A Ton of Rice: Beverly Hills Philippines Merry Christmas 2007

"Feels like we must have bagged a ton of rice!" Well, we did! 1250 kilos to be exact into 520 bags along with a can of sardines and some noodles all thanks
to the generous giving of missionaries living in Beverly and some coming from other places. We gathered in the Gunderson
home once again to sack up food and blow up 500 balloons all to give out on Christmas morning.

Deborah and her team created a winter wonderland replete
with Frosty the Snowman and companions in our garage for the children.
Missionary volunteers along with our Filipino
neighbors gave away 500 beautifully wrapped coloring books and color crayons donated by MADS, a group of international
moms along with a balloon for each child.

The event has grown over the past 20 years to become the huge experience it is now. Within an hour everything had been given away. What we can accomplish when we work together is truly beautiful! Thank you to everyone who gave of their time, finances, and love to make this possible. What a gift to so many!

A Forest of Christmas Trees: 2007 Staff Christmas Party

Nowhere in the world do they love to
celebrate like the Philippines. Our HELP
staff only proves the rule. Our annual
mission Christmas Party is a must and
has been the instrument for extra blessing
for our hard-working staff. The mission
would be at a total loss without them. Some
of our staff have been with us for 20 years
and a great many for 10 or more.

Deborah has outdone herself gathering
gifts that will make
Christmas special.
Chief among them are
Christmas trees
for each one. She
learned awhile ago that
none of our people had
their own Christmas
trees. She swung into
action and raised the money to buy little
trees for all 32 staff. A Sunday School in
Australia provided the decorations for each tree.

Games and food are fundamental to a
good party. There was no shortage of
either.

Finally, through another generous donor,
each staff member took home a basket of
food so their Noche Buena Christmas Eve
meals will be full and merry.

This party is an important part of life
at HELP. We celebrate the gift of one
another, the gift of being able to do
the work each of us does , and finally,
the gift of Jesus Christ to bring
redemption to a broken world.

100 Happy Kids

100 Christmas stockings lined the sides of
the Shiphrah Birthing Home Learning Area
as Christmas came in a big, big way for the 100 something
children of HELP International Ministries staff this past
Saturday afternoon.

The U.S. Embassy Club outdid themselves this year as
they brought Christmas to our HELP children. Santa
ho-ho-ho'd and the Embassy crew delighted the children
with face painting, musical chairs, a ball toss, and a host
of other games.

Santa handed out personally selected gifts donated by a generous local donor and the tables groaned under the weight of fried chicken
and more spaghetti than one would care to imagine.


It was a glorious, Merry Christmas day.

A Philippine Beverly Hills Christmas

Every Christmas Day we participate in a Christmas custom as old as the colonial Spanish times here. It's called simply, "Merry Christmas". The poor go house-to-house asking for a "Merry Christmas"; hoping for a small something to make their Christmas happy. The missionary community who live in Beverly Hills Subdivision have joined with us for the past 20 years, combining our efforts to give those who will surely come a merrier Christmas than we could provide individually.

The event has grown to massive proportions. This year we anticipate at least 500 children and 500 adults. Toys for the children and a food gift for the adults. Our food bags this year will be rice, sardines, and milk powder. The children will receive coloring books and crayons (donated by a local
international women's group) and balloons. There must be balloons. The pictures on this post are all from last year. It's a wild and woolly event. Our garage is where the children gather, and our neighbor has constructed a very clever bamboo runway in front of our house for the adults.

Missionary families come to our house on the 23rd to pack up the food bags and prepare the toys. By 7 am on Christmas morning, the crowds are gathering and we begin to give out our "Merry Christmas". Hours and hours of preparation are gone in a flash.

But, you know what....it has made our Christmas Merrier as well!

Merry, Merry Christmas to all!

A Letter From Deborah: HELPing Christmas to Come to Our Staff

HELP INTERNATIONAL

Staff Christmas Party

Time again for our Help International 

Christmas party; a wonderful time
of riotous games, Christmas songs
and yummy food. 

Celebrating together is an important
way to bond your hearts to one
another. Everyone looks forward
to this special time to gather
together. 

The cost of the food and games prizes comes to $250.

Christmas Eve is a very important time in 

Filipino homes. It is very difficult for our
staff to save much for their Christmas
meal, so every year we
try to give them an extra
blessing of a food basket.
This year we would like to
be able to share with each of our
staff’s family a Christmas food
basket each worth $22 (P1,000).
Your family can share some
Christmas Eve spirit with
a HELP staff family by sponsoring a basket.
We will need forty baskets this year.

The main items that we need for the forty baskets

are:P12,000($266) for hams, P7,152 ($158) for cheese

balls, P6,000 ($133) for the 40 bags to put items in.

My hope for this year is to also purchase a bag of rice

for each worker as a way to help our staff this 

Christmas. The cost of a bag of rice is $35. 

A special treat I would like to surprise our workers

with at our Christmas party is a small 20 inch Christmas

tree per worker. None of our staff have a Christmas

tree in their home. The cost per tree is  P300($7). I have

someone who is willing to sponsor ten trees so I am in 

need of 26 more trees which will cost P7,800 ($181). 

The way we are going to decorate them is Sunday School

children in Australia will be preparing the ornaments 

per tree and mailing them to Manila.

Christmas bonuses are important tradition in the

Philippines. At Christmas and New Year often 

relatives in the provinces will visit their family in the

city of Manila. All of the food expenses and sometimes

even the travel money for the relatives to return to their

homes fall on the host in Manila. That Manila host is

often one of our workers. It is common to perceive the

city people as having lots of money. The Christmas bonus

helps our staff not to go in debt when sharing hospitality

with their families.

Part 2 A Letter from Deborah: HELPing Christmas to Come to Our Staff

Staff Children’s Christmas
Party: Partnering with
U.S. Embassy Club

(all pictures that follow are from
Christmas last year)

Every year we give gifts to our
staff's children as a way to
bring joy to their families
at a time when we remember Christ's birth. Our workers
are fortunate to receive a regular salary of min-
imum wage, but they have a lot of pressing needs.
Every year it is a challenge for them to enroll their
children in school, to pay for unexpected medical
expenses and, sometimes, even to put food on the
table. We help out as much as we can, but people
who know poverty know what it is to live under
constant stress. Christmas is a big celebration here,
and a lot of people give presents to the children
in the home. It can be very hard for our workers
to see everything that is given to the children in
their care, who they know will each go to a wonderful
“forever family” somewhere in the world,  when they
are looking at a bleak Christmas at home. What we
want to do is to inject some joy (and relieve
some of the pressure) into this time of year.


What we are asking of you
is to join us this year by
sponsoring a child for $10
(P500). We have 100 children
to buy presents for. The parents
will give us their wish lists
and then a volunteer shops for
each child personally.
The presents are then
wrapped and given to the children
by Santa Claus at a Christmas
party held a Shiphrah Bahay Paanakan.

It is a most joyous event. 

This year we only have 6 children who still need a sponsor.

Thank you for your interest in our HELP Christmas
giving program.You will touch the hearts of many
children with the knowledge that Christ cares 
for their needs. As a parent you can understand the
joy you will bring to our staff member’s hearts as
they see their children receive a beautiful Christmas
package.


A special Thank You to the U.S. Embassy Club and another
anonymous donor, without whose help we could not even
attempt this. 

Please make your checks payable to:

Trinity United Methodist Church
220 W. Martin St.Martinsburg,WV 25401
U.S.A. 

On the memo write: Missions Fund-Philippines 

Please make a note with the check that the money is
for Help Christmas Gifts. You will receive a receipt..

 love,deborah gustafson

Midwife and Executive Director of the little children's home   

Sheila Mae - a letter from Deborah

Dear Friends,

This Monday morning, Nov 12, 2007 a miracle happened.
Sheila Mae met her mom and dad for the first time.
A family was born. For the Gustafson family there was an
added part of the miracle. This is the first time that such
a miracle has happened in our own home.

Sheila Mae was in foster care for the last 3 months due
to a security reason.These last three weeks she was with
our family. Aubrey our six yr old was so happy because now
we had another girl in the family. He told me that now we
just need one more girl to make it even 3 boys 3 girls. He
did understand that Sheila Mae was not to stay with us but
it still was an exciting time. So Monday morning Sheila Mae
took her last nap in our home and woke to see her mom and
dad on the bed gazing at their beautiful daughter the best
gift life can ever give.

Please keep them in your prayers as they are getting to know
one another.

love,
deborah

Normally the wait is 9 months. But an adoptive family often waits for years. And that without knowing what the outcome will be.

Christian has been matched to a family in Australia. His family is friends with the family who adopted Mary from us earlier this year. They found out about Christian a couple of weeks ago, and are just waiting for the phone call saying they can come get him.

Today we received a package from them containing a photo album of Christian's new family and their home. This footage is literally Christian's first encounter with his new Mummy and Daddy, sister and other relatives.

Each birth is special

What a joy it is to assist a couple in the birth of their child. This morning two midwives, Grace and Lornie, were with Alice and Romeo as their fourth child was born.

Jade Hansen is a little guy at 6#4 oz but a cute, healthy baby. Alice's labor and birth was very quick, going from 4cm to birth in 45 minutes--making both mom and midwives very happy. Shiphrah Bahay Paanakan is glad to say that we have been there for Alice and Romeo as all four of their children were born. We thank the Lord for blessing the midwives yet again.

We've known Norma for years. She's a well-known seamstress in the area and has sewn things for us on all sorts of occasions. Sara's dress for Joel and Jena's wedding. But now we have her and her husband (and his brother) making bags for the little children's home.

This blog is long over-due. But little Amber's new family is from right here in the Philippines. Many of you will have heard us talk about Amber. She came into the home two months premature, six months ago. She was extremely vulnerable and spent her first two months with us in isolation. (Do a search in this blog for other stories on Amber.)

Mike and Winnie live in Cavite, just a bit south of Manila. We had them over for lunch and hope that we will get to see them again as they don't live as far away as most of you do.

An adoptive family is a big family. We feel, when a family comes here to take one of our children to their home, as if they are joining the team at the little children's home. Here are Marisa and Merlinda, Mamarlyn and Antonia, four of the caregivers who have been there for Amber since she was newborn. They are flanking Mike and Winnie who hold Amber now. (On the far right is Tara, the social worker with the Department of Social Welfare and Development who facilitated the match.) Welcome to the tlc family.

Kholberg's term for it is 'genera-tivity.' When I met with Edith today to discuss her plans for retirement she said, "If it comes time for me to leave the little children's home, you don't need to have a party for me. Instead, let's help those who really need it." And she told me about the dire situation of one of our workers' sister. Edna is Marivic's sister. Her husband died some years ago from an accident doing dynamite fishing off the shore of Cavite. This is hardly an honorific way to die, but Edith's concern was all for Edna and the children she is trying to support without a regular income. "She works very hard and has a good attitude," she said; "If you need to hire another employee, you should hire her."

When Edith was a young woman, she attended Bible School out of obedience to her eldest brother. "For Filipinos, the kuya is like a second father; I didn't want to disobey him." Gradually, she began to learn the Bible and to discern God's call on her life.

She spent nine years working in the remote, mountainous regions of Camarines Norte, pioneering house churches where there were only very few established churches, far apart.

Then she describes a transitional experience in her life. She took care of a young girl who had an ovarian cyst and then died of cancer two years later. She is trained as a pastor and was closest to the girl who died, so the pastor in charge asked her to preach at the funeral. But she said, "I felt as if someone was choking me; I could not preach because I love her."

After going through a number of employment and ministry situations, she came to work with us in January of 1994 as a careworker. She will be obligated to retire in January this next year, after 13 years of service, because she is turning 65. I asked her what she feels God is calling her to now and she said, "God is not finished with me yet." She hopes to work again in church support. Many of her former students and associates are working in church leadership.

She described a dream she had while she was pioneering house churches in the Bicol mountains. It was kaingin, when people chop down the tall grass in preparation for planting crops. This has been the image of her life, preparing the soil for the work that God will do in the lives of others. How many children have first-experienced God's love for them in Edith's arms?

More Pari

Here, as promised, are more Pari pictures as well as clips from her recent emails. Pari trained as a midwife with us several years ago while her husband was getting his Master's of Divinity at the Asia Pacific Nazarene Theological Seminary just down the road from the Birthing Home. If any readers feel you would like to get some financial help to Pari, you can send it to us and we will see that she gets it. We wish to stand with this lady any way we can. Again, "Nay" is the Tagalog word for "mom". This picture is of the twins she speaks of in her email that follows. Pari is on the right.

Dear Nay, How are you? Nay God bless my paanakan
and last July7 Ideliver twins, which is doctor said
they need in operation, but God is so good for the poor
people. They don't have any money. Nay my husband stop
teaching in his Bible school because our family lack of
finance,we sale our rice field and he plan to go to work
Malaysia. He love teaching but we don't know what to do.
Nay our world is very hard only we can feel the peace,
when we are in the heaven, but we will try our best in here.
Nay here is my favorite verse for you Deuteronomy 10:18
said He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow.
Nay we pray for you many times.I have more patients more
than before. I hope I can do it.

God bless you, Sister in Christ Pari

Pari: Myanmar Midwife

We, along with the rest of the world, have been following recent events in Myanmar with grief at the unrestrained violence the ruling junta used against their own people; people seeking to express their frustration at fuel prices gone arbitrarily mad and a legally elected government held hostage by military power. As events in Yangon were unfolding, our thoughts turned to a courageous midwife in the northern part of the nation who, day in and day out, serves the poor, of whom she is one, with commitment and skill. We've written about Pari before. In a country that is bleeding, she brings hope to her small corner. Subsequent posts will be pictures we've received from Pari along with excerpts from her emails. Yes, she can email occasionally. It's expensive, each email costing her money, but she is hungry for contact with the world outside. Of her room that you see in her photo, she says:

Dear Nay (the Filipino word for Mom) this is my patients picture,
and she gave me. My room is length 15' and wide 5'. It is very good
to work in my house. God is soo good.

Love. Pari

This year's 'Global' Inter-national Adoption Conference was held at Tagaytay, the beautiful provincial town overlooking Taal volcano.

It is a very important conference for the meeting of local child-caring agencies with inter-national adoption agencies. We work together all the time, but usually from opposite sides of the ocean; so it's good to get together and discuss our objectives and how things are going.

Sara and Deborah tag-teamed, and had an excellent time of learning and spending time together.

Reading at ICAB

On August 22 & 23, I joined Deborah and Jhett, our social worker, to read case studies of prospective adoptive families at ICAB (Intercountry Adoption Board). This was the first time that I helped with the reading. Before this, Dad would have been reading with them.

Jhett and I got to ICAB early Wednesday afternoon. She set us up at a table and brought over the roster of families. She showed me what we needed to look for, and then we started looking for families that fit our child.

Deborah showed up after a while, and soon each of us were reading a case study. And then came the difficult part; how to choose between good families? Dad would come home from reading case studies and agonize over the choices in front of him. Now I understood. After taking the personality of the child and the various families into account, we were still faced with difficult choices. How do you choose between good families? As I read the case studies I could hear the cry of their heart for a child. If only we could give them all a child! Instead, we have one. Argh! So you go with your gut, and trust that God is guiding your hand to the right family for your child. So we made our choice. And now we wait to see if they choose our child in return.

Sara

Reflections on Services and Scattering

July 14, 2007

Our final “road trip” with Dennis came to a wonderful conclusion on the prairies of northern Montana where it all began over 30 years ago. It was a full circle that embraced a good share of the globe before it was over. Who would have known, all those years ago, that this farm kid would touch lives and hearts in countries as far away as Afghanistan, India, Pakistan, Thailand and ultimately give his final twenty years to the infants of the Philippines?

But, when you come to think of it, kids were always his thing. When he was principal of the Christian school in our home church in Sunburst, MT, who was being a very un-principal-like lion with the younger kids up on the second floor? Noon hours usually ended amid shrieks and squeals as Mr. Gunderson, down on all fours, chased delighted kindergarteners, roaring with a fierce “Ra-a-ar!” as the rest of the staff stood below and just smiled and shook their heads.

In the Philippines, as he walked along village streets and beaches, went into the markets, rode in the jeepneys, enjoyed a burger in McDonalds, wherever he was, if there were kids there, he and they were attracted to each other. And, sure enough, here would come the “gagumba” (spider), or “lamok” (mosquito) that always ended up in a tickle and a yelp from a delighted child and elicit a smile from an amused parent.

As we have listened intently to others speak of his life during the four services for him, the two in Manila, and the two in Montana, there were numerous themes that emerged again and again; his unshakeable commitment to the work that God had called him, his dogged if not always elegant perseverance, his passion for children, his love for the lost, his delight in all sorts of music, his love for and belief in family, and his determination to trust God thoroughly. Once he put his hand to the plow, he never looked back. And, he went to be with his Lord still hitched to the plow.

The services have all been joy-filled, fun, if one dares call a memorial fun; filled with “Dennis” stories, tears, laughter (of course, this is Dennis we’re talking about), and lots and lots and lots of singing. They were what we had hoped for; reunions, and all the joy that goes with such an event. In that, Dennis was honored.

We scattered his ashes in a beautiful patch of green Montana prairie that rests up against our beloved Sweetgrass Hills. The land had been part of the first land purchased for Dennis and his brothers by their dad. It was late in the afternoon by the time we arrived, a dusty caravan of friends and family coursing our way there over miles of graveled farm roads. Shadows were beginning to form in the folds of the Hills, making them feel more breathtaking and present than ever. The heat of the day was waning and a slight breeze came down off the Hills just barely stirring the grass every now and again.

None of us were quite sure how to go about this and for a moment we looked at one another rather awkwardly. Finally, someone led out with a couple of Scripture choruses from the “early” days, “This is the day that the Lord has made” and “Thy Loving Kindness is better than life”. Slowly, we reached into the urn and took small handfuls of ashes, letting them trail into the grass as we walked or casting them into the small breeze. Montana twilights are long and there was no rush….not with this precious time. Some of us returned time and again to fill our hands with ashes and scatter, pray, weep, hug one another, laugh, or just visit together. Our three grandsons, who had also joined in the scattering, soon took to romping in the prairie like lions, often almost disappearing in the tall grass. It seemed that no one really wanted to leave. It was too lovely, too peaceful. However, finally we drew the journey to a close, singing the first verse of “How Great Thou Art”, a reading of Ps 121, and prayer.

I would like to share what some farm neighbors wrote on their condolence card. How suitable their words:

There is no easy way to say this:
The pain, sorrow, the grief is real.
Speaking of real, Dennis was real.
When he talked about those kid and
Started to cry; that was real.
When he talked about the fathers
That weren’t fathers, he was angry;
That was real.
When he worshipped; he really worshipped;
That was real.
We will miss the real father, brother, husband,
Grandfather and friend; he was real.


I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, whence cometh my help.
My help comes from the Lord, which made heaven and earth
Psalm 121.1-2

Dennis Gunderson

Dennis Jay Gunderson, 62, of Chester, MT, passed away May 16, 2007 in Manila, Philippines. Born January 15, 1945, in Great Falls, MT, he was the son of the late Douglas Gunderson and Josephine Plank Gunderson. He attended elementary school at Bear’s Den, graduated Valedictorian from Joplin High School (1962) and graduated with a Bachelors of Arts in History from Montana State University (1967).

Raised on the family farm north of Chester, he was a son of the soil.
Following University he taught history, economics, and typing at Monroe Senior High School, Monroe, WA. He returned to the family farm in 1969. He was called to full time ministry in 1974 which led him throughout the United States, Mexico, Canada, Afghanistan, India, Pakistan, Nigeria, Thailand and finally to the Philippines in 1987. He founded “the little children’s home” in Manila in 1991 and continued to serve the children until his death. He was a man of humor, love of music and passion for the children. He was a cool man.

He is survived by his wife Jeri Keye Huffman Gunderson, son Daniel Gunderson and wife, Teresa, grandson Gabriel; daughter Sara Gunderson; daughter Deborah Gunderson Gustafson and husband, Darren, grandsons Aubrey and Auden; son Joel Gray Gunderson and wife, Jena, grandchild to be; daughter Mary Gunderson; son Paul Gunderson. Brother Dale Gunderson and wife, Lanea; sister Judy Gunderson; brother Leonard Gunderson and wife, Katheryn; brother-in-law Kevin O’Neil. He is also survived by nieces Vicki Gunderson Weimer, Whitney Gunderson Wright and Stacie Gunderson Mason, nephews Randy Gunderson, Darryn Gunderson, Chad Gunderson, Ryan Gunderson, Scott Gunderson and Joshua O’Neil, uncle and aunt, Fred and Ruth Plank Barrett; aunt Mary Plank Mattson, and cousins Carolyn Barrett Dolderer, Don Gunderson, Gail McClellan Kaiakamanu, Gloria McClellan Thorson, Carl Mattson, Jodi Mattson

He was preceded in death by his sister Robin Gunderson O'Neil, niece Valerie Gunderson, cousin Monte Barrett, aunt and uncle Esther Gunderson McClellan and Ed McClellan, and uncles Eddie Gunderson and George Mattson.

A memorial service was held at 2 p.m., Saturday, June 30th, 2007, at the Church On the Rock in Sunburst, MT and 1:30 p.m., Monday, July 2nd, 2007 at the Assembly of God Church in Chester, MT.

Thursday Memorial Service

It is still hard for me to really realize that Dad is no longer with us on earth. One thing that I do know is that through this time of pain and sorrow we have also felt great joy and love.

During the Thursday night memorial service and cremation we felt God's presence as we laughed, sang, reflected, worshipped, hugged, cried, and lifted our hearts to the Lord. As we said "Goodbye" to Dad here on earth, we felt the Doors of Heaven open up to receive a faithful servant. Dad, we love you and miss you already.

Dad

Transition is never easy, especially when it is thrust upon you unexpectedly. For us, it came upon us this May. On May 16, Dad passed away. His death left us all stunned, but still having to keep going.

While we miss the work he put into this ministry, what is most keenly felt is the absence of his presence. Others will do the work, but no one else can be Dad.

Please keep the family and the ministry in your prayers.

At Shiphrah Bahay Paanakan (Birthing Home), we see education as a key element of care that we provide for the pregnant women in our community. We offer a seminar from 9 to 10 A.M on each of our prenatal days (Tuesday,Wednesday, and Thursday). Usually between 30-60 women attend each day. To graduate, one has to attend all 9 of the classes. It is a lot of time and money for the ladies to come. Traveling to the birthing home could cost as much as $1 for a round trip and that is a lot for most of the expentant mothers who come to Shiphrah.

We celebrate the women's faithfullness and sacrifices with a party at the end...Graduation Day. Great fun is had by all in playing games, sharing special numbers and testimonies, and of course food. No party, especially a Filipino party, would be complete without food.

Thank you to those who have donated baby clothes and blankets. We give a gift of a baby layette to each graduating mom.

love,
deborah

Check out our blog:http://www.gustafson-family.blogspot.com

A Note from Pari

Following is an excerpt from an email I just received from Pari two days ago. The word "Nay" is what she calls me (Jeri). It means Mom.

"Yesterday my pastorand I are open my house room with prayer, and now Ihave one student, she is our relative and she comingfrom Tiau ( which is near India)and some girls fromour place also going to learn.Nay now I have ready for all the women who want tocome and give birth inmy house, my husband want togive a name for Mercy birthing home, but for me eventhere is no name that is ok. Nay it look so nice, onebad, one long bench, small desk and beautifulcurtains. I have enough gloves andmedicine,instruments, now only i need is your prayerwhich is nobody will not dead in my house (room).Maybeone day I will take a picture and I will sent you. Ithink it is better rent a house than doing in myhouse, now I feel very happy.Thanks for all the things.God bless you.Love Pari"

The Vikings Have Landed

When we received the email that the Wehus family from Norway would be visiting the Philippines with their three children....all from the little children's home, we were more than thrilled. The eldest, Isak, is a teenager....impossible we thought....it couldn't have been that many years ago.... then Elias almost a teen, and the youngest, Hanna Joy. They are an amazing family, venturing with great gusto up north to Baguio and down south to Bohol, wanting the children to see what a beautiful place the land of their birth is. We've so enjoyed their company these past few weeks as they've popped in and out of Manila on their way through to yet another part of the country.

As Gundersons we have a special bonding to Norway, the land of Dennis' grandparent's birth. Turns out that Terjes' and Dennis' families both come from the same remote mountain valley and we are the most distant of cousins, sharing a common ancestor on Dennis' grandfather's side in the 1500s. Doesn't that beat all?

They are truly special people and very dear to us. What a wonderful blessing to see them again.

In the posted picuture is Deborah, Grandson Auden, and the Wehus family, Asa, Hanna, Isak, Elias, and Terje standing in front of the little children's home. Hanna said, on her first or second visit, she would like to come back and work a tlc home. Wouldn't that be something?

For some great reading and pics check out the blog that Darren and Deborah have created:

(http://www.tlctours.blogspot.com/).

Amber Update

A quick update on Amber. She is gaining weight steadily. From a sorry 0.97 kg when we first got her almost 6 weeks ago, she now weighs in at 1.89 kg. Leny, tlc home Supervisor says the little mite is going through a whole can of Pre-Nan a week! Yea!

Here she is in a familiar pose with Careworker Bing. Eating, always eating. Well, when you start life behind the 8-Ball......

Pari

Pari is a midwife. Her ministry is among her people in Myanmar. She has a great love for the women in her place and so, while her husband was studying theology at the Nazarene Seminary just down the hill from Shiphrah, Pari determined that she would learn to be a midwife. Throughout the three years of her time with us, Pari showed the tremendous compassion, courage, and skill that it takes to be a midwife. When the midwives called, no matter what time of day or night, Pari would come running up the hill, beaming eagerly as she ran into the birthing home to help attend a birth. Everyone she attended fell in love with her. We all did. The whole world should love this woman.

Now she runs through the sun, the rain and the night in her place to attend the births of the women she cares for so lovingly and skillfully.

Recently, Pari was among us again. She was a special speaker at a Women's Conference at the Asia-Pacific Nazarene Theological Seminary. What a joy! What a surprise! We had been certain we would never see her again when she and her family returned to Myanmar.

She has now returned to Myanmar once again, kitted out with upgraded suturing skills, new books, a new stethoscope, and other tools of her trade that are difficult to get where she lives and works.

God Bless you, Pari.

Amber's Story

My name is Amber. My mother is very young, only 18. She is a college student who is being supported in her education by relatives. When she became pregnant with me, she tried to hide me. She didn’t eat very well and tied a binder over her tummy so her mother wouldn’t notice that I was growing in her tummy.

I didn’t grow very well. I was supposed to be born about Feb. 23 but on Jan. 10 I knew I needed to be born. She and her mother went from hospital to hospital trying to get in to give birth but no one would take her because the hospitals didn’t have good facilities. I was coming very early and would need an incubator.

My mother was desperate, and finally she went to a private hospital where I was born on Jan. 10, 2007, 7 weeks premature. The doctors weren’t sure I would live. I only weighed 1.25 kilograms when I was born.

I stayed in ICU for the first two weeks of my life. I only gained .05 kilo in two weeks. It was very hard for me to suck on a bottle. I still sometimes get so tired when I nurse.

My mother and grandmother decided to give me up for adoption. The hospital was very expensive and they had to borrow to pay the bill. My mother was really too young to be a mommy and both she and my grandmother wanted her to continue her studies.

They heard about the little children’s home. My grandmother went to them and asked if they would accept me. They knew that to take good care of me would be very expensive, but they took me anyway. They knew I had nowhere else to go.

I came to live at the little children’s home on January 28 when I was only 18 days old. I was very tiny when I arrived. They weighed me at the home when I first arrived. I only weighed 0. 97 kilo. Maybe I hadn’t been doing very well in the hospital.

The people at the little children’s home children’s home decided to make me like a “kangaroo baby”. They have me wear just a diaper and tie me underneath the careworker’s shirt so her skin and my skin are together. That helps me stay nice and warm and feel safe. I have many very kind ladies who take wonderful care of me. Their names are Murissa, Rosemarie, Len-Len, Vicky, and Antoinette. I am always tied right next to one of them underneath her shirt. It is almost like being back inside my mommy’s tummy again. But not quite.

At the home, my caregivers and I stay in a special room called “Isolation” far away from all the other people. They are worried that because I am so tiny and still very weak, that I might get sick easily.

I am still very tiny. After almost a week at the home I weighed 1.36 kilo. Everyone is encouraged because I am gaining weight. And, I can really cry. I let everyone know that I am here. I have to drink special milk called Pre-Nan. It is made especially for babies like me who are born too soon.

I know I have a long ways to go before I can go to be in the nursery with the other babies. In the meantime, I love snuggling up against my caregivers. They sing to me and read to me, and play music. I know I am safe and loved.

In this picture, I am being “kangarooed” by my very special caregiver, Len-Len.

A month ago when Darren told me that Lucy will have worked for 20yrs washing diapers on Feb. 1st I thought, we need to have a celebration. Can you imagine 20 years washing poopy diapers?? What commitment one would have to have! Lucy first worked for the Allens who started Home of Joy and then worked for us when the Allens closed Home of Joy and we opened the little children’s home.

It was so exciting to plan a surprise parties. I think that surprises are fun. When I was describing to Aubrey that we could not tell Nanay Lucy about it I told Aubrey that His Aunt Sara and Ate Joy (his friend Hosanna’s mommy) had planned a surprise party for me when I was buntis (pregnant) with him.

The moment that Lucy realized that everyone was gathered together to surprise and honor her, the look on her face was something to remember. Everyone was almost in tears when she saw that Kuya Rey (our previous mission driver who lost his leg to diabetes) had made the journey to come for her party. She ran over to Kuya Rey and gave him a big hug and a shoulder punch.

Thank you to the adoptive families who wrote in letters to give to Nanay Lucy.

Love,
Deborah


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There are some things that are worth noting in the life of and individual or an organization. Every now and then there is a convergence. The two came together for all of us last Thursday, Feb, 1. For 20 years Luzviminda (Lucy)Simbulan has served children through a task that doubtless few in this world would find particularly commendable. Her dedication was applauded when a shocked and tearful Nanay (Mom) Lucy was escorted into a party in her honor, a festive luncheon and program created to recognize her years of service. She has, through the years, washed countless diapers, sheets, bibs, and blankets....but mostly diapers. Her work swaddles the bottoms of infants and toddlers who will live their lives in homes far more comfortable than Lucy will ever know. The fruit of her labor, clean, fresh diapers, dozens of them hanging from clotheslines strung across the baby home yard serve as a landmark to visitors who come our way. Think about it. 20 years of washing diapers for children who will never know how hard and faithfully she reported for work day in and day out. Some would feel cheated by being dealt such a life. But not Lucy! She takes tremendous pride in the care and thoroughness with which she performs her work. She shows up like the sun six mornings a week. Lucy, you have made a lowly task noble.