a fastidious pleomorphic Gram negative rod that that is characterized by satellite colonies grown in the presence of S. aureus and factors X and V."
2 Year Anniversary of the confirmation to embark upon this crazy journey and 35% completion of such=time for a well-deserved nap.
9.28.2005
In Honor of...
...Completely blowing my Path test out of its disease-infested waters, I bequeath to my readers the honor of another stream of consciousness post.
The other day before lunch as I was ascending the stairs to take my lunch at our habitual spot, a picnic table outside Stanton Gerber, out of the corner of my eye I saw a man running down the hall, dressed in surgery-colored scrubs and wearing a white coat. It was none other than our own Dr.E, the renowned MD/JD who amused us with his lectures in Physical Exam last year by showing us pictures of his favorite vacation spots and telling us, "Now when you make just as much money as I do, you can go have some fun at these places too." A smirk briefly crossed my face as I assessed the somewhat humorous situation though I suppose we all have those times in our lives when we have to shirk our professional appearances and just let life happen.
Speaking of lunch, you never know what turn the conversation may take. For example, the other day myself and the other three girls (we'll call them L, C, and J for simplicity's sake) were admiring the beautiful day and talking among ourselves and trying to get J to give us some of her heavenly Snickers cake. Somewhere between this admiration and attempt to beg, we all almost simultaneously came to the conclusion that we must have been absolutely batty all of those years when all we could think about was our long-held goals of being physicians. It's actually a ridiculous career if you think about it. We pay tens of thousands of dollars for years to study like mad, lose sleep, read our friends' blogs (ok so maybe we don't read our friends' blogs), dig in dead bodies, and prepare stains of pathologic agents. It's a profession that has an incredibly poor track record; I mean if you had a batting average for each physician in terms of successful diagnoses and cures, they'd immediately throw us all into Little League, maybe even T-ball league, or maybe they just wouldn't even let us play because our record is so awful.
But never fear, your crazy med school nerd's friend, L, came up with a wonderful solution. Somehow, something I said was misheard and "I have to go to an appointment this afternoon," turned into "I have to go to McDonalds soon." This statement in itself if quite amusing since the author of this blog abhors the Golden Arches and would rather go on a forty day diet of raw tuna fish than set foot in such a hovel. After a few more convolutions of our random banter, L decided that I should quit medical school and become Ronald McDonald's female counterpart. I know the publicity and money from commercials would be an incentive, but I had to explain to L that I just don't think that's my type of employment. I mean I know the red poofy hair and big red shoes are quite attractive but c'mon. I'd always have to have a smile plastered on my face. There has to be something wrong with a girl who constantly smiles.
After seeing that L's business venture was plummeting to the abyss of failure it was decided that we are all going to pursue more normal careers like teaching Spanish, being a missionary, or the old standby-a street musician. Then I could have a normal life, right?
In the meantime, this med school nerd has a lot to learn about neurology and microbiology in the next week.
Doesn't it give you great comfort that your future physicians engage in such meaningful discussions? The life of a medical student-you never know what to expect!
The other day before lunch as I was ascending the stairs to take my lunch at our habitual spot, a picnic table outside Stanton Gerber, out of the corner of my eye I saw a man running down the hall, dressed in surgery-colored scrubs and wearing a white coat. It was none other than our own Dr.E, the renowned MD/JD who amused us with his lectures in Physical Exam last year by showing us pictures of his favorite vacation spots and telling us, "Now when you make just as much money as I do, you can go have some fun at these places too." A smirk briefly crossed my face as I assessed the somewhat humorous situation though I suppose we all have those times in our lives when we have to shirk our professional appearances and just let life happen.
Speaking of lunch, you never know what turn the conversation may take. For example, the other day myself and the other three girls (we'll call them L, C, and J for simplicity's sake) were admiring the beautiful day and talking among ourselves and trying to get J to give us some of her heavenly Snickers cake. Somewhere between this admiration and attempt to beg, we all almost simultaneously came to the conclusion that we must have been absolutely batty all of those years when all we could think about was our long-held goals of being physicians. It's actually a ridiculous career if you think about it. We pay tens of thousands of dollars for years to study like mad, lose sleep, read our friends' blogs (ok so maybe we don't read our friends' blogs), dig in dead bodies, and prepare stains of pathologic agents. It's a profession that has an incredibly poor track record; I mean if you had a batting average for each physician in terms of successful diagnoses and cures, they'd immediately throw us all into Little League, maybe even T-ball league, or maybe they just wouldn't even let us play because our record is so awful.
But never fear, your crazy med school nerd's friend, L, came up with a wonderful solution. Somehow, something I said was misheard and "I have to go to an appointment this afternoon," turned into "I have to go to McDonalds soon." This statement in itself if quite amusing since the author of this blog abhors the Golden Arches and would rather go on a forty day diet of raw tuna fish than set foot in such a hovel. After a few more convolutions of our random banter, L decided that I should quit medical school and become Ronald McDonald's female counterpart. I know the publicity and money from commercials would be an incentive, but I had to explain to L that I just don't think that's my type of employment. I mean I know the red poofy hair and big red shoes are quite attractive but c'mon. I'd always have to have a smile plastered on my face. There has to be something wrong with a girl who constantly smiles.
After seeing that L's business venture was plummeting to the abyss of failure it was decided that we are all going to pursue more normal careers like teaching Spanish, being a missionary, or the old standby-a street musician. Then I could have a normal life, right?
In the meantime, this med school nerd has a lot to learn about neurology and microbiology in the next week.
Doesn't it give you great comfort that your future physicians engage in such meaningful discussions? The life of a medical student-you never know what to expect!
9.19.2005
Anywhere with Jesus
Aren't they adorable?
Dimas Miguel and Georgina Lopez
Managua, Nicaragua, September 2005
my "roommates" in Honduras in 2003 and
the children of my "second set of parents"
Do to increasing pressure from faithful blog readers, the management of this blog has decided to uphold their commitment to providing an update regarding the recent medical missions seminar. The management apologizes for any incovenience experienced over the past two weeks and attributes all delays in blogging to trying to cram everything there is to know about heart, lung, and kidney pathology into the small confines of a cranium before 8am Monday.
That being stated, on to the missions report...
Wow. Even though I haven't been able to go on a college retreat since...well...I was in college, this was definitely a retreat for me. It was so refreshing and encouraging to realize that there are still people out there who know what true Christianity is all about- that it's not about being part of an intellectually elite, somewhat PC, somewhat humanitarian group. Rather it's about being so in awe of what a wonderful Savior we have that one dedicates their whole life to bringing such good news to all those they come in contact with- the good news of a Savior who longs to gather us under his sheltering wings like a hen with her chicks. Or perhaps a Savior who can take away the detrimental thirst for alcohol and replace it with something that will never leave one thirsty. Or of a Savior who instead of waving a wand and saying the magic word, tirelessly attends to all those who need healing.
I had the opportunity to eat lunch with a couple who wouldn't limit God and his ability to help the country of Malawi, to watch an optometrist use his talents to allow others the opportunity to open their eyes to the Bible, to watch the 4 day journey up a river to bring hope to the forgotten of Nicaragua, and to hear story upon story of how people of all backgrounds and talents are thinking big ie not limiting God and thinking small ie not forgetting the individual person and purpose to bring the message of God's love to every corner of the world.
It has definitely caused this week to be one of conviction, convicted in God's calling for me, convicted in knowing more about this wonderful Savior who cared enough to seek out a little Michele some years ago, convicted to pray for all those he is still seeking, and convicted in the desire to prepare myself and seek out God's future plan for me. I only hope that I will allow him to use me in such a way as he has used those I saw this weekend.
Below are some links to some of the wonderful ways God is working throughout the world. Take a few minutes and check them out, pray for the work, and let missions change your life and the lives of others!
That being stated, on to the missions report...
Wow. Even though I haven't been able to go on a college retreat since...well...I was in college, this was definitely a retreat for me. It was so refreshing and encouraging to realize that there are still people out there who know what true Christianity is all about- that it's not about being part of an intellectually elite, somewhat PC, somewhat humanitarian group. Rather it's about being so in awe of what a wonderful Savior we have that one dedicates their whole life to bringing such good news to all those they come in contact with- the good news of a Savior who longs to gather us under his sheltering wings like a hen with her chicks. Or perhaps a Savior who can take away the detrimental thirst for alcohol and replace it with something that will never leave one thirsty. Or of a Savior who instead of waving a wand and saying the magic word, tirelessly attends to all those who need healing.
I had the opportunity to eat lunch with a couple who wouldn't limit God and his ability to help the country of Malawi, to watch an optometrist use his talents to allow others the opportunity to open their eyes to the Bible, to watch the 4 day journey up a river to bring hope to the forgotten of Nicaragua, and to hear story upon story of how people of all backgrounds and talents are thinking big ie not limiting God and thinking small ie not forgetting the individual person and purpose to bring the message of God's love to every corner of the world.
It has definitely caused this week to be one of conviction, convicted in God's calling for me, convicted in knowing more about this wonderful Savior who cared enough to seek out a little Michele some years ago, convicted to pray for all those he is still seeking, and convicted in the desire to prepare myself and seek out God's future plan for me. I only hope that I will allow him to use me in such a way as he has used those I saw this weekend.
Below are some links to some of the wonderful ways God is working throughout the world. Take a few minutes and check them out, pray for the work, and let missions change your life and the lives of others!
The Malawi Project
Health Talents International
Healing Hands
Glasses for Missions
Predisan
Partners in Progress
International Health Care Foundation
So there you have it. The management regretfully informs its faithful clientele that future posts will be few and far between due to three assessments of the management's knowledge of pathology, neurobiology, and microbiology over the next two weeks. Should any one of the subscribers need to contact the management within that time period, phone calls and emails are very effective means of doing so. Que Dios les bendiga!
9.12.2005
At Your Service
To all of you who have been waiting in eager suspense, here it is:
I thought about writing about the portly officer who stalked my neighbor and I last Friday on the trail (or was it us stalking him?) but they say write about what you know, and since I don’t know much about portly police officers nor my neighbor, I thought I’d write about something I do know or at least about something of which I have a feeble inkling of its definition. No, I won’t make you suffer through the paper I wrote for Honors Service Learning, though if you ever happen to be within the confines of UT-Knoxville and have three extra hours available in your schedule, I highly recommend taking the class. Nor will I steal your time by posting my senior honors thesis upon the narrow-margined blog space. What I’m actually writing about is the events of this past weekend when four fearless first year students and I attempted to serve the Hispanic community at Scott’s Farm.
As an attempt to help the first year students accrue their ten hours of “Service Learning” credit for a useless class under the broad heading of “Behavioral Science,” I had arranged for them to work with the migrant clinic at Scott’s Farm, held every Sunday afternoon. After consulting with the directors as to how we could assist with the clinic, we decided to script and perform a series of skits to illustrate basic health and hygiene principles. Unbeknownst to me, not only does the class of 2009 have a plethora of students with a basic knowledge of Spanish, but it also contains many aspiring actors as well. When the time came for us to arrive at Scott’s we were well-prepared with our crazy props for protective clothing against pesticides, our glitter and soap for demonstrating “germenes” and handwashing, and a unrivaled cohort of medical actors destined for UniVision’s spin-off of ER. Everything was ready for a successful day of educating the migrant workers. Except…no one thought to ask the migrant workers what they really wanted to hear.
After setting up our props and commencing our soon-to-be award-winning performance, we began to notice that our stellar act was not so well-received. The workers fixed their eyes on us in meaningless gaze as we “educated” them about the importance of preventing pesticide exposure and washing one’s hands to prevent disease. As we went from dormitory to dormitory, the response was the same. Once, our pesticide skit garnered a few half-hearted applauses from a worker as his friend simultaneously saluted us with his half-empty beer can. In almost all aspects, it was a dismal failure.
Yet, some would consider our “service” as a great benefit to the community. We often confuse the term “service” with the term “doing a good deed.” We confuse the idea of helping someone with the feeling of being appreciated for what we have done. Those who go out into the world, enthusiastic in their desire to help but directionless and unaware of the actual need, are dangerous in their unguided efforts, sometimes causing more harm than benefit to those in need of service. Had someone actually taken the time to ask what the concerns of the workers were, they might have listened more intently to our performance. Maybe they would have told us what they really wanted to learn was how to stay hopeful and motivated in a situation where the only entertainment comes from disc of technology or metal cans of beverage. Maybe if we had taken the time to get to know a few of the workers beforehand, we wouldn’t have appeared as a barrage of arrogant “gringos” coming in to teach “those people” a thing or two about the quotidian events of their lives.
On the other hand, as we were driving back to campus, I realized that our efforts were not totally unsuccessful. The medical students learned something. Their eyes were opened to something they might not have even considered existent within Washington County. I heard many of the mention how they were inspired to consider the idea of studying abroad over the summer so that they could better communicate with those whom they served. That’s one of the fascinating aspects of service. Though you come to serve and teach others, those being served teach you about yourself and through your service you discover characteristics and talents that you didn’t even know you possessed. Service is not just about doing a “good deed” or practicing “random acts of kindness;” rather, it is about living a lifestyle of looking inward at oneself only to see what can be given outwardly to meet the needs of the one being served. I leave you with a few quotes from Robert Cole’s The Call of Service. I couldn’t have said it better myself:
“I think part of doing community service is this—to be stopped in your tracks sometimes because you’ve seen so much you ordinarily wouldn’t, and you take time out and try to look at that big picture you don’t even want to see.”
“We serve, and they serve us by coming here—giving us a chance to serve, and so offering a service to us.”
“You can learn a lot when you do this kind of work…but you can also learn about yourself, your own psychology and politics and values…and so while you’re doing, you’re learning, and when you go back to school, to college, when you resume learning, you can do so differently because of the doing…what you learn out there then becomes a part of you, and it gives some new assumptions or attitudes to you…”
“Maybe we spend so much time trying to be of help to them, we end up not thinking of the consequences—what we come to mean to them…They are our fellow human beings, and if we are to call ourselves Christians, they are the people Jesus would have us think about and try to be with.”
I thought about writing about the portly officer who stalked my neighbor and I last Friday on the trail (or was it us stalking him?) but they say write about what you know, and since I don’t know much about portly police officers nor my neighbor, I thought I’d write about something I do know or at least about something of which I have a feeble inkling of its definition. No, I won’t make you suffer through the paper I wrote for Honors Service Learning, though if you ever happen to be within the confines of UT-Knoxville and have three extra hours available in your schedule, I highly recommend taking the class. Nor will I steal your time by posting my senior honors thesis upon the narrow-margined blog space. What I’m actually writing about is the events of this past weekend when four fearless first year students and I attempted to serve the Hispanic community at Scott’s Farm.
As an attempt to help the first year students accrue their ten hours of “Service Learning” credit for a useless class under the broad heading of “Behavioral Science,” I had arranged for them to work with the migrant clinic at Scott’s Farm, held every Sunday afternoon. After consulting with the directors as to how we could assist with the clinic, we decided to script and perform a series of skits to illustrate basic health and hygiene principles. Unbeknownst to me, not only does the class of 2009 have a plethora of students with a basic knowledge of Spanish, but it also contains many aspiring actors as well. When the time came for us to arrive at Scott’s we were well-prepared with our crazy props for protective clothing against pesticides, our glitter and soap for demonstrating “germenes” and handwashing, and a unrivaled cohort of medical actors destined for UniVision’s spin-off of ER. Everything was ready for a successful day of educating the migrant workers. Except…no one thought to ask the migrant workers what they really wanted to hear.
After setting up our props and commencing our soon-to-be award-winning performance, we began to notice that our stellar act was not so well-received. The workers fixed their eyes on us in meaningless gaze as we “educated” them about the importance of preventing pesticide exposure and washing one’s hands to prevent disease. As we went from dormitory to dormitory, the response was the same. Once, our pesticide skit garnered a few half-hearted applauses from a worker as his friend simultaneously saluted us with his half-empty beer can. In almost all aspects, it was a dismal failure.
Yet, some would consider our “service” as a great benefit to the community. We often confuse the term “service” with the term “doing a good deed.” We confuse the idea of helping someone with the feeling of being appreciated for what we have done. Those who go out into the world, enthusiastic in their desire to help but directionless and unaware of the actual need, are dangerous in their unguided efforts, sometimes causing more harm than benefit to those in need of service. Had someone actually taken the time to ask what the concerns of the workers were, they might have listened more intently to our performance. Maybe they would have told us what they really wanted to learn was how to stay hopeful and motivated in a situation where the only entertainment comes from disc of technology or metal cans of beverage. Maybe if we had taken the time to get to know a few of the workers beforehand, we wouldn’t have appeared as a barrage of arrogant “gringos” coming in to teach “those people” a thing or two about the quotidian events of their lives.
On the other hand, as we were driving back to campus, I realized that our efforts were not totally unsuccessful. The medical students learned something. Their eyes were opened to something they might not have even considered existent within Washington County. I heard many of the mention how they were inspired to consider the idea of studying abroad over the summer so that they could better communicate with those whom they served. That’s one of the fascinating aspects of service. Though you come to serve and teach others, those being served teach you about yourself and through your service you discover characteristics and talents that you didn’t even know you possessed. Service is not just about doing a “good deed” or practicing “random acts of kindness;” rather, it is about living a lifestyle of looking inward at oneself only to see what can be given outwardly to meet the needs of the one being served. I leave you with a few quotes from Robert Cole’s The Call of Service. I couldn’t have said it better myself:
“I think part of doing community service is this—to be stopped in your tracks sometimes because you’ve seen so much you ordinarily wouldn’t, and you take time out and try to look at that big picture you don’t even want to see.”
“We serve, and they serve us by coming here—giving us a chance to serve, and so offering a service to us.”
“You can learn a lot when you do this kind of work…but you can also learn about yourself, your own psychology and politics and values…and so while you’re doing, you’re learning, and when you go back to school, to college, when you resume learning, you can do so differently because of the doing…what you learn out there then becomes a part of you, and it gives some new assumptions or attitudes to you…”
“Maybe we spend so much time trying to be of help to them, we end up not thinking of the consequences—what we come to mean to them…They are our fellow human beings, and if we are to call ourselves Christians, they are the people Jesus would have us think about and try to be with.”
9.05.2005
These Birks Aren't Made for Walking
V-O-L-S!!!
I should know that a trip to Knoxville is never without a random outdoor adventure. However, having been gone from my former alma mater for months, I neglected to pack appropriate footwear. Anyone who believes hippies hiked all over California, and wherever else hippies live, in Birkenstocks is sadly mistaken. I personally think they are the ones who invented Chaco's. They just hid the design for abut 20-30 years until they realized the massive profit that could be made from selling these second soles to college yuppies. That being said, I wasn't wearing my Chaco's when the proposition was made that we should go burn all those calories from Pelancho's by a jaunt up the side of House Mountain.
Nor did anyone mention that this excursion would include a near-death slip (due to improper footwear) down a hundred foot cliff (ok maybe it was more like a twenty foot slope) or bouldering practice. Despite the slight mishaps and some girl's inflamed feet, it was a wonderful way to spend a Sunday afternoon.
There's just something about seeing people and spending time with them that trumps any amount of emails, IM's, or phone calls. There's just something about sitting around and sharing life with your brothers and sisters in Christ, knowing that we're all in this struggle together. There are those places that occupy a special place in our hearts, not due to the geographic features or amenities; rather, due to the memories they contain of the friendships made and shared within their boundaries. I can't wait until the day when all those special places will become one, heaven, and we will have eternity to "catch up" and renew old acquaintances. To all my K-town peeps, it was great to see you again. Thanks for all the talks, laughs, meals, and adventures we shared the past few days. Your med school nerd friend is going back into the vault, but you'd better save the weekend of October 7-9th for another appointment with the great outdoors. I assure you that I'll bring the proper footwear.
"I still find each day too short for all the thoughts I want to think all the walks I want to take, all the books I want to read, and all the friends I want to see." -John Burroughs
8.31.2005
HodgePodge
Since I don't have any adventurous stories to tell like Mer and Justin's survival of Tennessee's white water and the river guy or Kent's leap out of a flying machine several thousand feet in the air, I thought today's post would just be a collection of stream-of-consciousness ramblings.
1. How to Save Money on Gas
In case you haven't noticed, the price of food for our beloved four-wheeled (or six-wheeled if your an East TN country bumpkin or two-wheeled if you're my old motorcycle-riding oboe teacher) vehicles has increased to an unheard of amount. In fact, I think I could go on a date (not that I have a date but that's irrelevant to this conversation) and eat at a nice restaurant, maybe even two dates but not at the same time, for less than it would cost to fill up my car. The situation being as it is, I propose that we all bike to class. It's really not that far and it makes for some great exercise. As an added benefit, once you arrive at class you don't have to worry about the creepy pathologist-wannabe student sitting next to you; you've already worked up a sweat with a stench that would even scare away the neighbor's dog.
Since you're already on your bike, you don't have to worry about mounting your bike rack on your beloved 4, 6, or 2 wheeled vehicle or spending money on fuel that you were going to spend on your date to go exercise. You could just ride your bike straight from school to the trails. Fortunately, the powers at be at ETSU or maybe just the Baptist Student Union had the foresight to realize this efficient means of exercise and installed a set of lovely trails right behind the BSU and down the street from school. Problem solved.
2. Books
When my parents were in town the other day, it was decided that all my reading material was inadequately stored in the few meager shelves and boxes I had in my possession. So after a few hours shopping and some hard labor, we erected a bookcase in my living room. In honor of this momentous occasion I thought I'd share a few of my favorite (but not all of my favorite) reads.
The Cat in the Hat: You can't go wrong with such a children's classic. They tried to make a sequel to it, but the second is never as good as the first.
Old College Notes: Admit it You saved every set of notes from every class you took in college (I didn't). If you read through at least one lecture a night you'll never forget what you learned and you'll be able to impress all your friends with the significance of dates such as 1066 and 1492.
The Diary of Maria Carolina de Jesus: With a name this long, it must be worth reading.
Let us Now Praise Famous Men: A book I had to read for class that I actually liked.
The Call of Service: Yet another book I actually liked that was mandatory reading.
Emma: No I actually haven't read this one in its entirety. I just think it looks cool to have it sitting on my shelf.
The Color Atlas of Human Anatomy: For those of you who are illiterate. It also is a great means to scare away unwanted house guests.
3. New Spanish Words I've Learned
Taking a medical Spanish class and being around Hispanics has offered me the opportunity to expand my vocabulary.
Yeyuno
Raite
Carsit
Microweiv
Omoplato
Manzo
Puchaca
Perone
To sound really cool, you should approach a random Spanish-speaking person and say to them. "Disculpe, parece que se me perdieron todo los perones y omoplatos. Usted puede hacerme el favor de buscarlos?"
And that's the way the cookie crumbles. Happy Wednesday to all and to all a good night!
1. How to Save Money on Gas
In case you haven't noticed, the price of food for our beloved four-wheeled (or six-wheeled if your an East TN country bumpkin or two-wheeled if you're my old motorcycle-riding oboe teacher) vehicles has increased to an unheard of amount. In fact, I think I could go on a date (not that I have a date but that's irrelevant to this conversation) and eat at a nice restaurant, maybe even two dates but not at the same time, for less than it would cost to fill up my car. The situation being as it is, I propose that we all bike to class. It's really not that far and it makes for some great exercise. As an added benefit, once you arrive at class you don't have to worry about the creepy pathologist-wannabe student sitting next to you; you've already worked up a sweat with a stench that would even scare away the neighbor's dog.
Since you're already on your bike, you don't have to worry about mounting your bike rack on your beloved 4, 6, or 2 wheeled vehicle or spending money on fuel that you were going to spend on your date to go exercise. You could just ride your bike straight from school to the trails. Fortunately, the powers at be at ETSU or maybe just the Baptist Student Union had the foresight to realize this efficient means of exercise and installed a set of lovely trails right behind the BSU and down the street from school. Problem solved.
2. Books
When my parents were in town the other day, it was decided that all my reading material was inadequately stored in the few meager shelves and boxes I had in my possession. So after a few hours shopping and some hard labor, we erected a bookcase in my living room. In honor of this momentous occasion I thought I'd share a few of my favorite (but not all of my favorite) reads.
The Cat in the Hat: You can't go wrong with such a children's classic. They tried to make a sequel to it, but the second is never as good as the first.
Old College Notes: Admit it You saved every set of notes from every class you took in college (I didn't). If you read through at least one lecture a night you'll never forget what you learned and you'll be able to impress all your friends with the significance of dates such as 1066 and 1492.
The Diary of Maria Carolina de Jesus: With a name this long, it must be worth reading.
Let us Now Praise Famous Men: A book I had to read for class that I actually liked.
The Call of Service: Yet another book I actually liked that was mandatory reading.
Emma: No I actually haven't read this one in its entirety. I just think it looks cool to have it sitting on my shelf.
The Color Atlas of Human Anatomy: For those of you who are illiterate. It also is a great means to scare away unwanted house guests.
3. New Spanish Words I've Learned
Taking a medical Spanish class and being around Hispanics has offered me the opportunity to expand my vocabulary.
Yeyuno
Raite
Carsit
Microweiv
Omoplato
Manzo
Puchaca
Perone
To sound really cool, you should approach a random Spanish-speaking person and say to them. "Disculpe, parece que se me perdieron todo los perones y omoplatos. Usted puede hacerme el favor de buscarlos?"
And that's the way the cookie crumbles. Happy Wednesday to all and to all a good night!
8.25.2005
Public Service Announcement
This is just a friendly Public Service Announcement to let you know that...
The 16th Annual Medical Missions Seminar is less than a month away!!
Who's going to be there? Everyone (including you right?)
Lots of great organizations will be represented including:
Health Talents International
Predisan
Mision Para Cristo
The Malawi Project
International Health Care Foundation
and more!
It's a great experience to learn more about medical missions and what you can do to get involved (even if you're not a "medical" person). Such an event would cost several dollars but we're offering it to you at a special price: FREE.
So.....
If you have nothing better to do September 16-18th or any one of those days (weddings, studying for tests, or walking your dog do not count as "better things to do"), come make the short trip to Johnson City, Tennessee.
This has been a friendly service announcement from your over-studied, under-slept medical student friend :o)
The 16th Annual Medical Missions Seminar is less than a month away!!
Who's going to be there? Everyone (including you right?)
Lots of great organizations will be represented including:
Health Talents International
Predisan
Mision Para Cristo
The Malawi Project
International Health Care Foundation
and more!
It's a great experience to learn more about medical missions and what you can do to get involved (even if you're not a "medical" person). Such an event would cost several dollars but we're offering it to you at a special price: FREE.
So.....
If you have nothing better to do September 16-18th or any one of those days (weddings, studying for tests, or walking your dog do not count as "better things to do"), come make the short trip to Johnson City, Tennessee.
This has been a friendly service announcement from your over-studied, under-slept medical student friend :o)
8.23.2005
Prayer Request
If you guys would, please keep my dad in your prayers. After returning to Smyrna from visiting me this weekend, my dad had to be taken to the ER due to high fever, headache, malaise, etc.. They performed a series of tests on him and gave him some medicine, but they were unable to determine the cause of his illness. He has continued to suffer from headache and fever, and if his condition doesn't improve within the next few hours, they are readmitting him to the hospital for further evaluation and treatment.
I'd appreciate your prayers. Thank you.
Exodus 15:26
I'd appreciate your prayers. Thank you.
Exodus 15:26
8.18.2005
Que Locura!
What a crazy week it has been!!!
I guess I should start from the beginning: Saturday.
Some of us from Central decided to drive up to Damascus (Virginia) to bike part of the Creeper Trail. I was hesitant about going seeing as how I had my first Immunology exam coming up, but the ride was a welcome stress relief and a nice serendipitous moment in the form of encountering some friends from Ktown on the trail. Just as it's hard to tell what lies around the next bend of the Creeper Trail, it's hard to tell what the next bend in life holds. Little did I know that 8 hours of my planned study day would be spent in the JCMC ER. Thanks to the nice bug I caught in Guatemala, I became dehydrated. A trip next door to the hospital, several tests, a liter of saline solution, and 8 hours and I don't want to know how many dollars later, they concluded that the only conclusion they could make was that my intestines are healing.
Thanks to the wonderful faculty at Quillen, I was able to take my test a little later than expected, and everything's going well now (except for a "slight" bruise on my arm that looks like someone slugged me with a hammer :o) and a stomach that still hasn't forgiven me). Asi es la vida.
School is going well so far, and I ask for your prayers for all the exciting work that is happening here in Johnson City. Classes are difficult but quite interesting. I am constantly amazed at the structure and design with which God crafted us, and I refuse to believe the foolish statement that one of my neuroanatomy teachers stated,"Though this points to intelligent design, don't let them fool you into believing that stuff." Though I may not like studying, every day I have to praise God for his care, craftsmanship, and the wonderful blessing it is to have the opportunity to study such a creation as man.
I have been just as amazed as I have watched His word come to life with the new Hispanic ministry at church. It is wonderful to see the zeal of the new Hispanic preacher and to watch people hear the "buenas nuevas" for the first time. The Hispanic women's Bible study should be starting in a few weeks and I'm excited to see God at work in those women's lives. It's a blessing to use such a blessing as another language to minister to others and to know that God's love and Word surpass any perceived barriers of language and culture.
It's time to go learn some more gyri and sulci of our noggins. Have a great week and God bless!!
I guess I should start from the beginning: Saturday.
Some of us from Central decided to drive up to Damascus (Virginia) to bike part of the Creeper Trail. I was hesitant about going seeing as how I had my first Immunology exam coming up, but the ride was a welcome stress relief and a nice serendipitous moment in the form of encountering some friends from Ktown on the trail. Just as it's hard to tell what lies around the next bend of the Creeper Trail, it's hard to tell what the next bend in life holds. Little did I know that 8 hours of my planned study day would be spent in the JCMC ER. Thanks to the nice bug I caught in Guatemala, I became dehydrated. A trip next door to the hospital, several tests, a liter of saline solution, and 8 hours and I don't want to know how many dollars later, they concluded that the only conclusion they could make was that my intestines are healing.
Thanks to the wonderful faculty at Quillen, I was able to take my test a little later than expected, and everything's going well now (except for a "slight" bruise on my arm that looks like someone slugged me with a hammer :o) and a stomach that still hasn't forgiven me). Asi es la vida.
School is going well so far, and I ask for your prayers for all the exciting work that is happening here in Johnson City. Classes are difficult but quite interesting. I am constantly amazed at the structure and design with which God crafted us, and I refuse to believe the foolish statement that one of my neuroanatomy teachers stated,"Though this points to intelligent design, don't let them fool you into believing that stuff." Though I may not like studying, every day I have to praise God for his care, craftsmanship, and the wonderful blessing it is to have the opportunity to study such a creation as man.
I have been just as amazed as I have watched His word come to life with the new Hispanic ministry at church. It is wonderful to see the zeal of the new Hispanic preacher and to watch people hear the "buenas nuevas" for the first time. The Hispanic women's Bible study should be starting in a few weeks and I'm excited to see God at work in those women's lives. It's a blessing to use such a blessing as another language to minister to others and to know that God's love and Word surpass any perceived barriers of language and culture.
It's time to go learn some more gyri and sulci of our noggins. Have a great week and God bless!!
8.09.2005
A Day Off
I should be in Rogersville right now with my Rural Track colleagues. Instead, I'm "enjoying" the benefits of a day off. It seems that I brought back more than the cool shirt and tapestry I bought in Chichi from Guatemala. According to the doctor's visit yesterday, it appears that some little "critters" (not you Mer) have decided that my gut is a lovely place to build a starter home. The results won't be in for another week; in the meantime, it's back to taking lovely medicine and being a gracious host to my guests. Oh well. I suppose if I want to be a missionary it's necessary to learn to cope with all aspects of being a missionary, including the unpleasant ones.
On the bright side, God's allowing the missionary experience to continue here in the States. God's blessed me with the opportunity to start a women's Bible study for the Spanish-speaking women of the community. It's an exciting yet somewhat nerve-racking opportunity considering I've never led a study entirely in Spanish. After speaking to some of the women who have been coming to church and realizing that they have no idea what it means to be a daughter of God and haven't even heard of passages such as Proverbs 31, I can't get it out of my head how much these women need to know about how valuable they are and what it means to be God's precious daughter. I ask for your prayers for this opportunity and study.
It's time to hit the books again. I'm only a week and a half into school and already behind in my studies. It's definitely going to be an exciting and busy semester!
On the bright side, God's allowing the missionary experience to continue here in the States. God's blessed me with the opportunity to start a women's Bible study for the Spanish-speaking women of the community. It's an exciting yet somewhat nerve-racking opportunity considering I've never led a study entirely in Spanish. After speaking to some of the women who have been coming to church and realizing that they have no idea what it means to be a daughter of God and haven't even heard of passages such as Proverbs 31, I can't get it out of my head how much these women need to know about how valuable they are and what it means to be God's precious daughter. I ask for your prayers for this opportunity and study.
It's time to hit the books again. I'm only a week and a half into school and already behind in my studies. It's definitely going to be an exciting and busy semester!
8.06.2005
Cooking with Michele
I don't think the title of this post would work well as a TV show. I've discovered the past few days that I'm definitely no Martha Stewart. The other day I had the bright idea of buying lots of fresh vegetables, healthy food, staples, etc.. cooking them, and freezing them. This way I would have great-tasting, inexpensive, healthy food to eat when I didn't have time to cook and I wouldn't have to spend money eating junk from some fried-food place.
With my bright idea in mind and money in my wallet I set off to the grocery store and to the local produce market to purchase ingredients. I bought fresh herbs, onions, vegetables in a myriad of colors and shapes, organic pasta, milk, and fruit pops (not for cooking-I'm just addicted to them.) The cooking went fine at first: a dish of squash, zucchini, and peppers, honey glazed carrots, strawberry wheat muffins, and lime cilantro chicken. I was beginning to feel confident in my cooking abilities....until this morning.
If you ever decide to make homemade spaghetti sauce-don't do it. Don't give in to the pressure of having your very own signature sauce anytime you want it. Cough up the extra three dollars and buy a jar of your favorite brand at the store. I had all the ingredients this morning: Grainger Co. tomatoes, Vidalia onions, fresh garlic, and basil. What I didn't realize is the amount of time it would take to create such a delectable pasta topping. I can see why homemakers consider themselves self-employed. After two and a half hours and lots of unnecessary labor, my sauce was done, except I forgot to take the seeds out of the tomatoes. The recipe never said to do so, and spaghetti sauce is never advertised as "seedless" so the thought never occurred to me to remove the seeds. Sitting in my freezer are two containers of "seeded" spaghetti sauce. If you ever have the urge to try some of my soon-to-be-famous-never-to-be-made-again spaghetti sauce, feel free to visit me. I might just let you eat it with some organic pasta!
Jon, in the midst of my cooking I found the perfect salsa recipe you were looking for:
1 Friday or Saturday night
1 drive to Asheville, NC
1 pair of dancing shoes (preferably with heels)
2-4 friends (the more the better)
1 restaurant with dance floor
1 good salsa instructor
A touch of rhythm
Other people who know how to dance
Mix well and watch for two or three hours. Enjoy. Repeat every two weeks or month as necessary.
With my bright idea in mind and money in my wallet I set off to the grocery store and to the local produce market to purchase ingredients. I bought fresh herbs, onions, vegetables in a myriad of colors and shapes, organic pasta, milk, and fruit pops (not for cooking-I'm just addicted to them.) The cooking went fine at first: a dish of squash, zucchini, and peppers, honey glazed carrots, strawberry wheat muffins, and lime cilantro chicken. I was beginning to feel confident in my cooking abilities....until this morning.
If you ever decide to make homemade spaghetti sauce-don't do it. Don't give in to the pressure of having your very own signature sauce anytime you want it. Cough up the extra three dollars and buy a jar of your favorite brand at the store. I had all the ingredients this morning: Grainger Co. tomatoes, Vidalia onions, fresh garlic, and basil. What I didn't realize is the amount of time it would take to create such a delectable pasta topping. I can see why homemakers consider themselves self-employed. After two and a half hours and lots of unnecessary labor, my sauce was done, except I forgot to take the seeds out of the tomatoes. The recipe never said to do so, and spaghetti sauce is never advertised as "seedless" so the thought never occurred to me to remove the seeds. Sitting in my freezer are two containers of "seeded" spaghetti sauce. If you ever have the urge to try some of my soon-to-be-famous-never-to-be-made-again spaghetti sauce, feel free to visit me. I might just let you eat it with some organic pasta!
Jon, in the midst of my cooking I found the perfect salsa recipe you were looking for:
1 Friday or Saturday night
1 drive to Asheville, NC
1 pair of dancing shoes (preferably with heels)
2-4 friends (the more the better)
1 restaurant with dance floor
1 good salsa instructor
A touch of rhythm
Other people who know how to dance
Mix well and watch for two or three hours. Enjoy. Repeat every two weeks or month as necessary.
8.01.2005
Blessed
Blessed.
Not exactly the word that would readily come to mind to describe the first day of medical school, but I can think of no other word that aptly describes my sentiments at this present moment.
Blessed because God guided me into the career where I can best serve Him and perform a job that I love.
Blessed because I have such a rare opportunity to attempt to understand the inner workings of God's greatest creation.
Blessed because I am part of a loving church family both at home and away.
Blessed because of an answered prayer in the form of the new Hispanic minister at Central and an opportunity to continue working in bringing "el evangelio" to new ears even here in the United States.
Blessed to have such a wonderful Savior who reached out to the lost sheep like myself.
It's going to be a blessed year, a year of hard work and long hours, but a joyful year.
Not exactly the word that would readily come to mind to describe the first day of medical school, but I can think of no other word that aptly describes my sentiments at this present moment.
Blessed because God guided me into the career where I can best serve Him and perform a job that I love.
Blessed because I have such a rare opportunity to attempt to understand the inner workings of God's greatest creation.
Blessed because I am part of a loving church family both at home and away.
Blessed because of an answered prayer in the form of the new Hispanic minister at Central and an opportunity to continue working in bringing "el evangelio" to new ears even here in the United States.
Blessed to have such a wonderful Savior who reached out to the lost sheep like myself.
It's going to be a blessed year, a year of hard work and long hours, but a joyful year.
7.29.2005
On the Road Again
Tomorrow I hit road again-this time to drive to Johnson City for school. It has been a crazy and wonderful summer, but it's time to get back to work. Kinda weird to think that less than a week ago I was in some mountain village where the majority of the people couldn't read, and in less than a week I'll be in a classroom full of well-read intellectuals.
I heard a great piece of advice the other day: Though the harvest may be full and white and the workers few, you can't harvest with a dull sickle. My sickle needs sharpening which means I will be focusing most of my energy in the ministry of the study of medicine, working with the new Hispanic ministry at Central, and wherever else God leads me. As a result, my blog posting and subsequent blog reading will greatly diminish (not that I'm sure that more than 1-2 of you actually read this.) My phone is always available (don't worry about my minutes) and I do return emails on a more regular basis so feel free to contact me "sin pena."
I hope you all have a great rest of the summer and think about your friend hitting the books this week :o) !
"And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus." -Philippians 4:19
I heard a great piece of advice the other day: Though the harvest may be full and white and the workers few, you can't harvest with a dull sickle. My sickle needs sharpening which means I will be focusing most of my energy in the ministry of the study of medicine, working with the new Hispanic ministry at Central, and wherever else God leads me. As a result, my blog posting and subsequent blog reading will greatly diminish (not that I'm sure that more than 1-2 of you actually read this.) My phone is always available (don't worry about my minutes) and I do return emails on a more regular basis so feel free to contact me "sin pena."
I hope you all have a great rest of the summer and think about your friend hitting the books this week :o) !
"And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus." -Philippians 4:19
7.27.2005
Saludos desde Smyrna
3 weeks, 3 months or 3 years. I still don't think I would have been ready to leave such a beautiful people and the work God is doing there, but all good things must come to an end and there's a time and a place for everything.
The following is something I wanted to post a few weeks ago but between being sick and being in the middle of nowhere, I never posted it. I'll be writing a missions report about my trip so just let me know if you want a copy.
"The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts: and though its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it." -I Corinthians 12:12,27
The following is something I wanted to post a few weeks ago but between being sick and being in the middle of nowhere, I never posted it. I'll be writing a missions report about my trip so just let me know if you want a copy.
The Body of Christ
I think anatomy was one of the hardest classes I've taken but the one that strengthened my faith the most. It seems odd to think that working with a cadaver for a semester has anything to do with spiritual growth, yet through such study I understand how the body works. I've seen how each and every part is connected together and works with every other part to sustain life. Just as we are all different on the outside, we are all different on the inside as well. Every body has its abnormality, its imperfection, yet the body learns to cope and adapt to those eccentricities. There are thousands of different parts of our body: nerves, tissues, vessels, muscles, etc. yet each one has a special place and function. Each part of the body communicates to keep everything running. When there is a weakness in the system-an infection-the immune system sends out special cells and the whole body works to help restore the damaged part-often at the expense of other parts.
And so it should be with the body of Christ. We all have our flaws, our weaknesses, and our different roles and talents that we've been given. At the same time, we each have those abnormalites and functions for a specific God-designed purpose that is meant to be communicated throughout the body so that the body of Christ might be built up and strengthened. Unfortunately, I think oftentimes our communication is blocked by fear of going past the skin-deep "How are you?" and seeing the infection or damage among certain parts of the body. Just as our own body sacrifices for one part when damaged, so we should also supprt our weaker members in love so that the whole body might be strengthened.
"The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts: and though its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it." -I Corinthians 12:12,27
7.24.2005
How to Lose 5 Pounds...
..in 5 Days!!!
No I haven't disappeared. I just got attacked by amebic dysentery and Shigellosis all at once last Monday and am just getting over it. I was so excited when I got to eat breakfast this morning without the fear I'd regret it later. Its definitely not an experience I want to repeat and I don't recommend driving to Tikal while sick (but if you do there's a good doctor in Rio Dulce). I guess God is just getting me over any fear of being sick abroad and teaching me to perservere through any situation.
Its been an amazing experience the past few weeks and I know I will dearly miss all the friends I had and the I made here. It's been such a wonderful experience to be a part of God's work, sharing Christ, not religion, with those who need Him most, truly enjoying the presence of my brothers and sisters in Christ and the common love of God.
Since Friday I've been with Health Talents and a group of 50 working in the villages around ChiChicastenango. The poverty here is astounding but the people are so precious and pure, true sheep in need of a shepard. What a blessing it has been to spend three weeks serving our Lord in Guatemala.
No I haven't disappeared. I just got attacked by amebic dysentery and Shigellosis all at once last Monday and am just getting over it. I was so excited when I got to eat breakfast this morning without the fear I'd regret it later. Its definitely not an experience I want to repeat and I don't recommend driving to Tikal while sick (but if you do there's a good doctor in Rio Dulce). I guess God is just getting me over any fear of being sick abroad and teaching me to perservere through any situation.
Its been an amazing experience the past few weeks and I know I will dearly miss all the friends I had and the I made here. It's been such a wonderful experience to be a part of God's work, sharing Christ, not religion, with those who need Him most, truly enjoying the presence of my brothers and sisters in Christ and the common love of God.
Since Friday I've been with Health Talents and a group of 50 working in the villages around ChiChicastenango. The poverty here is astounding but the people are so precious and pure, true sheep in need of a shepard. What a blessing it has been to spend three weeks serving our Lord in Guatemala.
7.13.2005
A Letter from Guatemala
Hola!
It´s been a week since I last wrote and so much has happened since then. I've written and rewritten this trying to capture the wonder and marvel of what God has done, but I simply can´t put it all into a few paragraphs so I'll try to do what I can.
What an awesome God we serve!
The past few days were spent in La Union, Zacapa, one of the poorest departments in an already poor country. How do I begin to describe the incredible love and compassion of God that I have witnessed during the past few days? How do I describe seeing a man with leprosy and thinking about the compassion Christ must have had to reach out and touch this hideous disease and the person suffering from it? How do I describe the love of my friends and brothers and La Union and the hospitality they showed me? How do I describe the wonderful feeling it is to work with people who give 110% to serving the Lord and whose only desire is to be the vessels through which God works to save his people?
Monday Raul, Eybi (the preacher and his wife,) and I woke early and went to the community of Tasharte. For those of you have been to such places as Montaña Izopo and Montaña de la Flor in Honduras, Tasharte is very similar. Since the doctor who was with us Saturday and Sunday had to work Monday, he had already left. Wanting to help the people in some way even though I couldn´t give them medicine, I decided to give them something that would last longer than anything received from a doctor´s visit: education. With Eybi´s help, I taught a class about handwashing and how to make a simple drink that will keep their children from dying of dehydration. I´m a firm believer that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure and that educating and empowering people does more than any handout could. To make a long story short, the rest of the day was spent in a devotional, handing out food and clothing, and breaking piñatas with the children.
To look at it, it wasn´t much: an elementary lesson in health, some candy in a couple of piñatas and a few pieces of worn clothing. Yet to these people, it meant so much. It was if it were Christmas and they had just opened the best present in the world. It was all I could do not to cry as I saw the look on the faces of our brothers and sisters in Christ. All I could do was offer a million thanks to God and his infinite love and compassion he has for ¨the least of these¨¨and of all the things that He put into place to allow this wonderful event to occur.
Tomorrow I leave for another campaign, 1-2 days of evangelism and 2 days of clinic. I can´t wait. I think I'm beginning to have an inkling of how truly great and immeasurable is the love God has for us.
Por la causa de la cruz,
Michele
¨Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits
who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases,
who redeems your life from the pit
and crowns you with love and compassion.¨ -Psalms 103:2-4
It´s been a week since I last wrote and so much has happened since then. I've written and rewritten this trying to capture the wonder and marvel of what God has done, but I simply can´t put it all into a few paragraphs so I'll try to do what I can.
What an awesome God we serve!
The past few days were spent in La Union, Zacapa, one of the poorest departments in an already poor country. How do I begin to describe the incredible love and compassion of God that I have witnessed during the past few days? How do I describe seeing a man with leprosy and thinking about the compassion Christ must have had to reach out and touch this hideous disease and the person suffering from it? How do I describe the love of my friends and brothers and La Union and the hospitality they showed me? How do I describe the wonderful feeling it is to work with people who give 110% to serving the Lord and whose only desire is to be the vessels through which God works to save his people?
Monday Raul, Eybi (the preacher and his wife,) and I woke early and went to the community of Tasharte. For those of you have been to such places as Montaña Izopo and Montaña de la Flor in Honduras, Tasharte is very similar. Since the doctor who was with us Saturday and Sunday had to work Monday, he had already left. Wanting to help the people in some way even though I couldn´t give them medicine, I decided to give them something that would last longer than anything received from a doctor´s visit: education. With Eybi´s help, I taught a class about handwashing and how to make a simple drink that will keep their children from dying of dehydration. I´m a firm believer that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure and that educating and empowering people does more than any handout could. To make a long story short, the rest of the day was spent in a devotional, handing out food and clothing, and breaking piñatas with the children.
To look at it, it wasn´t much: an elementary lesson in health, some candy in a couple of piñatas and a few pieces of worn clothing. Yet to these people, it meant so much. It was if it were Christmas and they had just opened the best present in the world. It was all I could do not to cry as I saw the look on the faces of our brothers and sisters in Christ. All I could do was offer a million thanks to God and his infinite love and compassion he has for ¨the least of these¨¨and of all the things that He put into place to allow this wonderful event to occur.
Tomorrow I leave for another campaign, 1-2 days of evangelism and 2 days of clinic. I can´t wait. I think I'm beginning to have an inkling of how truly great and immeasurable is the love God has for us.
Por la causa de la cruz,
Michele
¨Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits
who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases,
who redeems your life from the pit
and crowns you with love and compassion.¨ -Psalms 103:2-4
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