yet another.. bOATtrip - sept'07

yEEE! amidst the all-nighter shifts handling 4 or 5 births within just a few hours, the constant nag of assignments due, and the stress of up-coming exams (really, it's not all that bad ;)) we were fORtunate enough to get to spend all day saturday out on the water. It's ALways such a fun, relaxing yet tIRing day of sun and snorkling and getting stung by jelly fish.. yes, I have another rash. but I didn't get burnt this time - I wore a big brimmed hat aLL day [fashion sense ANd protection from my wise gramma!] I think my favourite part of these boattrips are the ride back across the channel to the dock because everyone finds cRAZy and nEW places and positions to fall asleep.

"Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat!"

Our clinic has been through a tOUGh couple of weeks - what with the DOH (department of health) bursting in and giving us 15 days to comply with (UN)reasonable measures...all of which are underway. There are approx. 100 lying-in (maternity) clinics in all of Davao and WE, as Mercy Maternity, are the biggest of them all. We're like walmart...only with no sweat shops or cheap materials. The DOH has only found 14 clinics up to their standards, ours not being one of them. We almost closed down. Why? Not because we're dirty, or have malpractice, or anything like that...just because we're in a war against something bigger than ourselves. [OUR clinic gets in trouble for not having the cap screwed on tight to the container of our cottonballs.. when the public hospital gets away with cats running astray through the wards, blood splattered on the floor, not bothered with until the next shift].

Mercy is a great clinic, not ONLy because we are clean, but MORE so because of the people we serve. Most of our clients don't make more than $4 dollars a day (and that's being generous). And we give them free prenatal care, free labor and delivery, and postpartal care. We decided to show our patients jUSt hOW mUCh we love and care for them and their families by springing big bags of food on everyone who walks through the door, on some random day at the clinic. WE've done this before, the students just gather as much money as possible by a certain date, give it to our filipina staff to go to the market where they can buy lOADS of rice, and vegetables, and powered milk, and sugar, and such to bless our patients.

As I've said before, people at home just have such a heart for what I am doing here, constantly reading up on my blog, and girls have done this in the past where they throw this out there, and see if anyone would respond...
and so am i.
If you want to give ($5, $10, $1000) whatever you've got in your wallet at the time...(haha, Matt!) Just get the money to my mom 562-7400 - probably not so smart to put a telephone number on here but, she'll wire it to me, and i'll see that this foodbank at Mercy receives it. Oh my goodness...this thing'll be great, even if NO one gives any money! I cannot wait to see the reactions of our patients (a little disheartening, because filipinos tend to be shy and not as expressive as sOMe...but. mmm, it'll be sweet either way!) Pass on the word! and thank you, thank you, thank you!!

Isaish 58:6-8

.."when i'm lost, look at my picture of you."

Gian Brent Quilay, born this early morning at 3:37 am, sept.19th/07.
He weighs in at 6lbs10oz and is ABsolutely aDORable.
His mom, Joyce Carol, is an 18 yr old housewife who now has a son!

Two days ago, sept.17 I had the priviledge of catching the 5th baby of 25 yr old Elizabeth Somoza. It was a memorable birth story because by her LMP (last menstrual period) her baby was 47 weeks' gestation...let me remind you that NORMal is 40 wks, and our clinic refers those who are past 42 weeks because the risk is too high at that point. We kept her because she walked in fully dialated and ready to push and ALso because she'd had an ultrasound back in June changing her dates to make her 41 wks and 5 days (still late). We had NO idea when her bag of waters had ruptured, and i BASically pulled an overly done baby out of her little oven. Out with absolutely NO amniotic fluid, thick meconium staining and postdates, the brown/greenish stained baby was transported immediately to the hospital (although I saw her 8 hrs afterwards and she was doing much better). It was nuts though. I couldn't figure out what the mom was actually feeling, but I did make her laugh telling her that her baby was a little "burnt". Everyone's ok, praise the Lord!

the aMAZingg race - sa Davao

depicted here all the teams: yellow, blue, grEEn, and red. I was part of the bLUE team - we started at 9am and came in third place around 1:15pm where the prize for all was chicken bbq and garlic-fried rice.




They had us running all over the city. Each team got a budget to work with for transportation and other costs that would arise along the way. We weren't allowed to use taxis or hire any other sort of private transportation. There was karoke involved (Celine Dion favourites), a urinalysis, massages to new interns, ate Barbara at the market, random raw pig parts, durian paradise, bowling, internet cafes, second-hand shoes, a lIVE radio broadcast! (with monster radio, 99.5), pedicures, train rides at sm, and finally jack's ridge as the finale. SUCh a good way to see/get to know the city though.

OH! and, i almost forgot... HAPPY 25th ANNIVERSARY MOM&DAD!! (and Ted&Juls)(and someone else..i forget now who.)

http://www.chask.org/

we jUST found out that an intern we've been living under the same roof with, Sherry Bushnell, is the founder of an organization called CHASK - Christian Homes and Special Kids. Somewhat like an adoption agency, yet without the crazy expense, this organization encourages women who either cannot or don't want to keep their child with special needs, and then facilitates the adoption of this child into a loving home who would be able to love and care for she/he as needed.
Ok but, that's amAZINggg. I mean, what kind of person thinks this kind of thing up? I can't believe the character in which I am surrounded by. I am so completely blessed (and also guilty of second-guessing my thoughts if I were in such a situation). Please check out this website.

The Midwife’s Garden

A is for anise, sweet relief for the bowels
B is the butcher’s broom to shrink the womb down
C is for cayenne, its heat stays the blood
Dandelion greens should be boiled some good

E is for eggs, one a day cooked ‘til hard
Fennel brings mother’s milk and a woman’s blood
G’s the gooseberry, for pie or for jam
Hyssop, tansy, and mugwort for taking a bath
I’s the Irish Moss for blanc mange and stew
Juniper without berries is for making tea too
K is for kelp, when it’s dried it will keep
Labrador tea if you’re needing some sleep

M is for mustard, on her belly makes her bleed
N’s for the nettle, just the leaves, not the seed
Onions to the feet will bring down a fever
Pennyroyal’s tincture makes a tiny baby leave her

Queen Anne’s lace is poison, it’s not caraway
Red raspberry tea should be drunk every day
S is for sage, which makes the milk go
Thistle, that’s blessed, makes the milk flow
Unicorn, false, with bed and capsicum
Very good at keeping the babe inside his mum
Wintergreen tea is best made in the spring
X-cept for making jam, for the berries you must bring

Y is for yew, its stone will bring strife
Zest comes from lemons, oranges and life!

(i did nOt make that up...
but who knows,
maybe i'll have a garden like this one day!)

A few nights ago we went out to Gardena Fresca - a restaurant in a garden, beside a pond and whatnot. IT was such a beauitful night and such a good time.

our trip to New Carmen - aka. the DUMp

There's a guy from Austria who recently starting helping a couple from Texas, who have been living here in Davao for 5 years while they help a village not too faR from the city. The village of New Carmen is built on a landfill. The dump is still in full swing, as you will see in the pictures, and makes for a bleak view from the plateau that the elementary school and a few houses were developed on. These guys have been helping the filipinos of new Carmen to create a better infrastructure, plus ways to stablize the flow of income for the village. It's crazy how this "remote" village in only 15 minutes off a main road in my big city. I like how easy it is to leave the city for a day, breath some fresh air, and meet the kindest people Everrr.

This is the plateau where mOSt of the village is built on...

and thIS is the view from that plateau...the biGGest landfill I've ever seen - a far stretch from the dump at the cottage...there aren't any black bears here either ;)






Behind me in this picture is the piggery that is being built. A fish pond is also in the works, as well as a duck pond (fertilized, unhatched duck eggs are vERY popular in this country - you can find a nice hot egg with a 21-day old chick inside at almost ANy time day or night (supposedly it's very healthy for you!)).

The guys have also tapped into the natural spring that we are hiking to in this picture, and plan on brining the water right up onto the plateau for drinking water and the ladies with their washing.

AS of right now, they hike all the way to the source and carry out laundry up here, it's beautiful ANd cool in temperature, but not so practical or efficient.


and THIS. was the CUTEST. little boy ever...seriously, I would have taken him home if not for his mother and family. hahaa, oh my goodness - he wouldn't speak a word to me, just came up and grabbed my fingers with his little dirty hands, and touched my face, and rubbed the hair on my arms (uhh, i kINda felt like an animal at Zooz petting zoo but) It was awesome.

"home sweet home"

I didn't have time to miss this country and culture while home for a month, but as sOOn as I boarded the plane in Vancouver, the one headed to the capital of the Phils, Manila, I couldn't get over how much I missed these people. Tiff and I boarded the plane as "late shows" because our plane from TO had arrived late (and everyone had already boarded). As soon as we sat down these 2 nice, old filipinas were smiling at us, and started up a conversation.

Since that point on it's been nothing but blISS in regards to how I am treated. The airport personnel, the taxi drivers, random ppl on the street all go out of their way to smile, say hello, and accomodate us however we might need. Let me give you a few examples of the type of ppl I'm around daily:
Lois and I went to the market this morning but somehow got separated in the crowd... I was on the outskirts of the market, looking in to find her. I turned around and caught the eye of a cute, little, old man who raised his eyebrows at me and pointed with his lips to a particular aisle of the market. haaha, sure enough, I found Lois not too far in! He knew I was looking for the only other white girl in the place. It was cool.
and then,
Just on my walk home tonight from Aileen's house (which, by the way, her baby boy, Aijey, is growing like a beanstalk!...two months and he's changed so much! :S), anyhow, on my walk home these little boys were playing basketball. And the one with the ball raises his eyebrows at me a few times, I raise'em back and smile, and he goes "this one's for you" as he shoots the ball!! (aweeee.)(he missed but still. so cute!)

I also attended a ministry called Family Circus, you should look it up because there is much too much happening with that organization to type about on here. But, I attended one of there services this afternoon, kids of all ages and some moms came out to sing, recite bible verses, get food, and prizes. Oh mYYY, it was such a good time. Being around all these kids makes me kind of sad that I only work with moms who have tiny babies. Toddlers and children are just SO CUTE! I think I've decided that IF i were to ever open a clinic somewhere, there'd need to be an orphanage next door [michelle..are you up for that kinda thing?! :P][chrisTINE, you could teach!][and of course, Brianna would be the strength and encouragement behind the whole operation because SHE's the one who wanted to work in Africa in the first place]. Oh the possibilities!!

a month in review -

a liTTle nuts but, this is the first time i've had the chance to sit (currently in an air-conditioned coffee shop) and mull over what I could or should be doing this afternoon, eve, weekend, etc. let me explain:
i jUSt arrived home in South-east Asia after being "home" for an entire month - and whAt a month it was.. go.go.go. I wouldn't have wanted it any other way. I'll try to update you all in 50 words or less..

. wedding day prep!

Brad and Christine Morgan's BIG DAY! (the beautiful bridesmaids)

. kittykats and homegrls <3

. the cottage and my gp's new pontoon boat

TORONTO! and the newest aveda star :D

. the newest addition to our family, my sweet new niece Alexis with her big brother Owen and their beautiful mom, Cindy

all of my dearest friends...all marrieds, as you can tell by the ring fingers

another perfect baby, Aysia Levi Ouwendyk with her proud (and already amazing) parents Michelle and Bryden - how was your holiday?!

OH my goodness, and there was so so much more. I just wanted to say how much i appreciated everyone welcoming me back into your lives...and making me feel so incredibly loved. My mom kept the fridge stocked with all the favs, someone was always asking me out for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and/or coffee [tEA] and whatnot... i was just so blessed. and refreshed.
I made it home ok, all the flights went well, although I will not be getting my luggage for another two days (hopefully, they said saturday so...) my bags got a little delayed at our first layover and didn't make it the rest of the way, so i don't even have unpacking to keep me busy!! But, all is well other than that. Thanks for praying over my journey across the world, and kEEp in touch!
ONLY ONE MORE YEAR!!
love

i went swimming this weekend.
a cross-channel race.
didn't win..
but got stung by a MILLIon little jellyfish..
and have a rash.
all.over.
to prove it..
bah.
good thing i'm not in a wedding this weekend or anything :P Christine and Brad, I wish you MORE than ALL the best this week as you prepare to be w.e.d. AND for this friday - the "big day". I'll be thinkin of ya!

I'm still here - hangin' out, working, doing homework, etc... Sorry it's been awhile since my last post, but i'm sure you're all enjoying your sUMMEr way too much to be concerned with blogs and the like... just you wait. until sept. when I get MY summer :) YEE! (sorry) All the best to everyone, I love you.

suturing class 101~

the episiotomy.
the master sewer, Krys McNeil (bottom left), showed us all how it was done before lacerating each of our chickens and letting us loose to practice each stitch.

the gaping wound beFORE i stitched it up..








and AFter. We agreed that suturing is really a form of art.








and the finished product! our whole class "passed" suturing up chickens and now its on to bigger, better, and more real tissue.

bake-a-thon '07

Our new house has 2 ktichens: a clean kitchen, visible to any "company" and a dirty kitchen where the "helpers"/student cooking team for that week actually cooks. The day before the fall'05 class left the philippines for good, we made so.much.food. Crazy and oh-so-good Indian dishes fed approx. the 30 people we had over for dinner that night. plUS. an afternoon/evening worth of baked goods for them to take as snacks on the plane! It was so fun, and such a good way to officially break in our kitchen.
Heather and Lois basically did the whole dinner by themselves, although i was there, helping. Lois told me how to make chai tea from scratch...then i fell asleep on the couch and forgot about it! haha, good thing Lois was on top of it nOT burning.

and THIS is Hannah (an intern that is here for 3 weeks) and Jenny, a classmate, making cream-filled sugar cookies. Jenny is a master baker. She also made 3 loaves of banana bread that day. Tiff made oatmeal fudge bars and I made best-ever cream cheese brownies and chocolate chip-peanut butter-coffee cookies.


Once again, the computers come out, and spaces are claimed for doing homework in and amongst clinical, birthroom, class, cooktime, and playtime. We've actually had it pretty easy this past month...but they've already warned us that once we're back from our break the "break" is over and the intense workload will resume as per usual.

Alexis Joy Patricia Konkle

tying the knot..
to my dear Marianne and Graham ~AND~ Christine and Brad:
(a few "friends" who chose to have their weddings in my absence :P what, the world doesn't revolve around the phils?)
as you both know, however surreal it might seem right now, yOU'rE gEttIng mArrIEd sOOn! and, yes...I will not be there. That is the reason for this post. I just want to say what an example of love (the truest and purest love a human is capable of) you have both been to me. It has been incredible to watch your relationships grow and blOssOm into what will soon be forever and always, til death do you part. YEE! i'm so excited for you both. maybe we can set up a webcam the day of..?



Christine: haha, i'm SURE you remember this pic (taken on our road trip to rochester last spring..) And how we were all talking about marriage. and blah blah :) I knew you'd appreciate this bench pic! (does Brad even knOW about this yet?!) haha. You're suppOSED to tell your husband EvErything, right?! :P


And Marianne! I don't have a pic of you and Graham (sorry!) but this pic should suffice. Your wedding is SO SOON. maybe too soon. "nEvEr lEt go" of advance. haah, i was first. You're lucky to be marrying such a upright, caring, yet oH-so-cool guy. You know he'll take such great care of you. yeah. i'm jealous :P IT's THIS WEEKEND!! YEE.

CONGRATULATIONS and good LUCK to you both! and yes. that's a REAL TRUE knot in an umbilical cord. Sometimes the baby somersaults so much that he tangles the cord while inside the uterus...pretty cool.

thIS is the biggEST welcome in the whole enTIRE world. dear Alexis Konkle, born just 3 hours ago July 10th, 2007. lOVe your aunt Jenna

We took a fairy boat across the channel with our tour bus, this could have been my favourite part of the day :P

THis is us eating lunch before the descent..
As I said earlier, I went rappelling on saturday with the same group of ppl who swam across the channel with me. Laura also came (thank goodness). We got to the island around 9am, although they were at our house waiting to pick us up before 7am. Nothing ever happens fast in the philippines!

Our whole group..13 girls and 2 boys
We actually got to rappel around 2pm.. it was nuts though because out of the 120' drop we only "rappelled" for the first 20'.. after that the cliff cut in and we were left hanging/sliding down the rope into the gorge. It was an amazing site! and SO worth the $2 i payed to go.






ON the way dOWN!

After everyone had a chance to rappel down (and climb back up..) WE hiked for over an hour (there and back) to Higamat falls. I mention the hour hike, not because that in itself is some kind of feat but because this all happened late saturday afternoon, and both Laura and I were in a 5K race in the morning.. needless to say, I was trying to conserve as much energy as possible.

hOUsE wArmIng pArtY!!

We had a house warming party last night to give thanks for all of the recent blessings poured over us and to dedicate our new dormitory. Old, new, and newer students, directors, teachers, supervisors, helpers, and everyone kids came over to sing and pray and explore our new home. As you can see from the pictures, it was quite a party - and although the house is big and spacious, the front living room hardly seemed to hold our team of people at Mercy Maternity Clinic. The practice and mission is expanding!

that was tricky! hahha.. nice work.

It's been almost a week since my last post, and so much has happened I was avoiding this blog because there's too much to say. We're all settled into the orange house (and by "we" i mean all 20 of us) - some of the graduating girls have moms and friends here for graduation so the house is packed. But it is clean, the fridge is stocked, and i really don't mind living with so many girls.

to the left..

I just got off an amaazing night shift and am now sitting on our gREAt balcony enjoying the light rain and the sounds only noticed in the quiet of an early morning. THe pictures I've uploaded are taken from my seat, only standing, and are the views from our balcony!
I had 2 of my continuities deliver their babies this week - one of which was very surprising when the ultrasound results said it was a little girl and instead a little boy popped out! The father looked to me to confirm what he was actually seeing, ahaha, and inquired "it's a boy? ...really?" The second one I wouldn't have made to the birth if we hadn't of moved so close to the clinic.. she came in at 4:55 am and i ran over at that time and delivered her baby in my pjs at precisely 5:06 am. Both women did amazingly well - all so strong yet amazingly gentle new moms. SPEAKing of which, a new student arrived who's married with 2 kids (Naomi). She was on shift last night and i got to sleep with her 6 mth old little, white, baby boy, Jordan. And. I want one :P

and the right.

Other than that, homework continues to get done. I'm going rappelling with a group on saturday on Samal island, which should be incredible. And have signed up for a 5k milo race on sunday. My director Krys is a crazy runner and she is doing the 1/2 marathon (21k) on sunday. She ALmost convinced me to do it but, really, I've never run that far in my life. so 5k lang.

ANd. it IS july 5th. so birthday wishes are in order.