Palm Sunday!

Today was Palm Sunday. A beautiful day to celebrate Christ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. The day started with a phone call from a friend whose house help just delivered a baby on the road just a few blocks from my home. She asked me if I could go to the mother and baby and assist in anyway. What a joy to see a newborn baby that was born literally in the middle of a road who was healthy and doing well. It was quite an invigorating way to start the day.

We also welcomed a new addition to our family this past Friday, her name is Cinnamon, our new puppy. Although a bit overwhelming at first (I’m use to babies and not puppies), we as a family are growing to love our little puppy. She looks like a golden retriever but most likely is an Ethiopian mix.

We also got three visitors from MN today. What a joy to have visitors from our home church.

I’ll post photos soon.

Warmly,
Susan

Sticker Shock

Before I set in to write about the above word, I would like to highly recommend 2 books on parenting. The first is called “Shepherding a Child’s Heart” by Ted Tripp and the second is called “Grace Based Parenting” by Tim Kimmel. Both books delve deeply into reaching the heart of the child and moving them to know of God’s grace instead of just correcting behaviors.

After having Justin and Karis, I realize that children are born with different temperaments and this affects how they function. For instance, Justin loved being carried until he was 2 1/2 years old (okay, maybe even 4) and didn’t mind if I helped him change into his clothes or put on his shoes. Karis on the other hand enjoys doing things by herself and loves to say, “look mom, I did it all by myself.” You can also say that I am enabler. When Justin wanted to be carried after walking 10 feet, I usually just picked him up. Hmmm… so could it be nature or nurture or a combination of both? : )

Well, when Justin turned 5 this past December, I decided it was time for him to be more independent, so I started a sticker chart called “Now that I am 5, I can…” I told him if the sticker chart got completely full he could have a special outing with mommy or daddy and get a special treat such as ice cream. Every night Justin would be excited to place the stickers on his individual tasks and see the chart get fuller and fuller. After a while, he started doing the tasks without being reminded or needing a sticker, the task became a habit.

Now if you are wondering what his tasks/goals were, here’s his list which he helped make:

1) I can put on my clothes all by myself.

2) I can sleep all through the night

3) I won’t bother mommy or daddy until 7 am

4) I can walk up and down the stairs without any help

5) I will open the curtains in the morning

After seeing Justin with his sticker chart, Karis wanted one. Thus, we made her a “Now that I am 3, I can…). What’s funny is that her tasks are almost identical to Justin’s except we added, “don’t walk with strangers”.

What’s great about a sticker chart (if your children are into it, and let’s remember all children are different as well as parents) is that it helps me. Instead of having to repeat myself over and over or get frustrated, I can gently remind them of our goals. The sticker chart also helps with transitions such as traveling and jet lag. We just arrived back from an overseas visit and we are now working on getting stickers for sleeping through the night : )

Once again the sticker chart has its limits. It’s helpful with forming good habits and reaching goals but does not work on shaping the heart so please refer to my first paragraph.

Susan

And the Angels Rejoiced the Day Before the First Operation at CECH...

On January 23, 2009, we performed the first operative treatment of a patient at CECH. The patient I chose is a teenager who was born with a cleft lip deformity but never had treatment. She did just great with the anesthesia and recovery and will be returning to see me in the clinic for follow up over the next few months. As with many of the older patients I’ve evaluated, her story is all too familiar and heart-breaking--being shunned, unable to go to school--because of her untreated deformity.

Her outlook is a lot more hopeful now but not primarily because of her lip repair. She came to our hospital downcast. She was accepted and treated and cared for like she had never before. To me and to most of you reading this, what would seem so typical or even assumed in “normal” life was overwhelming for her: smiling faces looking her in the eyes with kindness (rather than turning away in disgust), a hot shower, her own clean towel to use, the prospects of having an operation to repair her lip--all firsts for her in her life.

It filled my heart with joy to see our staff show her the love of Christ so vividly and profoundly, from the guards at the hospital gate to the registration staff to the nurses and the counseling staff.

This was a nice parable I could relate to our staff that, although our “showcase” event (in bright lights) is the reconstructive surgery we do, every staff member (not just the surgeon) is critical to the life-transforming work we are called to do here.

Amazingly and wonderfully, her story of salvation was not the first. During the few weeks leading up to our first operation, we held our first clinics to start scheduling patients. Over and over, I heard the stories of older children and young adults shunned all their lives, then overwhelmed from being treated with dignity and love by our staff.

It’s been a long, hard year trying to get this hospital started (we arrived in Addis on January 31, 2008). But, God, in His mercy, poured out joy for us to experience so early on in the story of this hospital, this ministry.

In this past week, the beginning of our “ramp up” phase of operations, we performed eleven operations (mainly cleft lip repairs). I intentionally scheduled the more straightforward cases as our first patients, with the plan to increase the number and complexity of operations over the next few months. In one week, we’ll start orthopedic operations (Dr. Eric Gokcen, an American orthopedic surgeon who has joined us to be here long term, has already started seeing patients in the clinic).

Here’s some pictures of one of our first patients, twelve year old, Gadisse. This is her the day before surgery. As none of us can imagine, she has had to live with this deformity for a long time:

And, here she is just a few hours after surgery. Her lip is quite swollen (will get much better) and she’s a little dazed from having anesthesia, but even with that, I think the difference is quite evident.

I look forward with great expectations with what the Lord will do in Ethiopia and am glad to be along for the ride--it should be a great one.

Paul

Big Applause

After being here for almost one year in Addis Ababa, Paul is scheduled to do the first surgical case at Cure Ethiopia Children’s Hospital on Jan. 23, 2009. The past two weeks have been busy getting the hospital and staff ready for this very special day. We are grateful to see this day come and will write more soon. Please pray for us as we start treating patients.

Susan

Magical Thinking

When children turn 3, I was told they have magical thinking. Thus, children become scared of monsters lurking in their closet, Santa Claus seems real, and you can use magical thinking to help with even painful procedures such as shots.

Karis has been connected with her binkies (pacifiers) ever since she was 1 month old. In many ways, they provided a deep comfort and security for her. Realizing she was three, I started limiting their use. First, she was only allowed to use it on car rides and in the home. Then the binky was limited to only her bed for resting or sleeping.

We traveled so much in the past 1 and ½ years that I felt it would be difficult time to take away her “lovey”. Then on Christmas Eve, I was flossing her teeth and noticed that the gap between her top front teeth was widening and that her teeth were becoming misaligned. Finally, I thought, “This is it: I have to take her binkies away.” Sigh… What to do?

I did introduce the binky fairy a couple of months back and Karis’ response was “bad binky fairy; I don’t like her.” Hmm… not quite the response I was looking for, so I tried again. I told her that her teeth were getting ruined by her binkies, and it was time to give them to the binky fairy. Something clicked inside her, and she collected all her binkies and put them in a zip lock bag. I then hid them in my closet.

Then the questions began.

1. “Where does the binky fairy take them?” My response was “binky land”.

2. “Can she get them back?” My response was, “yes, when you have your own babies, the binky fairy will bring back your old binkies and give them to your babies.” This seemed to reassure her, as she didn’t want anyone else to get them.

3.”How big is the binky fairy? Can I see her?” My response was, “She is very, very tiny, so you can’t see her.”

I then proceeded to put a gift under her pillow for 3 days which was from the Binky fairy. On the third day, I was fresh out of gifts and ideas until Paul said, “Sometimes, the binky fairy gives mommy and daddy money to buy a gift for the binkyless child.” That day we went to the supermarket, and Karis requested a purple rose as her present.

We are now going on 3 weeks without a binky at nighttime. One thing I have observed is that she talks a lot more before going to bed. “Mom, I have to go potty, I’m thirsty, I’m hungry, I’m scarred of the dark, I don’t want to go to sleep, cry, wail…… and I think, ”Mommy misses those binkies as much as Karis.” I also now realize how important those binkies were to her. The whole day she would be without her beloved binkies and at night, she could lie in bed and comfort herself to her heart’s content. Since there were 5 or 6 by her pillow, she could always find one in the middle of the night.

But I have pressed on through the crying and the night time awakenings; slowly, she is adjusting. She now has a new lovey named Max which is a teddy bear her grandfather gave her this past Christmas. She named it herself after a baby that was born to Mrs. Alexis, a dear family friend.

Slowly my little baby is growing into a little girl.

Susan

Susan's 2008 Alphabet

Christmas dinner with the Eversons (SIM missionaries): note the spiral ham from Costco that Susan brought back in her carry-on

A is for Addis Ababa. We left the USA on Jan. 31, 2008.

B is for “Binky Fairy”. On Dec. 24, 2008, the Binky Fairy came and took Karis’ beloved binkies away to BInkyland. For three days the Binky fairy left a special gift for Karis in the morning. Karis’ new lovey is Max, a stuffed bear that grandpa gave her for Christmas this year.

C is for Christ whose incarnation and birth is celebrated on Christmas (December 25th for most of the world; but in Ethiopia, which follows the Julian Calendar, it falls on January 7th on the Gregorian Calendar…which means I’m just in time for this “Christmas Letter”).

D is for “Dangerous Duty of Delight” and “Desiring God”, two books written by Pastor John Piper that we highly recommend.

E is for electricity. This year, we learned that we can not take electricity for granted in terms of correct wiring and safety. We were grateful for Andy Engebretson, an electrical engineer from our church, who came out for 6 weeks to make our home and hospital safe and operational.

F is for fleas. We discovered that fleas are attracted to our family for some reason and, thus, we were (and continue to be) subject to flea bites and attacks. We did find a neighborhood cat in our bedroom one day; but, despite chasing the cat away, bombing our house with insecticide twice, washing our bed linens and clothes multiple times, and showering every night, we still get bites.

G is for God’s infinite grace which He has shown us so many times as we transitioned to a new culture, a new home, and new jobs.

H is for hospital. Paul has learned to wear some new hats this year, medical director of Cure Ethiopia Children’s hospital, “construction manager”, and “Korean” soccer player (he plays on a Korean soccer team who plays against a Chinese soccer team).

I is for IEC, International Evangelical Church, our new home church in Addis. The children’s Sunday school program uses Desiring God for Children which is the same curriculum created and used by our home church in Minneapolis. This has been a tremendous blessing for our family.

J is for Justin. He turned 5 this past December, loves to play soccer, started at Bingham Academy (a school for missionary kids), and continues to eat like a Minnesotan (plain food topped with a lot of cheese)..

K is for Karis. She turned 3 this past November, became fully potty trained, said good bye to her binkies, started a preschool program, and no longer cries when she goes to Sunday school.

L is for Lord. Learning from our weaknesses and cultural blunders that Jesus is in control and Lord of our lives.

M is for marriage. Paul and I still love and like each other J. We celebrated our 7th anniversary this past July.

N is for negativity. An emotion that we press on to fight as we transition into a new season in our lives. Please refer to G and L J.

O is for “ohhhhh!!!!! As we dodge cars, pedestrians, donkeys, goats, and cows on our daily drives.

P is for Paul. He celebrated his 39th birthday, finally made it to the mission field after many years of training, growing as loving father and husband to our family and learned to drive manual in the rolling, and sometimes, steep hills of Addis (this is a big point from Justin).

Q is for queasy. Despite water filters, cleaning all our veggies with a special wash, and eating at “reputable” establishments, we all have suffered from upset stomachs (and unmentionables from our gastrointestinal tract).

R is for retina. I, Susan, experienced new problems with my retina in my right eye. After 3 months in the US where I received excellent care and treatment, my retina is in good health.

S is for Susan. I turned 36 this year (yikes, how time passes, fortunately I feel 26 J). I am learning how to transition out of being full time mommy and being a pediatrician in Ethiopia (an ocean, a continent, and more than a world away from medical practice in the US).

T is for transitions. It helps us to grow and trust in God. I also wanted to include “T” for flying termites that tried to invade our house one rainy night.

U is for umbrella. Addis only has two seasons, dry season and rainy season. Definitely nice to have an umbrella during the daily rains of rainy season.

V is for vision. I, Susan, am glad to have my physical vision but more importantly this year has been about vision for our family, our daily walk with Christ, our ministry.

W is for “War Of Words: Getting To The heart Of Your Communication Struggles” by Paul David Tripp. Another highly recommended book.

X is for x-ray. We really enjoyed being randomly selected along with a pregnant couple at O’hare airport for additional screening (really made us feel secure that they’re profiling the high risk travelers). Justin did a fantastic job raising his arms while getting frisked—he has that dubious look about him.

Y is for you. Thank you for supporting us. We appreciate your prayers, fun care packages and letters.

Z is for zebras. We went to Kenya this year for a medical conference on how to make anesthesia safer in Africa. While Paul and I were in lectures, Justin and Karis were minimally impressed by the wildlife they saw at the orphan habitat. Note to self: travel and see “the sights” when the children are older.