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.

A Visit from My Parents

What a whirlwind this week has been! It has been full of laughter, prayer, long talks, and a few tears. It had been 19 months since I last saw any of my family, which is the longest I have ever gone without seeing them. I should preface all this to say that this is the first time my dad has been outside of the US. Let's just say being in a car on Indonesian roads was an experience for him! My mom had made the trip out by herself in 2005.

So here is their trip in a few pictures...

Arriving at the airport in Pontianak after a very long trip! The Indonesian crowd enjoyed our reunion :) 

In front of my home with my dad after church on Sunday

After church on Sunday with my mom

Meeting the Nursing School staff

Meeting the OB Ward staff (who had only patient that day so were busy planting flowers outside the ward)

Getting to know some of the staff I work with. 

The Pediatric Ward staff

With the staff on our Class III medical/surgical unit 

With one of my friends - Dr. Irene (our radiologist) 

Attending the Children's Program for our Hospital Birthday Celebration 

My dad had no problems making friends, especially with the kids :) 

And with adults too!  

We had a lovely dinner with Wendell (Opa) & Paul Geary after their arrival at Bethesda

We also worked on a few "nesting" projects like putting in shelf liner paper in a couple of cupboards, hanging a mirror, and curtains.  

We finished up our trip with a night in Singapore, so they could see some of the sights and catch their early flight

This weekend we celebrated Chinese New Year. (This area in Singapore was absolutely packed with people watching a performance, shopping, and eating) 

It ended all too soon though and just 8 days after I picked them up they were boarding their flights back to the US. 

As I write this they are just a 5 hours or so outside of Portland. Thanks to the international date line they left Asia on Saturday morning and arrive in Portland on Saturday morning. They will take the next couple of days to rest and I imagine be back at work early next week. It was so lovely to see them and share a bit of my life here with them but it was really hard to say goodbye knowing it will probably be another 18 months before I see them again. Right now I am scheduled for 6+ months of home assignment starting in August of 2016.

After a night of rest in Singapore I am headed to a 2-week medical education conference in Thailand tomorrow. Right now though I am battling a fever and bad cold or flu, so please be praying that ends quickly so I can enjoy this conference, plus the new roommate I will meet tomorrow probably doesn't want a sick roomie :(

Underhills are Here!

On Friday night I had the joy of meeting the Underhill family (minus two family members) at the airport in Pontianak. They had been traveling for a long time, so were very tired. We got them loaded in the car, gave them some snacks and then quickly found them a shower and bed.

After a night of sleep though it was time to do a whole lot of shopping for household things because no one had lived in the house in awhile. My favorite moment of that day though was when we went to the cargo section of the airport to pick up their luggage. I had never been there before, so that in itself made it an adventure. Once there it took us awhile to figure out where to go etc and then we were faced with the fact that we didn't want to pay for them to keep the luggage until Monday but we really didn't have the truck needed to pick up all almost 600 pounds. We did however have a van and decided that it was worth a try to get all 16 bags (large duffles and crates) inside. The guys in the cargo area all seemed rather amused with our plan and our driver thought we could only fit 5-6 bags in total. Imagine his surprise when we got 5 bags just in the back. While it was crowded, in the end we managed to fit 700 pounds of luggage plus much of the food and household supplies we had purchased in the van. While there was no applause at the end from our audience you could tell they were impressed :)

The van was then sent on ahead of us to Serukam. We followed on Monday after some more shopping and resting. Hopefully in a coming blog post I can introduce you to the Underhill family. In the meantime please be praying for Brian, Holly, Hattie, Isaac, Eli and Annie as they make this big transition. Please be praying especially for the kids, as they work on re-learning Indonesian and making friends.

A Serukam Christmas (Part 2)

The last blog post got you up to the Christmas Eve, which is when the activities really get going. So here we go...

First is a Christmas Eve Service but it might be different than the typical Christmas Eve Service where you are. Yes, there is a candlelight portion and lots of singing of Christmas carols etc. There is also a sermon. Then you completely switch tones and small groups from different Sunday school classes or other groups perform special dance numbers and sing Christmas songs. This year the service lasted only 3+ hours :)

We start with formal worship. 

My seat mates for the Christmas Eve Service :) 

Some of our lovely lady doctors.

Following a sermon we switch to the more upbeat celebration. 

Finally there are several special music and dance numbers. 

Following the service the younger doctors, some of our support staff, and myself gathered at the hospital. We went to visit all the patients and sing Christmas carols for them. We also gave them a present and prayed for them by name. There were only about 20 patients total. We spent time with two moms at the hospital with their premature infants and another mom who had recently experienced a miscarriage. There were tears and sadness mixed with the joy of the season for some.

Getting ready for caroling

Then we headed to the home of some of our senior doctors and enjoyed some food and fellowship.

Christmas morning we were back at church and then it was time for visiting. The Muslim people also go visiting during their big holiday - Idul Fitri and the Chinese people do it at Chinese New Year too. So instead of staying home with your family on Christmas day or even celebrating with your extended family, here in Serukam and surrounding areas we go visiting. You visit neighbors and friends and others you haven't seen in awhile and catch up. Everyone spends the month of December baking and preparing. At some homes it is just snacks and cookies with some soda or other drinks. At other homes though it is a full meal. The Dyak people here love to eat pig and this is a fun time of year for them to prepare their favorite dishes.

Different groups travel around together. 

It is important to visit those in positions of authority etc first. This house was a local government official's house. The little girls were dancing to songs from Frozen as we got ready to leave. Oh and the Santa behind sings and dances. 

And we eat...

... and eat! 

Thanks to the dateline I get to celebrate Christmas for more than 24 hours though as I stay up late to celebrate with family at home via Skype. To help ease the loneliness from family and friends I enjoy opening my the cards and packages that have been sent.

Cards from family and friends, including some lovely hand-drawn ones from Sunday School kids. 

Packages from home filled with things to help me remember that snow exists and make some fun Christmas cookies. 

All in all it might not be the same as Christmas in the US but it has its special moments and as I get to know my community better it will become even better.