Lechon!!!

My friend Lois and I were on our way to the post office today to pick up the clinic mail. On our way to the jeepney we ran into some of our neighbors roasting lechon (pig). They were roasting it alongside the street. It was quite the site. When they saw that I had a camera they got all excited and were calling out at us to take a picture. So of course I obliged them, and then on the way back home a took a few more.

I have been back in the Philippines for a little less than 2 weeks. It feels a lot long than that. I am blessed to be here and get to serve in the clinic again. This morning I had a prenatal clinic. We had 70 women show up for checkups.

Baby Christian Aya-ay!

Early this morning I got a text saying that my friend N-day was at the clinic in labor. I have known N-day from when I was here in 2003 as a student. I took responsibility of her care and was her midwife for her first baby. This last spring I found out she was pregnant again and decided that I would love to be her midwife again. The only problem was that she was due just around the time that I was planning on coming back to the Philippines. There was a big possibility that she would deliver before I got back. Luckily she waited for me to return. She arrived at the clinic at 5am in good labor. She delivered a little after 8am to a cute little boy. They were really excited, their first baby was a girl. Everything went smoothly. I was so blessed to be able to share this experience with her. What a cool way to jump back into life here! I found out after the birth that N-day and her partner had a wedding date today for 11am. Unfortunately they were not able to make it to their wedding, it made for good laughs though.
I am adjusting well to being back. Tomorrow night I officially jump into things with working the night shift.

I have completed my journey back to the Philippines. I got in last night around 7 in the evening after 45+ hours of traveling. It is great being back. So much has changed since I have been gone. New house, new roomie, the clinic is rearranged, and some of the girls have moved on, aka graduated. I woke up this morning at 4am which is to be expected with jet lag. Today my goal is to unpack and try to find places to put all my stuff. I am pretty intimidated by the task at hand. I start work in the clinic on the 8th. That gives me a couple of days to get situated. I want to thank those who were praying for me on the journey. I am in a peaceful state. My verse for today is Psalm 16:11
"You will make known to me the path of life; In your presence is fullness of joy; In your right hand there are pleasures forever."




These are pictures of my travelings this past week. The one on the left is in Portland OR, and the one of the left is in the bay of Portland Maine, on a 90 ft sail boat.
God bless