We're In Singapore

We made it to Singapore this morning. This is the land of where things happen when they say they're going to happen, so our flight arrived on time, a taxi whisked us away to the medical centre where the surgeon was, the appointment ran on time, and by noon we were at our hotel ordering lunch. Our room wasn't ready and so we ate in the restaurant, and because of the wait we were upgraded (again, just like 2 weekends ago) to an executive suite. It's a little funny because they executive suite here is no different in size and lay-out than a US Motel 6. Just the decor is a bit fancier.

What a difference in medical systems...can you say night and day? The surgeon who is operating on Tris' shoulder tomorrow morning had a wall of credentials that made us sigh relief, and he was able to explain exactly what he believes has happened to Tris' shoulder. He wasn't too impressed with the MRI photos but was able to read them enough. I don't think it's fair to complain about our experience in Indo online, but suffice to say that we are happy that we came to Singapore for this surgery.

This is a short blog because we've only paid for one hour and the hour goes so fast!!! Thank you for all of your well-wishes and prayers. Tris is not looking forward to the surgery, but he is thankful it is going to happen and that there's hope for pain relief in the near future.

Candace is at our house with the kids...I am a little sad that we're missing out on 3 days of visiting but God's got good timing. Our kids love her and she'll be able to relax during the daytime doing whatever she likes. Two days ago I introduced her to the $10 1 1/2 full body massages and I think she may go back for more. It's very, very nice.

Thanks for reading

Candace's first week in Indo

I can't say it's been a tremendously exciting week, but it's been a good one and a restful one for Candace. Since she's just gotten off the whirlwind 4 month eating/sleeping/bugs/wound care cycle in Mozambique and since she's heading to school the day after arriving home from our place, we're keeping a low profile, we're just taking it easy. Candace's days include eating, sleeping, reading, Facebook, and usually one "big" event a day. On Friday she spoke to a very large nursing class at University Pelita Harapan (UPH) about what it's like to volunteer her nursing skills abroad. I like that she focused on having plans and goals for the future rather than just living to get your nursing degree and work. These are Janet Weeda's students, and Janet's a senior lecturer at the university. That's her and Candace with Lippo Village in the background.On Friday night Candace and I headed over to a friends for 'Bunco Night' with some ladies. It was a fun, no-skill-needed game that is great for large groups. Mostly it's just rolling some dice and seeing what you end up with. As you can see, as Sarah (in white) is explaining the rules, a very competitive group of ladies listens intently to the rules.

Yesterday Candace and I, without the rest of the gang, went into Jakarta, did some errands, and met the Comries for lunch at the all-you-can eat buffet that we love so much. Even if you didn't just come out of the 'jungle' the food is incredible, but after 4 months of rice and meat, and egg sandwiches, I think Candace was in her glory. Unfortunately I didn't bring my camera so we missed the photo moment.

Candace was able to replenish a bit of her wardrobe at an outlet store; she'd left a lot of her clothes behind for other missionaries. We went to Saturday night church service and were home by 8:30. That's an unusual time for us to come home on a Saturday night, but we were all so stuffed after lunch that dinner wasn't an option.

Today's Sunday and we're all just hanging out. Tris and I are packing for Singapore. His shoulder repair surgery consultation is tomorrow, surgery on Tuesday and hopefully back home on Wednesday. Thankfully Candace is here to get the kids up for school, get them on their homework after school, and Ami is here to feed them all. Please pray this surgery goes well, that the surgeon repairs all that is torn and damaged, and that Tris isn't in too much pain afterwards.

Thanks for reading.

Rose Garden Moms and Baby Home

Candace has been here for four days, and unlike the other visitors we've had (mom and dad, Dale) we've kept a pretty low profile so far. For her first day she pretty much caught up with Gray's Anatomy on-line (there's a great site to go to when you want to watch commercial free tv on your computer) and in the evening came with me to my SPH teachers' (women) bible study. Yesterday she wasn't feeling well so again, we mostly stayed at home. It was fine with me because at this point we're starting "THE ARGUMENT" that seems inevitable when you are dealing with insurance companies, so I spent some time on Skype and on the computer looking for ammunition. Yesterday morning I had the "Unpacking the Boxes" study that I'm holding in my home for 7 weeks, and although she didn't have the homework done (can you believe it?!) she participated and had some good things to say. The topic was 'loneliness' and I think we all have something to say on that, whether we've moved to a different town or a different country.As you can see by the photo of baby Matthew, today was a special day. We went with the "Lippo Ladies" to visit the Rose Garden. This is a home sponsored and run by the Living Faith church here in Lippo Village (the same people we did the 'under the bridge' ministry at Christmas with mom), and the home is set up to house young Indonesian moms who have no where else to go. Quite often when a young woman gets pregnant outside of marriage she gets rejected by her family and so this is a safe, loving place for her to finish out her pregnancy, give birth and learn to be a mom. The length of stay is a maximum of 2 years, and so the girls get a good start at motherhood and sometimes at lifeskills as well. Although this home is meant for young moms, they are very willing to take on other situations as well, such as battered women looking for a safe place to life for a while. Typically their moms have been poorer women from around Indonesia, but they also open their doors to those in the higher economic bracket. They just have not been approached by any yet.

Tina is 4 month old Matthew's mom, and she has been at the home since February. Since she's arrived she's not only learned about how to care for and raise a baby, but she's also learned how to run a home, how to speak English (for future job potential) and various other life skills. Apparently when she showed up she wouldn't crack a smile. Today she constantly smiled and was extremely welcoming. Her baby was a very content, smiley little guy.

This next photo is of Candace as a Lippo Lady, getting in the gang. It was nice for her to be able to discuss a bit of AIDS information as a nurse and as a self-appointed AIDS advocate, as she calls herself, with the woman who runs the home, Detty Laidlow. Candace is in the upper left hand corner, in purple.

As an aside, it's funny what goes on in Indonesian construction. No one knows why there are 2 toilets. My guess is that one was originally intended as a beaudet (is that how you spell it? I almost called it a bodem). Living here in Indo, I am wondering why they didn't put them even closer, just in case of the "both ends" scenario? O dear, did I write that down?? Anyways, Sandy and Esther were good sports at this photo op.


Finally, I love this shot of my new friend, Amanda. Amanda's new to SPH and Indo, just moved here one month ago, 2 days after her wedding. The photos beautiful but we're not going to pressure her in the baby area. That's just irritating.
One last note. Tris is still in a lot of pain. Please pray all of this surgery/insurance stuff goes quickly and we can just get him to Singapore and healed up.

Thanks for reading.

Candace has Arrived

Yesterday was a busy day. I borrowed my friends' car and driver (leather seats...mmmm) and headed to Jakarta airport while Tris headed with our driver, Haris, to physio in Jakarta. My trip was good...Candace arrived safely, no extra waits, no spraying, and she came bearing cheezies. These cheezies have spent 4 months in Mozambique and have a rather chewiness to them, but when you like cheezies almost anything goes:) I am trying to find lots for Candace to experience while she's here. We've already hopped on ojegs (motorbikes with hired drivers) and headed to the mall, and today she's going with me to take Tris to an appointment at the hospital. I'm lining her up to talk to some nursing students about her overseas nursing experience, and on Monday we'll head out to the slums. She heads to the young women's bible study with me tonight. Tris, on the other hand, didn't have such good news. He's heading to our local hospital this afternoon for an MRI to see what's going on inside his shoulder. If it's not good, which is suspected by physiotherapists, then he needs to head to Singapore for surgery. I am done with surgery, and if that's how I feel I can't imagine how he feels. In one sense, however, this is good news, in that we can at least see an end in sight to his pain. So far he's been sleeping like a baby, and not the pleasant sleep, but the waking every 2 to 4 hours to get up and walk around, apply heat or ice, and take meds. Please pray that if there is something to discover that the technicians and doctors would see it and have the wisdom to know where to go from here. However, we have the wisdom as to where to go from here: Singapore!

Last week was Indo's Independence Day (Aug 17, 1945) and our school celebrated after the holidays on the 20th. It looks rather Canadian, and as I was walking around the school looking for 'patriotic' photos to represent Indonesia, I found this, and figured I couldn't get any more patriotic myself! Gotta love the Maple Leaf. I still chuckle over the time I was asked if Canada's symbol is the cannibis leaf. Hopefully not.

If you live in the Comox Valley and see this lady, Ruth Fox, in this hot little red car, give her a honk for me:)






Thanks for reading.

Good News!

I'm in! Just got word yesterday that I have been conditionally accepted into grad school by Deakin University in Australia (on the condition that they receive my transcripts from UBC by Jan 2010). That was a very long, long wait but now I am relieved to know it's all going to happen. I will be doing a Master in International and Community Development, with a focus on Community Development (less economical/political and more about communication, in a very broad sense).

More great news..Candace packs her bags up in Mozambique and heads our way in a few days. She will arrive in Jakarta in the afternoon on Monday, Aug 24th (Uncle Pat's birthday).

Tris is having a bit of a difficult time with his shoulder and so we're heading to physio in Jakarta on Thursday morning. Please pray that it would heal up quickly and that the deep ache in his shoulder will go away. If something is wrong we want to know.

Today the school is celebrating Indo's Independence Day and so I have to divide my time up between senior and junior school. Matt's playing base drums in senior but couldn't give me a time so I will have to wing it.

No deep thoughts for today. Just a hooray!!

Thanks for reading.
ps. I think I'll just change my background to a basic colour. Then you don't have to look at puke green/brown anymore. It looks wonderful on my end, though!

One Week at a Time

Another fun weekend for our family, but this time we didn't go very far. Tris and I celebrated our 17th wedding anniversary while the kids stayed close to home with friends. We were pretty blessed with our whole celebration because when we went to the hotel to sign in they told us we were upgraded from a deluxe to a business suite, and then told us about a 2 for 1 special that made a two nights stay cheaper than staying only one night! That also included breakfast for two each morning. Not bad:) There is a photo of us on the 15th to your right.

One very important we are missing this weekend is the White Family Reunion. We can't believe that it's the 2nd one in a row that we have not been to. Very, very weird knowing that everybody is together and we are not there. We miss this time with family, especially since it's usually the one time a year that this side of the family is able to get together. There are growing babies and new-to-the family members that we're missing out on, as well!!! I hope everyone is having a great, safe time. Unfortunately we have tried to phone and skype and we haven't been able to get through.

Mom and Dad gave me some money for my birthday, and I carried it around with me for ages before deciding what I wanted to spend it on. Our back deck is very, very small but has the potential to be cozy. Finally, a few weeks ago I bought myself a wicker set, and both Tris and I have already spent many days outside reading (usually one at a time) when the wind is blowing through the yard. I have to admit that hasn't happened much in the past few days because the air is stagnant, but it's a real treat to pretend you are in a big, lush garden, reading amongst the flowers. You can see the white rock garden the kids laid, and are very proud of. The little cement container in the rocks is our fire pit LOL. There are a few more things we could do out there but so far it's enjoyable. I'd like to get a water feature one day, if our electrical system can handle it!!
Thanks Mom and Dad...you picked a good gift:)

Today, August 17, is Indonesian Independence Day and so we all get the day off, including our driver and helper. We're just hanging around the house, trying to book a language school and home stay in Jogja for our Fall holiday, and still looking into a Master program for me. It's nice to just hang around and not do much.

I have a favour to ask of you. When I look at my blog I see a brown pattern, like a scrapbook. Others have mentioned that I have a bright green background. Are you seeing what I am seeing or do I need to find a new source for my blog background?

Thanks for reading.

Blood, teeth and Abby on the Floor

This is a typical scene at the door of the clinic. On the left are doctors taking medical information from villagers. Outside the door were many, many people waiting to come in for free medical check ups, dental work, cancer seeking pap smears, etc.

Well, last posting I wrote about our trip to the free medical/dental clinic held by Singapore's Rotarian doctors and dentists, our local hospitals doctors and dentists, and supported by Lippo Ladies (among other groups). That was the first day. Our second day was even more exciting. Abby and I headed out at 7:30 am and we were back at it by 8:30. Initially I couldn't find anything to do but was finally appointed "flashlight duty" with my friend Dalenea. What this meant was that I was to point the flashlight into the mouth of the patient so that the doctor could see properly. Unfortunately, I couldn't shine it in the correct spot unless I was looking AT the spot, so I spent the morning watching needles go in, teeth come out, blood being soaked up with gauze. All those good things. For those who know me and blood, this is pretty much a miracle. Not once did I swoon or even have a moment of light headedness. I have been praying that I would get over my inability to deal with blood and other people's pain so that I can get out and do more hands-on mission stuff. I think that God has begun to answer this prayer and I am very excited about it. It's not over though; a small video clip was accidentally taken of me at the dentist chair and you can tell by my eyes that I am trying not to watch. Abby, however, was in there like dirt. In this photo she's also a flashlight holder and the fellow that she's watching was a really difficult case.

Abby has her own story about holding the flashlight, and that is that while she did so she began to overheat. She didn't have enough water and so eventually came to me. I sent her to get water (I couldn't do anything because my dentist was in the middle of pulling a tooth) and on the way she felt light headed, stopped so that if she passed out she wouldn't hit all the sharp tools that she was standing next to, and slowly fell to the floor. A few ladies nearby caught her, called me (I left the extraction anyways) and we put her in a room to the side. When asked about the blood and pulled teeth that she was seeing, she was quite adamant that that didn't bother her at all. In fact, she came back later and watched some more. Once she rested and rehydrated she was as good as new.


I had someone take a photo of me with a needle on the first day and here it is.








We had an excellent weekend and other than Abby fainting (which she is excited about because it makes a good story to tell her friends at school) I think we did really well. One of my friends that we went with is a dental hygienist and was thoroughly in her element. It was neat to see someone who has skills and is able to put those specific skills to workin a situation like we were volunteering in; her face was lit up the whole time. We were very thankful to the dentists we worked with because they took us on in all our inexperience and were very patient with us as we got in their way, held the flashlights totally incorrectly and weren't able to speak the language to the patients very well.

It was a good weekend.

Thanks for reading.

Quiet Week

It has been a full week since I wrote last but it's also been a quiet week. Besides, what story can I use to beat the rat in the toilet story??? Tris and the kids have been settling into school. Matt is back full swing into hip hop and loving it. He is going to perform in about 2 weeks and so I'll video tape it. He is also in afterschool band playing a variety of drums. Last time I looked he was playing the big drum that Scottish guys play when they're in a parade. Abby is officially in drama, which is a relief to us all. She's really wanted to be in it and so this is great. Already a dinner theatre night is being planned.

Tris' shoulder is slowing healing, and he is able to "crawl" his fingers up a wall so that his arm is above his head. As for doing it actively rather than passively, he can get his arm straight out, parallel to his shoulder on his own strength. He needs to use his left arm to move his right arm into a further stretch, so that's his goal for the next 2 weeks.

As for me, I am still waiting for word on whether I have been accepted into the masters program I've applied for. I'm not waiting very patiently though. Wish they would hurry up and decide!!

Today Abby and I got to join the Lippo Ladies and some volunteer Rotary doctors and dentists at a local village. We did a variety of jobs like counting out pills (I took a photo of it specifically to show my pharmacist friend, Steph, that I was doing her job!), organizing drugs, and sterilizing equipment. Actually, my job was to remove the sharp from the needle (which I took a photo of for my mom...she's never believe that I would even touch one of those things). I was proud of myself that I didn't swoon when the bloodied equipment and pulled teeth (with some bloody flesh attached) came over to my station. I was really impressed with the efficiency and organization of this event and was glad to be a part of it. It was a 4 hour stint today and tomorrow we get to go again from 8-2 pm. Unfortunately our main computer has crashed and isn't handling big files, so I will have to upload photos later.

Thanks for reading.

Gross rat stories

Yesterday I had the full intention of grossing you out with our rat story. Things have changed because all of a sudden the "maurading rat that was eating our bananas and tomatoes in the kitchen and who eventually committed suicide by cramming his big body into the tight spaces of our air conditioner" story isn't nearly as gross as the one I heard last night. Years ago my mom told me how when she was a little girl she always feared that a rat would come up out of the toilet and 'get her.' We all KNOW that this is ridiculous and that rats just don't and can't come up out of the toilet.

Think again.

The 'teacher grapevine' has it that last week a teacher from SPH, who has his aging mother-in-law visiting, had his mom-in-law come out of the bathroom and comment "you have rats in the toilet." Thinking that what she saw was probably not quite reality, this teacher went in and had a look himself. Sure enough, there was NO rat in the toilet bowl....at least not until he flushed. As soon as the water started swirling, a rat popped into the bowl from the reservoir tank and flowed back down again. Not quite believing what he saw, he called in his wife who confirmed that yes, there was indeed a rat in the toilet. It wasn't until they flushed a few times that the rat disappeared completely. I don't know how the rat got in there or if it is still alive, but I do know that i will not be visiting the loo without a light on and a pre-flush going on, at least for a while.

Never say never, at least not in Indonesia.

As for our rat, he was only stuck in our a/c for about 2 days, not long enough to completely decompose but enough so that when we turned on the a/c above our dinner table it set off our meals. We have the rat man coming in again Monday to investigate further scratching and shuffling sounds our helper is hearing above her room.

Thanks for reading.