For me, Christmastime is synonymous with cold weather, extended family gatherings, candlelight Christmas Eve services, and annoying Christmas songs that get stuck in your head. This Sunday our family, along with the MK teachers and a volunteer doctor, had the opportunity to go up into the mountains to celebrate Christmas with Sengen Nazarene Church. It … More Bush Christmas
For those that are interested, I decided to write up what a typical day at Kudjip looks like for a medical missionary. I picked a random day (November 22), wrote down the cases I saw, and took a couple extra pictures. 8:00am – 9:00am – Ward Rounds This week I am on Pediatric Ward (A … More An Average Day for a Medical Missionary at Kudjip
Not again, I thought, as I felt for a pulse on Sarah, lying unresponsive on the ground. She and her newborn baby had been through so much already and we were almost ready to discharge her. I started CPR knowing the futility (in our setting) of what we were attempting to do. Sarah had originally … More Resilience
“For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.” Though I hesitate to admit it, some patients are more likeable, and it didn’t take long to know that Jim was … More Operating in the Gray (By: Matt)
Kuka came to the hospital unconscious and barely breathing. She had been struck by a motor vehicle while walking along the side of the road. During my initial exam, I did not find much in terms of trauma except for some blood on her scalp. I watched as her motionless, five-year-old tiny body intermittently tensed … More Power in Weakness (By: Matt)
Martina arrived to the delivery ward in active labor. A quick cervical check and ultrasound demonstrated the baby to be breech with thick meconium. We started to prepare for a C-section when the baby’s heart rate started to drop. We rushed to the operating theater and helped Martina onto the table. I was helping anesthesia … More The Maker of Miracles (By: Matt)
When our house started shaking violently at 3:45 a.m., my first goal was to get my family out before it collapsed. According to my wife, I should have done something else before I ran outside. During the past two weeks, I have been learning a lot: how to navigate hospital relations during a tribal fight, … More Land of the Unexpected (By: Matt)
Matt has had all of the exciting stories lately so I haven’t been writing as many blogs, but I did want to write this brief post so that everyone else in the world can experience what wakes me up each morning. On our first morning here, I was awoken by the sudden sound of what … More When Nature Calls (By: Tammy)
When I heard a loud crack and felt the sudden shift of the car while crossing the simple bush bridge, I thought this must be God’s daily lesson in flexibility. Living in Papua New Guinea, like many places in the world, requires a lot of flexibility. Organization, timeliness, and efficiency are all of secondary importance … More Building Bridges (By: Matt)
At 3:30 p.m. on Friday afternoon Emmanuel hobbled into my office in the outpatient department with the assistance of two other men. Without shoes and smelling of smoke from the fire he slept next to, Emmanuel had traveled three days and passed two other hospitals to reach Kudjip. Emmanuel had been suffering from pain in … More Life and Death in PNG (By Matt)
