2 and a half weeks to go!

Hi all!

Merry Christmas :-)

It still seems weird that Christmas is upon us, and here in Malawi we have 25-30 degree heat! I know, I know, I mustn't rub it in ;-)

I remain busy, although this next week there will be no theatre running unless it is an emergency, but clinics will continue till Christmas eve.

I have finally submitted my surgical application form on line, and will await the verdict in January as to whether I have interviews for them or not. I am told I am virtually guaranteed an interview to my top two choices of deanery (area of UK to work in) providing I have filled the forms in satisfactorily. I do however remain undecided on whether to also apply for emergency medicine - as the more jobs I apply for the more chance I have of actually getting one. I wouldn't necessarily want a job in emergency medicine however, and it would only be a stop gap in applying for surgery again the following year, which would look better on further applications than locum (supply) jobs.

I am finding it difficult to hear God and what He wants me to do, and I only have 3 days left to get an application in if that is in fact what I am going to do. Please pray urgently for this dilemma, that I will hear God very clearly over the next day or so and have the courage to do what is right in His eyes. I am certain that God wants me to follow a career in Orthopaedic surgery, and if that is so then surgery is the way forward and the only way. Pray I will have the little faith necessary to fully rely on God.

I am very much looking forward to wrapping up my job and work here to go home, and eagerly await the turn of the new year for the next chapter in my life. I have fully enjoyed being here in Malawi and would love to return one day, either to visit new found friends or to work at CURE hospital. Thank you all for your love and support and most of all you faithful prayers that have kept me going through the enjoyable and tough times. God has been so faithful to me here and shown me so much of His love and grace through the kids in the hospital. He has shown me His heart for the disabled kids of Malawi and has broken mine for them. I am certain He has said to me this is what you are made for, to help the sick and disabled of this world, I pray that this comes in to reality and His will be done.

Merry Christmas to all,
And to all a good night!

H xx

Putting your trust in God

Sorry for the long delay in another blog! Over the past few weeks since you last heard from me I have been terribly stressed and busy. Mainly because my computer packed up working and needed to be restored from scratch. It's amazing how much I rely on the thing - all my surgical applications are on line, which means if I don't have access to a computer I have no job, it's my only source of communication with people outside of Malawi, and it's what I rely on for my work including preparing presentations and working on my project!

However it is now working beautifully thanks to Simon who is a guy at CURE in charge of the new building wing for the private patients.

My daily reading the other day came at just the right time (it's funny how God does that isn't it?!) It was about Moses and when he was weary, he took a stone and sat on it! Reminding us that God will never give us too much and that He will provide rest when we need it, and that we should trust Him. And this is what today has been. I am currently writing this sat in the McGrath's dining room smelling the dinner that is cooking (something to do with chicken nuggets - made from scratch!). Today has been really relaxing - got up late, went round to the McGrath's for breakfast of croissants, bacon, and poached eggs with copious amounts of coffee :-)
I then started my application forms for surgical training and was surprisingly calm about the whole thing - I think the surroundings helped! We then took a trip to Spices for lunch of masala chips (chips covered in tika masala sauce - scrumptious!) The application site is currently crashed now and awaiting maintainence which is frustrating but yet I am still calm - God is in control and gives me a peace that passes all understanding :-)

Last weekend was another trip to the Mulanje Massif - 3rd highest peak in Southern Africa and I got to the top! Yep that's right we climbed right to the highest peak! Sapitwa the highest peak (which means 'don't go there!') was tough. We stayed at the base of the peak on the plateau the first night and then went up and down the peak the next day staying at the same hut then going down to the base on the third day. It was definitely an amazing achievement. Especially as the weather wasn't brilliant. It rained the first day in the afternoon just as we were about 1.5 hours away from the hut, and did it pour! The stream I remember from last time 5 minutes from the hut became a raging river which we crossed as a big group holding hands so as not to get washed away - a very scary experience! Then on the second day as we were coming down the peak it hailed which was extremely painful, and the rock face we had climbed up using our hands as well as our feet was a water slide on the way down - we had to go on our bums most of the way - which created a few holes in my shorts - needless to say they were rags by the time I got down and now reside in the bin!

Anyway - It's now only 3 weeks till I get back to England :-S I'm looking forward to returning but also sad to leave, but there is Christmas first to look forward to. I heard my first Christmas carol the other day - on one of the patients radios :-)

I'll leave you with some awesome lyrics from my favourite band Kutless, I can't remember if I've already shared them but here they are anyway :-) Very apt for my current feelings and situations:

When every step is so hard to take
And all of my hope is fading away
When life is a mountain that I can not climb
You carry me, Jesus carry me.
You Are strength in my weakness
You are the refuge I seek
You are everything in my time of need
You are everything, You are everything I need
When every moment is more than I can take
And all of my strength is slipping away
When every breath gets harder to breathe
You carry me, Jesus carry me

Busy, busy, busy!

Oooops, not updated in a while, sorry!

My excuse is that I have been terribly busy over the last few weeks. So what have I been up to? I think you last heard from me when I had malaria and was feeling pretty rubbish, well, you'll be glad to hear, I'm fully recovered and raring to go!

Vic visited last week, which was awesome. We went to Senga bay on the west of Lake Malawi, which was beautiful. A tropical paradise. We didn't do anything too strenuous, apart from a lazy swim and a gentle stroll up the beach for lunch one day. It was lovely to sit and natter which a cold soda and catch up on our lives. We also played plenty of rummy which I am champion :-) Hehe! Our travel there was typically African, the minibus took ages to Salima and then our pick up truck hitching ride was extremely packed, even to the point of the Africans saying there was no more room! We got to Senga bay at sundown and then hiked 3 km in the dark to our accomodation, scary and daunting at times but we made it. The next day we saw the beauty of God's creation around the lake, it was stunning :-)

We had an easier time travelling down from Senga bay to Blantyre though it did take about 9 hours in total. Tuesday was spent seeing the sights of Blantyre including most importantly La Caverna which is a cafe in gorgeous gardens and provides very good coffee and passion fruit cake. Wednesday we took advantage of the fact Phil and Aaron were up Zomba mountain doing repairs on the McGrath's chalet and travelled to the base of the mountain by minibus and caught a lift up in their car. We hiked around Zomba all day seeing the William's falls and Dam, we even saw a troop of baboons with babies which was cute. Thursday was the coffee shop trip out past Limbe market where we bought lots of beans and ground coffee and sat and tasted a new blend of coffee, I also showed Vic the hopsital and clubfoot clinic to show her what I get up to at work. Vic had an unexpected extra day on friday as the bus left in the evening to Lilongwe rather than the morning so we went into town again and found the material shop and the wood market and then went to spices for lunch.

Saturday I watched the Scotland South Africa game amongst many South African's at a friends house and gloated when the Scots won :-) Bring on this weeks match England v SA!

This week has been spent getting back into work. I have a lot of things to do including finishing up my project, staring a case presentation on metabolic bone disease, and writing a letter to world vision to ask them to fund my project. Please pray that I will have the wisdom to orgainise what I need to do when and the motivation to complete everything.

This weekend I hope to go to Club Mak which is a venue on the south part of the Lake. Some friends are taking part in the 'club Mak mile' which is a swimming race in the lake. We'll also hopefully watch the rugby match up there :-)

TTFN

H xx

Malaria and Mozambique

Hope you all had a happy Guy Fawkes night!

Unfortunately this last week I have been ill with malaria, but am now well on the way to recovery and getting more energy back each day. Thanks for all you prayers for a quick recovery – they worked well :-)
Well, it seems like ages away already but Mozambique was AMAZING! I had the most lovely relaxing week, lying on the beach, swimming in the very warm water, and even attempting to waterski – which I did manage for approximately 2 metres :-) we also did ‘tubing’ which is being pulled very fast along behind the speed boat on a rubber dingy ring! That was FUN :-)

We (Me, Phil, and Martyn) travelled up from Blantyre to the Mozambique border last Thursday and stayed the night at the Cowley’s (a mission family just the other side of the border in the Mozambique town of Mandimba). We then with the Cowley’s and their 4 kids travelled to Lichinga where we met with about 4 other families going to the ski camp and headed out to the lake near Meponda. The scenery was stunning and the water extremely clear. We piched our tents right next to the beach, and spent all of the 3 days in the water! We even went crocodile hunting in the evenings, we saw some crocs but they wern’t longer than a metre, it was actually more crocodile sight-seeing as we didn’t catch them! On the way back we stayed another night at the Cowley’s before travelling back on Tuesday to get back in time for lentil curry and bible study :-)

Well it is only 4 days until Vic gets here which I am massively looking forward to, it is really strange to think I’ve not seen any of my family or friends for 3 months now. We are planning to go to the Malawi side of the lake for the weekend and then travel back down to Blantyre to show her the sights and meet my Malawian family and friends! Please therefore pray for my health and hers that we will enjoy our time together. Also pray for our safe travels especially my coach travel up to Lilongwe to meet Vic, and for Vic’s long flight via Ethiopia and that her connections go well.

I enjoyed helping out with the McGrath youth group on Friday despite the malaria, especially since they had fireworks and sparklers! It was very strange having fireworks night on a hot evening, I miss the cold and frosty, hat and scarf wearing night that usually accompanies Guy Fawkes night, I’ll even got to have a sparkler without wearing my gloves – the shock!

The last thing I would like prayer for is the fact that specialty applications for NHS training have now started up. I have this month of November to refine my CV and portfolio and decide which applications to go for to start work in August 2011. I need to decide whether to apply for general surgery for 2 years then go into orthopaedics for the 6 years following that or a straight 8 years of orthopaedics. At the beginning of December i have to submit my various applications ready for shortlisting and interviews when I am back in the UK in January. The prayer would be for wisdom in what to apply for and that God would clearly show me the way He has planned.

H xx

I know I am not but I know I AM!

I guess to start with I'll have to explain this title! It's a play on words which most of you know I generally suck at understanding because I'm a little slow when it comes to knowledge about the english language. I Am is one of the many names God goes by in the Old Testament - remember what He says to Moses when he asks what to say to the Hebrews? 'Tell them I AM sent you.' So, I know I'm not (meaning I'm not able to do everything), but I know I AM (but I know God, and who He is) - cool eh?!

I first learnt this when I went to Soul In The City (London a few years ago was overrun by young Christians for 2 weeks doing social work like running sports/childrens clubs, painting swings, cleanin alleyways and gardens etc). The speaker at our morning meetings explained this phrase and it has slowly been forgotten until this week!

I have been constantly amazed by how much God has blessed me with his presence, comfort, and guidance whilst I have been here. Even yesterday at our weekly bible meeting with everyone in the hospital, God spoke through the visiting pastor like I was the only one there! He spoke about the encourgement God gives us even through the harder times when we feel discouraged, and even mentioned Psalm 91 (see my earlier blog!)

Today was a tad crazy - I got a visa for Mozambique :-) and arranged to go TOMORROW for a week. I have been worrying about having to pay $200 for a temporary residence permit at the end of this month as I'll have been here 3 months on my tourist visa which is the maximum, however in leaving the country then returning next week I can be on a tourist visa again for my remaining 2 months. I wasn't sure yesterday whether I would make it over the border as I had n o plans in place. But I was asked by a friend whether 'I would like to go waterskiing in Mozambique? And by the way we're leaving in 36 hours!' Um OK! SO this morning I got up early went into town after phoning my boss and a fellow junior doctor (who kindly will be doing my Sunday on call) to ask whether I could go and got a visa, everything worked out smoothly and well, Praise God :-)

So tomorrow I go to Mozambique...there are 3 of us travelling in the car tomorrow to get over the border and then stopping the night at friends of the McGraths (the Cowley's), we then meet others and travel to the Mozambique side of Lake Malawi for a weeks worth of camping and watersport - the camp is for kids over 10yrs and I think I'll be helping run the camp with the Cowley's and Phil (who is driving tomorrow). Please pray for safe travelling, energy and strength for those driving and helping run the camp, and that everyine keeps safe and enjoys their time.

That's all for now folks.
p.s. As I'm travelling this week I don't think I'll have any access to phones/email, I'll let you know I'm back on Tuesday! :-)

H xxxxxxxxxxx

Some photos!

Our gang! :-)


At bible study, and the food court (AKA Spices!)

God’s Peace That Passes All Understanding

I simply love that phrase, I always have, every time it is said as a blessing at the end of a service, I smile to myself and feel especially loved by God at that precise moment. Over the past few days I realise God has blessed me with this peace, the type that passes all understanding, or, as I interpret it – a peace that conquers all doubts. The last two Thursday bible studies have been focusing on two Psalms – 107 and 118, and what it is to trust God. We talked in the first study about Psalm 118 and a scenario about the man who tightrope walks across a waterfall (as we are in Africa we said Victoria falls!) and can we believe him when he says he can walk across? ‘Maybe,’ we say, and then he proves it. He then asks whether we believe he can do it pushing a wheelbarrow, and he does it with ease. ‘OK’ he says, ‘do you believe I can push a person across in the wheelbarrow?’ ‘Well yes I think you can’. ‘OK, hop in!’................

What do you do?!

This week we talked about Psalm 107, when the redeemed are in trouble, cry out to God and he will rescue you. I couldn’t help but think about my situation a year and a half ago (was it really that long ago?!) when I was faced with the fact I might not progress to my second year of being a doctor. My clinical supervisor had decided for some reason or another I wasn’t good enough and shouldn’t progress to being an FY2, and that in not signing me off I would have to repeat my FY1 year with heavy supervision. Never mind the fact my other supervisors thought I was a very good junior doctor and had no problems and was competent. Anyway, as the Psalm says – ‘I was at my wits end, so I cried out to God.’ And this is what I did, and He was Good, He blessed me and the situation, and not only did I progress to my second year, My new supervisor after telling her said she had not heard from her predecessor and would make her own mind up about me and whether I was competent or not, thank you very much!! On hearing I was going to have to repeat the year I was at rock bottom, I had nowhere else to turn but to God, so I cried out and He listened. The rest of the study we talked about whether it was easier to trust God in the harder times or the easy times. What I thought was that it was easier in the harder times. I look back at my life and realise when things are easy, I ignore God, we only run to him when things get bad, don’t we? And then things go pear shaped, and then we remember Him, we run to our Dad’s arms for comfort and a solution to our problem. Since a year and a half ago though, I realise I have trusted God much more, although I could still be much better (I think we all can, can’t we?!) I have started to know He is in EVERYTHING, the good and the bad.

These two bible studies have come just when I need them most, and certainly Psalm 107 echoes God’s word to me a few weeks ago (Psalm 91). As we finished the study on Thursday, Noel (a pastor from SA staying for a few weeks) finished with the blessing: ‘God’s peace that passes all understanding,’ it was then I was overwhelmed with His peace. It was indescribable, I knew it was going to be OK, because God said so, end of story. No buts’, or what if’s – It’s OK full stop


I was struck today by how many people were in this world. I was sat at a minibus stop waiting for a bus to Zomba, and was watching all the people go about their business, there were thousands of people, all ages, and I was suddenly struck by the magnitude of people, and God loves each one, WOW! He knows the number of every hair on each of their heads – DOUBLE WOW! And I was reminded of a song written by the band Kutless (an American Christian band):

Sometimes my life it feels so trivial
Immersed in the greatness of space
Yet somehow you still find the time for me
It's then You show me Your love

And In Your eyes I can see
And in Your arms I will be
I am not just a man, vastly lost in this world
Lost in a Sea of Faces
Your body's the bread, Your blood is the wine
Because you traded Your life for mine

How many billions of people are there in the world and God still finds the time for me! AMAZING :-)

‘Whoever is wise, let him heed these things and consider the great love of the Lord.’ Ps 107:43.

I hope you don’t mind my musings on life and God and that there is something there for each of you too. I always seem to find that God speaks through other peoples situations to me and I pray that you find this too, and my musings become a blessing to you. Having said that, I shall quickly tell you what's been happening here since last week:

1. Work – continues in clinics and theatre. Clinics are extremely stuffy and hot in this heat and I feel like falling asleep in them, in theatres however we are blessed with air con.

2. Hollie is returning to UK after 6 weeks as a student here, please pray for her safe travels and that she won’t miss us all too much!

3. Andy (a postgrad student) and Jackie (a pharmacist) have arrived here in the last week, please pray for their quick settling in and that their work here is a blessing to everyone.

4. I went curio shopping over the weekend and bought some really cool wooden souveniers and paintings, and postcards – I promise to try and post some this next week.

5. A new supply of marmite and hot chocolate arrived last Monday – thanks Vic, Tim, and Katie :-) Please pray that the other various parcels that I’m expecting arrive safely.

6. Please pray for my friends Seth, Tim, and Phil who had tyres from their 3 cars stolen on Friday night. (They all live in the same house and somehow the tyres were stolen off the cars whilst they were locked up in their house compound). Praise God that the house wasn’t broken into and their lives weren’t in danger – which could have easily happened, burgleries are commonplace here in Blantyre and there seems to be a spate of them recently.

TTFN

Harriet xxxxx