The Eagle is Soaring

Drinking Boko

After 3 months serving the people of the Philippines, Maid Elizabeth has come home.  She has returned to us changed in ways I never would have expected.  She is quieter, more deliberate.  She is confident.  She is kinder and more attentive to her siblings.  She has grown up.

Being "done-up" by a local woman

Dewey from the heat

Three months away from home was challenging for a home-body, home schooled girl.  She learned to rely more on God than she did on me.  She learned to push herself when she wanted to curl up and block out the world.  She delivered babies, she cooked, she cleaned, she shopped and she walked...a lot.  She swam in the ocean, visited a crocodile farm and flew on the world's longest zip line.  She conducted pre-natals in a tiny church in the bukid (jungle) and sipped boko (green coconut milk, full of electrolytes) to regain her strength.  She laughed, she cried and she prayed.

Ready for the zip-line

A fellow midwife being the incubator

A Bajou lady (Sea Gypsy)

Doing laundry

A street festival

Cutting up Jack fruit

Saying goodbye!

And now she is home!!!  I'm pretty sure that it will be short lived.  She is 22 years old.  God will call her out of our home and into a home of her own.  But for now, I will rejoice that my sweet Maid Elizabeth is once again working and laughing by my side.

Dengue in Davao

Maid Elizabeth Skype'd the other afternoon (6 a.m. Davao time) and said "Mom, one of the girls has a rash that is spreading over her body, she is spiking a fever and her whole body aches.  I seem to remember one of the diseases you wrote about presenting in a similar manner - what is it?"  The first thing that popped into my mind was Dengue Fever, a mosquito born disease that has become more common recently. After quickly reading up on the disease, we found that it is prevalent during the hot, rainy season (they are in the hot, rainy season in Davao right now).  It is characterized by sudden high fever with chills, sever body aches, headache and sore throat.

The described symptoms were exactly what the girl was suffering.  What a relief it brought to all the girls to have an idea what they were up against.  Wild suggestions had been floating around - everything from the flu to meningitis had been mentioned.  While Dengue can be miserable, it is not contagious and certain precautions can be taken to protect other persons from contracting it.  Because they knew what they were dealing with, the girls hauled out their mosquito netting and filled their bottles of Backwoods Off.

Like everything else in life, the more we know, the better off we are.  All of the girls were able to rest easier, knowing they were not in danger of some dread disease, and the young lady that was ill, knows what steps to take to recover her health.

The Prepared Family Guide to Uncommon Diseases helped it's first patient!  I'm am thrilled beyond words and humbled to have been of some little help.

Maid Elizabeth's Mission

Maid Elizabeth found a video showing scenes from the mission school she will be serving with next summer.  It really touched my heart.  Enjoy the view.