update

Heyo people,

Sorry for the delay in writing.

Lots happening in the last little while.

The last week was perhaps the busiest and most fulfilling wk of my time in Nepal. Had been scheduling talks/labs/etc on mechanical ventilation at 2-3 hospitals per day from Sunday to Th when I was scheduled to return to Tansen to put together the final touches on a CPAP unit for them.

Lots of teaching and many positive responses from physicians, residents and med school students who all very new to mechanical ventilation. Don't realize how privileged we are to have all these conveniences.

Then TH came and while upstairs seeing some pts my laptop got taken. Unfortunate as the circumstance was, I really saw the community lifestyle that people here live. I think people at the hospital were more concerned than I was about the stolen laptop. I think they believe that it reflects on the people and the hospital. I also didn't realize how much information I had on it. Pretty much everything I've been working on in Nepal was here along with contacts. Nevertheless, I was reminded that I should be more careful, but that information is temporary and that relationships matter most. The ironic thing is that that morning I had written a email that morning about how I really find it hard to blog, because most of the things I have to share are personal and in relation to certain people. I was going to send this out to people so that they might not just read about issues, but react to circumstances. 

I hope that in reading this update that you might be able react in whatever way you feel prompted.

lesson from the laptop takage: information sharing is valueable, but relationship sharing is invalueable.

My next supercool event happened that evening with some expat missionaries inviting me over for dinner to refocus my time left in Nepal. Then as I cruised home in the dark, my chain broke. And again testament to God's watching over me, I was able to coast literally to the hospital where I was spending quite a bit of time. The security guard recognized me and quickly helped me figure out what went wrong. I'd need a new chain link so he helped me package it. As I was going to walk home, the receptionist came out to tell me they called the ambulance to bring me home. I decided to walk though, cause I actually like walking back.

5 lessons from 5 boys on the Sabbath

The bike posed further problems even after they put a new chainlink on it. The chain tension was a bit off and it kept on slipping as I was riding to church on Saturday. As I fustratedly got off my bike, 5 boys came running toward me and without hesitation pulled the grease covered chain back on. They continued to follow me down the road where it happened again and then told me I'd need to get my wheel set back a bit in order to increase the tension in the chain and to ride slowly. I now realize why Nepalis ride the bike the way they do. but the 5 lessons

a) They knew their gifts

b) They were in their 'mission field'

c) They ran to the need

d) They humbly and sacrificially drove right in dirtying their hands 

e) They followed through - provided advice and made sure I knew how to permanently fix the problem. 

I often wonder whether or not these 5 attributes are in my life. If I know what I'm gifted in, if I actually spend time in my 'field', if I run to the need, if I act humbly and sacrificially and if I follow through...

Praying for all you at home as well!

Off to Mahendranaghar in the far west after 2 days in Palpa tomorrow. Back in valley on 10th for more demonstrations.

in the race,

e

hebrews 12