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| I honestly thought I would post more often than I have been... India has been such an interesting trip. First, for those of you who have heard about the bombing here in India...I am no where near where it happened. I am in the Northern part of India...about a 2-3 day journey from where the bombing happened. Second, I have been stretched in more ways than I could imagine on this trip. I think you get to a place where you travel so much that it doesn't feel like you could be challenged or shocked by what you see. For those who have reached this point, I invite you to India.  It has been so long since I've been surprised by travel...its a nice change of pace. It is hard to imagine that I have only one more week here! In some ways I am very glad to be going home. I feel like I haven't been home for a really long time (and in some ways I haven't). On the other hand, I am kind of sad to leave. I think I feel more invested in this country because of the emotional strain that I went through in my adjustment to being here I don't know... This will probably be my last post from India. I am leaving this afternoon for Than Gaon (a village on a mountain about an hour from here). I won't have access to internet while I am there. I will be back in "civilization" next Friday night (your time). I will try and post but not sure if I will have time as I leave the following day. Anyway, I am super excited about this next week. This part of the trip is the kind of trip that I am used to. The village we'll be staying in has a health clinic and a school nearby. So, there will be a lot of kids. Other students who have done this rotation already say that they spend a lot of time playing with the kids. Plus, we'll be in the mountains and will be hiking to different villages twice a week to conduct health clinics there...it reminds me a lot of my first trip overseas to the Philippines. It should be interesting...It's kind of interesting to that the past 10 years of trips have both started and ended in a very similar fashion... I am very much looking forward to this next week. Hopefully I'll be able to post an update next week when we get back. If not, I'll post again when I'm back in the States. | | |
| I've been in India for a week now and I'm not sure how to describe it.
Usually I can find similarities between places that I've been but India
stands out apart as truly unique. It is a place of contrast and
complete randomness. Beautiful mountain peaks are contrasted with
people living in garbage. Cows and goats run wild (although not as much
I imagined they did). I am really enjoying it here though!
My first week rotation was in Mussoorie, this mountain town built in
the foothills of the Himalayas. I first thought of foothills like I
imagined in the States...however, these foothills are about the size of
some of the mountains in Arizona! It is so beautiful though! We've been
working in Landour Community Hospital. This hospital was founded by
missionaries in the 1930s. It has been so awesome working here. I have
seen a lot. For the sake of the non-medically inclined, I won't go into
too much detail. But to give you an idea, I have seen 2 births, 2
orthopedic surgeries, a laparoscopic gall bladder removal and a
hemorrhoid removal. I've also been sitting with the doctors throughout
the week. I've seen a lot of gastroenteritis, some TB, a case of
Typhoid, and lots of other stuff. I am having so much fun here and
learning a lot!
Tomorrow I am heading back down to Dehra Dun and will be there for two
weeks. We'll be rotating between four different doctors/practices while
there. I'm not sure about the second week but the first week our
morning rotation is internal medicine/surgery at a hospital and our
afternoon rotation is general practice. I'm looking forward to it but am
kind of sad to leave the hospital. I really like it here. The doctors
and nurses are so nice and have been so helpful and have taught us a
lot. I wish we had two weeks here. However, it is what it is and I'm
sure that the rest of the time will be just as amazing as this past
week has been.
Next weekend our whole team is heading to Agra to see the Taj Mahal! I
am super excited about this too! Unfortunately I won't be able to post
pics until I get back to Arizona so you'll have to wait. But this trip
so far has been amazing.
That's about all that's been going on here. I'll post again later!
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It’s hard to believe that I have already been home for five
weeks! Some days it seems like I’ve just gotten here and others it seems like I’ve
been home forever!
The past five weeks have been busy with family stuff mostly.
I got home on March 26th. Went to Prescott
the 30th through April 1st to visit my Grandma and hike 7
miles in the Grand Canyon with her! (She’s amazing! 70
years old and beat me out of the Canyon by an hour! My excuse though was jet
lag). I had a friend’s wedding that Saturday. That next week I stayed with my
other Grandma. One of my grandpas passed away the end of January and it is this
Grandma that I’ve been staying with. That Thursday she fell and fractured her
hip and was in the hospital/rehab for the following 2 weeks. I took advantage
of those two weeks to spend some time with my family, go to my cousin’s wedding
and get caught up with my school work for the semester. This past week I have
been staying with my Grandma again.
So, needless to say, I’ve kept quite busy. I feel bad
because I haven’t had a chance to call or connect with anyone outside of my
church and family since I’ve been home. So, if you haven’t heard from me, don’t
take it personally. The past couple of months have been a HUGE time of
transition and things are just now starting to settle down, at least a little
bit. I hope to be able to start catching up with everyone personally this month
and next.
Upcoming Stuff in May…
I am still going to India
in July!!!! I’ll be sending another email later this week with more information
about that trip.
Another cousin of mine is getting married this weekend.
The following weekend (15th – 19th) I’ll
be going out of town with my mom and dad down to Mexico
for a conference.
There’s a chance that I’ll be heading to the Bahamas
the 26th through the 31st. I’m still deciding on this
since I have India
coming up and there is another opportunity for me to go to the Bahamas
again later this year (I’m going for networking and conference purposes, not
just to play).
During the week I’ll still be staying with my Grandma,
hopefully moving her to an apartment on this side of town. So that should keep
me busy with helping her get packed, cleaning her house out, and getting her
set up in her new place.
That about sums up what I have scheduled for May. June is
about as busy with a few more trips planned. J I’ll email more about
those later though. For now, here are some pictures of my hike in the Grand
Canyon and my brother’s new puppy (that we’re also helping to
train).
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| Well, today is the day! I will be leaving ROL in about 8 hours and leaving the country in about 17.
I really haven't had a lot of time since I made the decision to go home
to process everything that has happened since I've been here and the
things I've learned and even what I'm going on to. I know that the past
two and a half years have been a huge blessing to me! I know that I
have changed (for the better) and I know that I am going to miss it
here. I'm sure there will be a lot more time for processing while I'm
traveling!
Today is my last day here (it still feels weird saying it). We're having a little going away party at
lunch. They're making me my favorite Thai meal. I am definitely going
to miss my Thai family. In many ways, the kids and the family here have
become my family. A lot has happened the past 2 1/2 years and we've
grown close together through it all.
I know I'm kind of rambling, but this is how my thoughts have been
coming lately. Maybe things will make more sense and be clearer when
I'm back home...
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This weekend I am going up North with my parents to visit my grandma. I
am looking forward to seeing everyone again. And, I have plans to hike
part of the Grand Canyon on Monday. Its the perfect weekend back...my
family, the mountains, and hiking. I hope to see everyone else soon.
I'll be in touch.
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There has been a LOT that has happened this past month. There are a LOT
of changes that are going on in my life right now. Here's a brief
update...
INDIA!!!!!!!!!
I applied and was accepted into a program for July that takes pre-med
and medical students to different countries to observe, learn, and gain
hands on experience in providing medical care in developing nations. I
am EXTREMELY EXCITED for this opportunity for two reasons. (1) I get to
be around an environment that I feel called to in some aspect. I get to
observe doctors in day to day settings, both in city hospitals and
rural villages. I get to watch surgeries. I get to work in a medical
environment under the guidance of medical doctors and learn hands on if
this is the direction I feel my life should go. (2) I am going to
India! I have been wanting to go to India for the past 15 years. There
have been a few other opportunities that have come up but they never
worked out. This trip is definitely a strategic trip for this season in
my life. If you want to know more about the trip, you can check out the
organization's web site (or ask me). The link is directly to the program that I
will be involved with. http://www.cfhi.org/prog_desc.php4?pcode=7
I'M COMING HOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The first two months of this year I spent a lot of time in prayer and
seeking God's direction for my life. I knew this year, as I was
preparing to come home, that God was going to be opening doors of
opportunity for me. My scripture verse that I was meditating on last
month was Isaiah 30:21. This verse says, "and you will hear a voice
say, 'This is the way; turn around and walk here.'" Well, that verse
was fulfilled this past month.
On the same day I got accepted into the India medical program, I had a
meeting with the leader of the children's home here. God had been doing
a lot of work in my heart regarding who I am and issues that I had
allowed to rob from me the things that He had for me. I was sharing
this with my leader here and he felt God tell Him that this was why He
brought me here and that the work was completed. By the end of our
conversation, my leader asked me to pray to see if I was supposed to
come back after this trip I was planning with my family. I prayed about
it and feel like my time here is completed and that it is time for me
to move on to the next season that God has for me. So, I will be moving
back to Arizona at the end of this month.
This was a very emotional decision for me to make. On one hand, I am
glad to be going home. I miss family and friends a lot. There has been
a lot happening in my family this past year that I wasn't able to be there
for. I am looking forward to seeing everyone again. On the other hand,
Thailand and ROL has become "home" for me in many ways. I have spent
the last two years of my life here. I have grown and changed a lot
since coming here. This place has become an instrument of change in my
life, it has been used by God to expand my heart, my vision, my
direction, my purpose and my life. I will never forget it here. The
people and the things God did here have shaped who I am becoming and I
can/will never forget that. I have learned to love the people here
deeper than I ever thought I could. I have made many friends here that
I hope will stay with me through the rest of our lives.
I ask that you guys will continue to pray for me and support me as I am
in transition. There are still many things to be done in the coming
weeks. This is sure to be an emotional time for me as I am saying
good-bye to my Thai family.
I don't know yet what I'll be doing when I get back to the States. I am
still waiting to hear direction. I do have some things to look
forward to and plan for. I will continue my schooling. Beyond that, it
is up to God. There have been some other opportunities that have
presented themselves that I am still seeking direction and clarity on.
So, please continue to pray for me in this and the coming season: that
I will continue to hear from God and follow the dreams He has put in my
heart.
Thank you guys so much for being a part of this journey for the past
two and a half years. It hasn't always been easy, in fact many times
it's been downright hard. I know that God's hand has been upon it and
therefore it has been blessed. I will continue to email monthly updates
at least through my trip in July so you can stay updated on what's
going on in my life. I feel that although I am not going to be in
Thailand, this is still a set aside time that God will be doing things
in my life regarding my heart for the nations.
I look forward to seeing you all again soon.
Love,
Misti | | |
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