christmas 2009

 
here in MS, we've had snow, and time to visit some friends and other folks,
a special time in Corinth with the Bradfords was nice for us and our kids
see our picasa photo page for more!

back in Pearl, MS

 
 
 

Last night after visiting with Paul Adams and family we came back to Pearl, to our mission house, and the kids played out back in the snow. We are having a nice break and enjoying our time with family and friends.

some recent photos

 

 

 

 

headin home

Not for good, just a vacation of sorts with family and friends.
We depart Peru Nov. 16 and return Jan. 21 or 2010. That makes two years here without a visit back to dear ole Mississippi. We hope to visit some supporting churches, spend the holidays with family, and raise some more money. We have lost some support due to the economy and such. Our last team left last week, so I am ready for a break for a while. But even now we are thinking about the big Memphis IPC group coming next Feb. Things are well at the clinic, but my partner of a year and a half, Lora Karraker, just left, so I have to stand on my own two feet now. She was a great help in the admin side of things. Our kids are almost ready to start a new year in home school, but probably we won't start until we get back in January. Hope to see some of you then.....

Winter in Peru

Winter is almost over here, and Spring is just around the corner, according to the locals.
We are ready to see the sun again, because winter here generally means cool temps and lots of cloudy days when we rarely see the sun. It is calmer here now as the "summer team" season is over and we are just business as usual. That means we are focusing mostly on the clinic operations and I even managed to find time to buy a car. Lora Karraker will be leaving at the end of Sepember, and lately she has been cranking out the ideas and policy changes to help make the running of the clinic top notch. Susan and I are still searching for cheap tickets to get us back home this November. We plan to stay 2 or 3 months to visit family and friends, and also raise more money, as our support level has fallen lately. We hope to visit some new churches and old, giving reports and raising more support. The kids are very excited, as November will mark our 2 year anniversary in coming to Peru.
Hope to see most of you there!

drs. dale and dave

 
 
In the months of April and May we had two visiting doctors. The first was Dale Hansen from Memphis, who is now in his radiology residency. Dale came for a month and helped us everyday in the clinic. He was referred to us by the IPC in Memphis group. Then in May David O'byrne came to us from Guatemala, where he was studying Spanish. He met Alleen Mclain there and she convinced him to visit us. Here is a photo of Dave with the crew, and of Nila with our functioning electrocariogram machine.

some perspective

Last night Dr. Marcus and Whitney Ueltschey from Tupelo, MS left after spending a week with us. We had a few days of free health care out in the neighborhoods, and spent most of the time in the clinic. With the addition of Dale Hansen, a young MD from Memphis, we saw quite a few patients. Also, another young MD from New Zealand showed up, and he might stay around a month or so to help us. So, obviously God is blessing us with help and support. However, April 24 we were robbed at gunpoint at the clinic around closing time. It has happened before, and we took some extra measures at security, such as a metal gate a few feet inside the main entrance which locks. After eating my lunch I exited and did not pull the gate closed behind me, when just outside were two men with guns, they pushed me back inside and rummaged around for 5 minutes or so looking for money. They took one of our laptops, about 400 in soles, Dr. Dale's watch and wallet, my cell phone, and not much more. Really, they could have done a lot better, but obviously they were not thinking clearly. Anyway, my point is God is good.
Just when we get discouraged and wonder if its all worth it, he sends more people, more patients, more money, and we know we must continue. (later that same day I got an email notifying that a large donation had been sent in to the medical ministry!)

Last Monday, during our free campaign, I gave out ticket number 50, to the last patient we had time to see, and she begged me to see her mother, who could not walk.
So Whitney and I walked with her to her house to check it out. She is a 75 year old with advanced Parkinson's perhaps, or severe arthritis, who lays in bed most of the day. Sitting next to her is her husband, 85, and completely blind. This lady, with children of her own, basically stays around the house to keep her aging parents. Whitney showed her some PT exercises to help her mother, and later Percy our chaplain found a wheel chair to donate. It is a very sad case for me, a home with no joy or happiness. So I thank God for the chance to help them a little and worry not about my small misfortunes. We hope to follow up with this family in the future, and minister to whomever God sends our way.

Los equipos part II

Last Tuesday, March 31, Bill Bradford and I went to the offices of the Ministry of Health again, and after a few hours of waiting we signed the papers and took possession of the machines. I will try to post a photo showing our "new equipment" as it arrives at the clinic. We hired two men with trucks to load and deliver the equipment, one being a member of the Wichanzao church, who only accepted a minumum payment. We now have one sonogram machine, one EKG, and 4 kidney dialysis machines, along with three hospital reclining chairs, and a med cart. Most of the items were found covered with dust and a little rusty, but I hope we can soon have at least the first two operating. Praise God for his goodness and help in this process.

On another note, today a lady of 32 years came in with two children, and I have never seen the likes. Her eyes were completely yellow with jaundice. She had a surgery years ago and now it seems her liver is not functioning well. Unfortunately we cannot help with these types of cases where more serious surgery is needed. It is always sad to tell people we cannot help. Percy our chaplain prayed with her and we can only advise her as to other options in the public health care system.

Los equipos

I thought, for posterities sake, I would try to chronicle the process of importing medical equipment to Peru. Many of you know the story, but here is an attempt at a written account, because hopefully tomorrow it will all be over.
When we came in late Nov. 2007 our container that followed was loaded with our personal belongings as well as several medical machines and supplies. In late Dec. we were allowed by customs officials to collect our personal items, but all the medical goods were put in storage. We have a written contract with the ministry of health (MINSA) stipulating that they will help us be exonerated from import duties on our medical goods if we split 50-50 all the stuff. The next six months were spent by our Peruvian friends negotiating with MINSA and customs all the paper work needed. Finally last June, I think, of 2008, we received word that the goods were being released into the hands of MINSA, and soon they would split the goods with us. By this time, many of the products had expired, as all was donated, and most with short dates.

Well, over the next six months MINSA dragged their feet, and finally last December we had a meeting where they told us they could not abide by our contract, because they had promised customs that all the goods would stay in the public healthcare system, making our contract void. So we only had the right to designate to which public health centers the goods would be allocated. Needless to say, we were a little disgruntled. Dr. Rebaza, the minister of health, then suggested that the only solution would be to formulate a new contract, designating our clinic as a public health center, passing under the supervision of MINSA, and during the duration of that new contract, we could then import more equipment. However, many of our Peruvian friends warned us not to do this, because once we enter that realm of government control, we risk all, perhaps starting an irreversible process of complete take-over.

So we were going slowly, talking to a lawyer about helping us come up with the language of this new, short-term contract, when early March, we get another phone call, requesting another meeting. Now, it seems, the winds have changed, and they will abide by the original contract, and we have met several times since to divide the remaining equipment( I say remainining because some stuff have expired and two pieces have been taken already and put into use in Bella Vista, a clinic a few miles down the road). Now, the latest is tomorrow, the last day of March, we go at 9am to sign the papers, and then legally the goods are ours. We can then hire a truck to transport the equipment to our clinic here in Wichanzao.

Here ends the tale to date. Perhaps soon I can post some photos of the machines in operation.

pastoral visits

Today I went to visit some patients at their homes with our new clinic chaplain, Percy Padilla. We have a policy that those without income who live in extreme poverty can get discounted or free visits with our doctors. They patient fills out an economic survey, and later the clinic administrator is supposed to visit the home to verify the information. So today Percy and I went to make some visits. One of the ladies we found at home is called Maria, and she lives in a partial house with 6 children. She is a diabetic and has visited us for many years. The house has few walls, with a mud brick enclosure and tin roof. The kitchen is open and there were ducks and chickens all around. Percy presented the gospel to her and her husband and we encouraged to visit the clinic when they we in need. My impression of her husband is that he probably does not work, as he was still in bed when we arrived, and he looked like an alcoholic. She undoubtedly has a very difficult life, with very little income.
Also Christy, our clinic psychologist, told me that this week she had some very troublesome cases, some involving sexual abuse. It's sad to see the despair on some of the faces, but I know God alone can provide relief in such dire circumstances.

Busy February

We have been working hard this month, today ending a two week medical tour.
The week of 16-20 we hosted 22 folks from Independent Pres. in Memphis. They consisted of MD, nurses, dentists, and support staff and we spent each day offering free health care in various part of Trujillo. Each day about 50 people in all would work together to attend the medical needs and also the spiritual needs of the needy here in Peru.
This week, the 23-27 we have had the pleasure of hosting Dr. Ron Morton and Pam and Cassie Doolittle. We have spent most of the time in our clinic, with one day out on a campaign, and Dr. Morton today is at Belen hospital seeing outpatients and will give a lecture on asthma also.

Thanks to all involved, and let's pray God uses these times to grow his church.
Another plug for our family, we are collecting money to buy a vehicle. All interested parties please make your donations to CMS and specify that it's for the car fund.
All seven of us in a taxi can be quite uncomfortable.

Rain in Trujillo

Last weekend we visited Cajamarca, a large city in the mountains, to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Second Presbyterian church, or Los Rosales church. It rained everyday, but we were expecting that because it is the time of year. We adjusted quickly to the altitude, and took some entertaining side trips to some farms and archaeological sites. However, upon returning to Trujillo we found it had been raining for four days, a very unusual event. Thankfully our home held up fine in the rain, and nothing was damaged.

We hope all of you had a wonderful holiday, and are enjoying the new year. We are busy now getting back to home schooling, pushing ahead in the work in the clinic, and planning for future teams to come and work with us. My dad and stepmom are coming in a few weeks, along with my uncle Ralph. In December my mom came for a brief visit, that was nice. Another bit of news, we have opened a seperate account at CMS for a vehicle fund. If interested please note in your giving that the money is for the Ellison car fund. Thanks!

We are encouraged now with the ministry here. All of our fellow missionaries are back after some traveling over the break. Also Twin Lakes team from Jackson came and had a great week of summer camp for about 130 Peruvian children from our churches. Our kids went also and had a blast. Thanks Twin Lakes and First PCA in Jackson!
Remember to check out our photos at www.picaseweb.google.com/daleinperu
blessings,