update...cause im too busy to be creative
Hello Friends!
Please forgive the long gap in communication. First I thought "ohh, we haven't done enough. I don't have enough to write about. I'll wait." Then I was too busy to write! haha! Now I finally have time to write and plenty to say - so buckle yourselves in and away we go!
First things first. We leave for Thailand exactly two weeks from yesterday! One of the many things that has been taking up all my time has been fundraising for outreach. As you know from my last email God has been providing in all sorts of amazing ways. I guess I wasn't extremely clear but when I last wrote I was still waiting on about $1500 of my outreach fees -and many in my school were waiting on much more! So together we asked God what he would have us do to see that money come in - not just on time but ahead of time. To that end we held car washes on two weekends, made and sold cookies, and prayed, prayed, prayed. As we were praying God led us to do some crazy things - he had us go to all the other schools and find ways to bless them. So one weekend we washed cars for another schools fundraiser - we made cookies for another school - wrote notes of encouragement to still another school and shared a meal with another. He also had some people give money away to others in need - even when they themselves didn't have all their fees (I was in this category)! And you know what? God is so faithful! We had all of our money in an entire day early!
In class our topics have ranged from Essential Drugs, Labour & Delivery, Primary Health Care, Palpatations, Fear of God, and this week we have Newborn Care. Of note within those topics: palpating a women's stomach is feeling around to discover the position of the baby. In order to learn about this we had to do it - so we got several of the pregnant women here to come in and let us practice on them. It was extremely exciting and scary to try for the first time to feel for the baby but the mothers were very encouraging and helpful. We also used our newly arrived penard (fetal) stethoscopes to listen for the baby's heartbeat! I heard and counted my very first fetal heart rate! It was so exciting!
Also, exciting was a field trip we took to a local hospital this week to learn about neonatal resuscitation. Judith a Nurse Midwife who works there went through resuscitation procedure - what needs to happen when and how. All extremely important and exciting. She had also set aside a placenta - from a birth earlier that morning - for us to examine! In my opinion this was the highlight of the field trip! We washed our hands, put on our gloves and checked that placenta over. It was so amazing to think of that little sac holding in a baby! Placenta's are a miracle! I'm so excited that we get to check them after every birth.
In the fun category we had a base event (aka mandatory all base fun time) it was a 1920's dinner night. Everyone dressed up in 1920's fashion - we ate dinner together and watched silent films, had a costume concert, and listened to several people preform music from the time period. We as a school decided to be different and dressed up as Newsies. Last night the girls at our house decided to pamper us and we had a very girl evening of face masks and foot rubs.
This next week we will be looking at the spiritual aspects of midwifery and preparing to leave. I am extremely excited about eating Thai food every day for a month! Ok. I feel as though I am babbling. This week we have all been sick - a nasty flu has been passing around the school and I happen to be at home this evening resting and trying not to get sick again - I had it first - and I do not want it again.
So - that concludes this update - my apologies if it is a bit ramble-y. I miss you all and I love you all!
hugs and kisses
rachel
Please forgive the long gap in communication. First I thought "ohh, we haven't done enough. I don't have enough to write about. I'll wait." Then I was too busy to write! haha! Now I finally have time to write and plenty to say - so buckle yourselves in and away we go!
First things first. We leave for Thailand exactly two weeks from yesterday! One of the many things that has been taking up all my time has been fundraising for outreach. As you know from my last email God has been providing in all sorts of amazing ways. I guess I wasn't extremely clear but when I last wrote I was still waiting on about $1500 of my outreach fees -and many in my school were waiting on much more! So together we asked God what he would have us do to see that money come in - not just on time but ahead of time. To that end we held car washes on two weekends, made and sold cookies, and prayed, prayed, prayed. As we were praying God led us to do some crazy things - he had us go to all the other schools and find ways to bless them. So one weekend we washed cars for another schools fundraiser - we made cookies for another school - wrote notes of encouragement to still another school and shared a meal with another. He also had some people give money away to others in need - even when they themselves didn't have all their fees (I was in this category)! And you know what? God is so faithful! We had all of our money in an entire day early!
In class our topics have ranged from Essential Drugs, Labour & Delivery, Primary Health Care, Palpatations, Fear of God, and this week we have Newborn Care. Of note within those topics: palpating a women's stomach is feeling around to discover the position of the baby. In order to learn about this we had to do it - so we got several of the pregnant women here to come in and let us practice on them. It was extremely exciting and scary to try for the first time to feel for the baby but the mothers were very encouraging and helpful. We also used our newly arrived penard (fetal) stethoscopes to listen for the baby's heartbeat! I heard and counted my very first fetal heart rate! It was so exciting!
Also, exciting was a field trip we took to a local hospital this week to learn about neonatal resuscitation. Judith a Nurse Midwife who works there went through resuscitation procedure - what needs to happen when and how. All extremely important and exciting. She had also set aside a placenta - from a birth earlier that morning - for us to examine! In my opinion this was the highlight of the field trip! We washed our hands, put on our gloves and checked that placenta over. It was so amazing to think of that little sac holding in a baby! Placenta's are a miracle! I'm so excited that we get to check them after every birth.
In the fun category we had a base event (aka mandatory all base fun time) it was a 1920's dinner night. Everyone dressed up in 1920's fashion - we ate dinner together and watched silent films, had a costume concert, and listened to several people preform music from the time period. We as a school decided to be different and dressed up as Newsies. Last night the girls at our house decided to pamper us and we had a very girl evening of face masks and foot rubs.
This next week we will be looking at the spiritual aspects of midwifery and preparing to leave. I am extremely excited about eating Thai food every day for a month! Ok. I feel as though I am babbling. This week we have all been sick - a nasty flu has been passing around the school and I happen to be at home this evening resting and trying not to get sick again - I had it first - and I do not want it again.
So - that concludes this update - my apologies if it is a bit ramble-y. I miss you all and I love you all!
hugs and kisses
rachel