Lots of volunteers

We have been blessed to have a number of volunteers visit us recently and help out.  The Elerdings came back for their 3rd time, helping Jim with surgery and their son Joey, helped out with maintenance while he was here.  The Pringles are back for their 2^nd time, being great hosts to us all in the Barnabas house and providing OB coverage.  We have had 2 medical students – Josh and Andy and their wives, a FP resident from Image – Jennifer, and an IM doc and his wife, the Crawfords, from California.  Volunteers are a blessing in many ways to us, helping provide coverage when we are short of folks, bringing a specialty with them which allows us to care for a wider range of folks, the bring stuff to us from the US, they give us an opportunity to teach, and become great friends in the years to come.  Thanks to all who have served with us and who will be serving with us soon, you are a blessing to each of us. 

Nelson and his "Merry Men"

Nelson only weighs about 1 lb and he is 1 month old.  His mom adopted him and he hasn’t gained weight with formula, so he came into the hospital so we could bulk him up some.   On admission, I had written for mom to get a supply of medicines that would hopefully help her be able to produce breastmilk so she could breastfeed Nelson instead of relying on the bottle.  When I saw him the next day, mom hadn’t gotten the medicines yet, she didn’t want to leave Nelson alone.  So after much prodding she went, but only because I picked up Nelson and said I would watch him while she was gone.  He is small, but cute. 

So Nelson and I made the rounds on the ward, visiting the other kids and talking to them.  Nelson didn’t do much talking, but he did look at the other kids and the older kids enjoyed having him come and visit.  The other moms thought it was funny that I was having Nelson meet his neighbors or the other Merry Men.  There was Gideon (with his homemade bow and arrow, slingshot and fish hook) who is Robin Hood, little John, Maid Mirriam “aka Serah” and many more. 

I have enjoyed my time on A ward, playing with the kids and interacting with them.  It is great to see the worry leave mom’s face when she knows her baby is going to be ok.  Thankfully, most kids heal up pretty quick and so go home after only a short stay with us.  

Bad sign

Cancer, of any kind in Papua New Guinea, isn’t a diagnosis anyone wants to receive.  Bill and I do give chemotherapy to patients who have a cancer that may respond, but we don’t cure anyone with our efforts.   Jim cuts out all that he can, but too often the presentation is late and has already spread by the time they get to us.  There is one radiation machine for all of PNG and only one doctor who knows how to use it, but it is far away for our patients here and they often are so busy they don’t have room for more patients.  So our options are quite limited. 

 

A patient with advanced breast cancer came to see me recently due to increasing shortness of breath.  I was expecting her to have fluid in her lungs from extension of her disease, but her chest xray showed me something different.  Her lungs had been overtaken by cancer and all the round white things in her lungs were not an infection but the spread of her cancer.  This was not a good sign at all. 

I gave her what medicine I could and then we prayed asking God to give her a new body and new life in heaven with him.  She, too, was looking forward to that time without sickness in heaven.  

From the mouth of babes

Our chaplains, routinely come through the wards and give out tracts and talk to the patients about Jesus.  As I was rounding this week, I saw a number of patients on A ward with the tracts on their beds or at their bedsides.  One little boy, Gideon, who has a fractured leg and is in traction, was sitting in bed reading his tract.  When I got to his bed I asked him to tell me about what he was reading.  He showed me the picture of Jesus on the cross and we had this discussion.

I asked him, "Who was in the picture?"

Gideon replied, "Jesus."

I asked, "What happened to him?"

Gideon said, "He died on the cross."

I responded, "Why did he die?"

Gideon replied, "Because he was thinking of you and me."

My heart melted as he said that, to hear this little boy tell me the story of Jesus, how precious.  What a great reminder of why Kudjip Nazarene Hospital is here – to share the love of Christ and the message of His Good News with all those who we care for each and everyday.  

Very cute kid

Quizzers Need YOUR Help

Ethan, Jo, Uncle Bill, Lydia, Jessica, Quinton and Allison

Our Kudjip Paia Bible Quizzers have been spent a lot of time during the past 6 months studying the book of Hebrews, 1 Peter and 2 Peter for the national quiz at Olivet Nazarene University in July.  6 of our MKs, Allison Dooley, Ethan Myers, Jessica Myers, Lydia Radcliffe, Josiah Radcliffe and Quinton Schmelzenbach will be traveling back to the US, the end of June, to prepare and then participate in the national quiz from July 2-5^th. 

The kids have been working really hard and have made great strides, especially in the past few weeks.  It is rare to find one of the MKs walking around without the quiz portion in their pocket.  They can be found studying before (or during) the afternoon sports activity, at 0630 when they meet Uncle Bill for flash practices before school, during school when they work with Stephen on jumping, and then anytime they can at home on their own.  

We are excited about the opportunity they will have to participate in this major youth event, and the role it may have in their lives.  They are excited about the opportunity they have to represent the Asia/Pacific Region, Papua New Guinea and Kudjip Station at the Bible Quiz competition.  This is what some of the kids have said recently about quizzing:

"Quizzing for me is like a family tradition. All of my siblings have participated in one way or the other, some of them had the opportunity to go to the national quiz in the US. It has been a renewing time for me as I have put the Word of God in my heart. Not only is the competition fun, but the study of the Word is also very beneficial to spiritual growth. I am looking forward to the quiz in July, following my older siblings footsteps in this is something I have been longing to do for a while." - Josiah Radcliffe

"For me, quizzing has shown me that my mind truly has few boundaries. I can learn so much if I apply myself and try. Besides that, though, it is especially thrilling when I hear a passage from Hebrews or 1 and 2 Peter and know the text around and the verses in it as well as being able to think back to the quizz practises where that passage became mine."  – Jessica Myers

The only problem is that this is an expensive venture, but one WE believe will be a great investment in their lives.  It will cost more than $3000 for each MK and adult chaperone to go back to the US for this quiz, would you be willing to help?

If you are interested in helping you can write a check to:

Global Treasurer Church of the Nazarene

Memo: Work of McCoy – Quiz Team

Send to: Global Treasury Services

Attn: Molly Cole

17001 Prairie Star Parkway

Lenexa, KS 66220

If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to email me.

Heb 13:15-16 “Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise – the fruit of lips that confess his name.  And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.”

Thankful to be going home

 She already had 2 children at home and now was pregnant with twins.  Her placenta was almost covering the opening for the babies to come out, so we did a Csection to deliver the babies.  The babies, a boy and a girl, did great.  Mom however, had a rough postop course.  The next day, her blood count had dropped significantly, and despite getting blood, didn’t come up.  The ultrasound looked quite abnormal and Jim agreed he needed to go back in and investigate.  He found that she had collected a large amount of blood around where the uterus was sewn up and there was something that was still bleeding.  Thankfully, he was able to stop the bleeding and she did well after that.  So mom and her 2 new twins are on their way home, what a blessing.