Hand Washing Dance Competition

Late Post: We celebrate the hospital birthday each year with style! This competition happened while I was in Thailand for the Christian Medical and Dental Conference. I saw the video wandering around Facebook around that time but was reminded of it today when we watched it in chapel.

Let me set the scene a bit for you though first. Each year for the hospital birthday there are the traditional activities like a special ceremony with speakers and cutting the cake etc. There is also a revival service held for several nights. And then there are the competitions... we got volleyball, soccer, badminton, table tennis, etc. Different units of the hospital and nursing school compete against each other or in some cases individuals. And then there are the creative competitions like this one. Each unit was invited to create a dance with the motions you do to wash your hands properly (like before you do procedure etc). This years winner was the medical team (doctors)! May I introduce 3 of our doctors, Dr. Medha, Dr. Amanda, and Dr. Priska (from left to right). So without further fanfare... gangnam style like you have never seen it before...

....cie...cie..cie...uhuiii...yang juara 1...medis....
Posted by Khalibamakng on Sunday, March 1, 2015

A Funny Fire Drill Video

So our hospital recently held a fire and evacuation drill. Now you wouldn't think that would be funny but considering it was our first drill ever and they did it up big, it was funny, although it is probably funnier if you know the people involved. I know you won't be able to understand most of what is said but in general it follows a routine. The nurses are conducting bedside report when a "fire" is discovered. The nurses notify others and they try to put the fire out but are unsuccessful. An evacuation is then declared. What follows is the staff evacuating each of wards. The patients in the beds and family members are actually hospital staff. Actual patients stayed safe in their beds. Then the fire department is notified (by cell phone) and asked to come. They arrive and all work together to put out the fire.

Here is where it gets serious though, our nearest fire department is an hour away. There is no calling 911 and in a few minutes there is a rapid response of trained professionals. That means if a fire were to really happen we would most likely be on our own to put it out. It is not unusual for entire blocks in nearby towns to burn because of a small fire that started in someone's house and because there is no fire department with hydrants, trucks, and hoses nearby. This has been something that has concerned our hospital and missionary staff (specifically Dr. Paul Geary) for many years and they recently took steps to address. Instead of just fire extinguishers we now have high pressure water valves with fire hoses placed in strategic locations throughout the hospital. So this was an opportunity for us to test that system and for the fire department to instruct our team here on how best to put out a fire (which is why you see them learning how to use the fire hoses and adjust the spray nozzles). It helps that the building they were spraying was demolished in the last week or so to make way for a new building (more on that in another post). Now we just have to pray that if we ever do have a fire, it happens in the rainy season so we have a full reservoir to supply those hoses!

...simulasi keselamatan kebakaran gedung RSU Beth Serukam
Posted by Khalibamakng on Monday, May 4, 2015

Medical Missions Course X

It has been a busy 3 months around at the hospital as we hosted our tenth annual Medical Mission Course (MMC). This is a program sponsored by OMF and the hospital. It allows young doctors, dentists and for the first time this year a nurse, who have recently graduated to explore and receive training in medical missions. Here in Indonesia doctors who have just graduated must serve at location chosen by the government for a certain amount of time. Almost always, these locations are in rural underserved areas. That can be a hard transition for a young person who has spent most of their recent years in the big cities of Java with access to much more equipment and resources.

When we began, MMC, was a much shorter program and was held with the purpose to encourage these young people to come serve here at hospital. In recent years though with the development of our MedGo program to send and support Indonesian missionary doctors and nurses it has expanded to its current program lasting almost 3 months. Throughout those weeks, these young people spend time with guest speakers sharing about both medical and spiritual topics. These guests come from locations across Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, the United States, and England. They also spend time learning in the hospital with our doctors and the guest doctors. There is also time spent living in nearby villages seeing patients and teaching school kids about health and dental topics. We also mentor each young person on a regular basis, while they are here. In the end the hope is that they will be better equipped for their year of government service, that they will be encouraged to live a missional life as a Christian doctor in the coming years, and that some will be called to serve as missionaries.

This time around I worked with and mentored the nurse we had in the program, Dian. She was from eastern Indonesia but had attended nursing school in Java. She continues to seek God's plan for her life but is exploring serving at a mission hospital in eastern Indonesia or possibly joining MedGo.

The future looks bright for all of these young people... Dr. Tiopan will be serving his year of government service in South Sumatra, amongst an unreached people group. Dr. Nana will be going to North Kalimantan to serve a Dayak tribal group. Dr. Icha will be serving her year in Central Java. Others are continuing their education or returning to their home areas to serve. Please be praying for the Lord's direction in their lives.

MMC X with OMF and Hospital Team 

Praying over the MMC participants before they left

A Different Kind of April

Well the month of April didn't go as I had planned but I wouldn't have changed a thing about it! I got to spend most of the month with one our new families, the Hodges, down in Salatiga while we waited for the birth of their 3rd child. Salatiga is a nice place for a break with its cooler weather, large expat population including several friends, and fun places to eat.

Celebrating birthdays with friends

Attending the play at the international school

Enjoying yummy food like sate that just isn't the same in Kalimantan

Ash and Katrina Hodges along with their two daughters arrived in Indonesia in mid-January. They have dived right into language and culture learning all the while expecting daughter #3 in mid-April. Initially there were signs she was going to come before her due date, so I headed to Salatiga but then she decided she was quite comfortable where she was at and was actually 10 days overdue. For the birth story you can head here. That however managed to give her the same birthday as one of her grandmas and she was named after the other grandmother. She was also born on a day Indonesia remembers a young woman who championed education for girls. So meet Charlotte Kartini Hodges...

Born April 21st, 2015 at 9:10 pm
Weighing 3.7 kg (8# 1oz)
54 cm long (21 inches)

She joins big sister Annie (almost 4 y/o) and Beatrice (almost 2)

The Hodges 

It was also good to get to know the Hodges better. I spent the month living with them, so we got to know each other very well! I was also able to meet with several expats who were having health problems and others who are currently pregnant. There are several who are planning to give birth in Indonesia in the coming months, so you can be praying for them.