Giving Thanks in PNG

Today the missionaries celebrated Thanksgiving after our normal work day. There were many times when I stopped myself from saying Happy Thanksgiving to patients, they just wouldn't understand. Since there are a lot of us on station this year, we didn't have a large mission station Thanksgiving celebration, instead we enjoyed celebrating in individual homes. The McCoys (who I am very thankful for) invited Becky and I to share Thanksgiving with them. We have a hard time finding turkey here, so Marsha went with ham, pumpkin, and rolls. Becky brought green beans and corn, and I made a broccoli salad and watermelon (which I have been preparing for months in the garden.) It was all very good. After our meal, we joined some of the rest of the missionaries at the Radcliffes for a time of prayer, praise, and pies.

I have been thinking of all that I am thankful for and there is a lot. Some of them include:

• A God who loves me and died for me and the love, grace, and forgiveness He gives me
• A family back home who loves and supports me even though we are miles apart
• A mission family who has become my family here in PNG and for their love and support
• A new hospital and for all those who contributed to building it and making it possible
• A calling to serve in PNG and the freedom to share the love of Christ with the pts each day
• A privilege to serve the Lord as a physician and to care for patients each day
• An opportunity to see the miracles, both physical and spiritual, God does in the lives of pts
• A chance to see Jonathon, Fifisi, and Anna winning the fight against CML thanks to Glivac
• Another day for Ismeal as he fights his ALL
• All my supporters who are making it possible for me to stay in PNG and serve

Happy Thanksgiving to you all.