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Saludos! (greetings!)
Hi everybody! We are so very thankful for all of your love and support. We’ve had a very full spring (and winter) and apologize for not keeping in better touch. We’ve not only been busy but blessed in ministry. The following quick updates will give you a good idea of what we’ve been up to and what God’s been up to in our lives as well. From tragedy to joy, from doing ministry to being ministered to, these past four months have been filled to the brim. We hope that you enjoy catching up with us! God Bless.
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"Christian living moves from what God has freely done for us in Christ to what we should freely do for others." -John Piper
An IT Missions Update from Dave
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I am always faced with the same dilemma: how do I make what I do here at Loma de Luz sound in any way exciting or compelling? Frankly, it isn't. It is mundane and pales in comparison to the stories my fellow missionaries have to tell. I read about lives saved and dramatic patient stories and I then find myself trying to tell my stories: "Two laptops saved from water damage, one near drowning!" Countless cries for help answered from weary missionaries who can't print, can't connect, can't call, can't find that critical email! Visiting teams sponsored and countless rides offered! I don't know, it just doesn't seem like it would hold the reader glued to the pages. And yet, that is what I do here at Loma de Luz and your support allows me to do it. For this, we are so grateful!
I continue to oversee the connectivity, communications, and computers for the hospital as well as for all the missionaries. I have been struggling to come up with a new HMS (Hospital Management System) software package for the hospital to move to as the one that we are currently using is very out dated. This has proven to be a real challenge. The new package that we were moving towards just hasn't worked out as a viable option, so we have had to go back to square one and start the selection process over again. Please pray for wisdom as we begin looking for a new and better alternative.
I also help out with security and with the medical equipment in the hospital. In terms of security, I helped interview and hire two new guards and continue to develop the schedule for the guards who work 24/7 365 days per year. I also respond if there are any difficult situations with patients or families where the hospital staff feels that additional assistance is needed with security. With the medical equipment department, I have been helping implement a new CMMS (Computerized Maintenance Management System) that will allow the hospital to have an accurate inventory of all of its medical equipment, use work orders when corrective repairs are needed, and schedule preventative maintenance to help proactively avoid problems with the equipment. I've spent a lot of time this quarter working on X-ray equipment that is old and tired and seems sometimes to constantly be in need of repair or troubleshooting.
Lastly, I have been working on fund raising projects for the hospital and trying to move capital improvement projects forward such as solar energy, purchasing the land where our water sources come from, a prosthetics lab, and purchasing new medical equipment such as patient monitors and digital x-ray.
I also continue to work part time for my IT company back in the states. Please pray for wisdom and balance as I try to manage family responsibilities as well as hospital and company tasks.
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Topsy Turvy
On December 15th our dear friends, Jim and Teri Riley, took a road trip that would literally turn their lives upside down. They were on a very damaged road when they came upon a huge pothole that flipped their truck. Three of their children were ejected onto to the road. Two of their kids were critically injured. Dave assisted in the transport of both kids to Loma de Luz where they were given loving, compassionate care.
Marinajo was blessed to spend many, many hours in the hospital with Teri and her daughter, Jesi, (pictured above) during Jesi’s recovery. It was a time of profound ministry for her. It was a very difficult time but a time where God moved greatly in the Riley family's lives. Through this tragedy God called their family to serve at Loma de Luz for one year and now they are our neighbors! God. Is. So. Good.
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Answered Prayer
Our prayers for an Ophthalmologist to visit Loma de Luz were doubly answered. Dr. Richard Reichert visited Loma de Luz for two weeks in January and Dr. Scott Lee visited for one week in February. All together they performed twenty-four surgeries to remove cataracts and pterygions (sun damage on the eye). Marinajo assisted Dr. Reichert and Dr. Lee by performing visual screening for the surgical candidates. It was a busy and exciting time for her. What a blessing Dr. Reichert and Dr. Lee were to so many. We hope to see them both again!
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Best Laid Plans
We thought we had Grandma’s visit here all planned out but, as the saying goes, “Best laid plans of mice and men often go awry.” Marinajo's mom, Mary, was at the Houston airport waiting for Mariah to return from Thailand so that they could travel together to Honduras. Long story, short, Grandma fell down and broke her wrist. Mariah accompanied her to the ER and spent the entire night at the hospital with her. She was a champion for her grandma. Grandma returned to Denver the next day. We were all so disappointed but thankful that it was only her wrist. We are grateful that Grandma is doing much better and did not have to have surgery.
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Women's Conference
You’ve heard the saying, “When Mama ain't happy ain’t nobody happy.” For her birthday, Dave sent Marinajo on a spiritual renewal conference for women in ministry called "Come Before Winter." (2 Timothy 4:13) Except for travel costs the conference was completely free. This year it was held in San Jose, Costa Rica where 40 women intensely studied the book of Matthew. It was a time filled of encouragement, worship, teaching, love, prayer and fellowship. The photo above shows Marinajo in deep worship with clay in her hands. Each morning she asks God that her heart would be soft clay in her Father's hands. It was a very moving moment. Thank God...Mama's happy.
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Christmas
Decorating for Christmas is a favorite tradition for our family. Lights, Christmas houses, Christmas music, special ornaments, and a nativity scene hold treasured memories. We enjoyed sharing Christmas Eve dinner with the Yount family who are special friends, former Loma de Luz missionaries and were visiting for Christmas. The Riley kids, Jesi and her brother, Josh, were miraculously released from the hospital by Christmas. We spent a wonderful Christmas dinner together with the whole Riley family. We were blessed by friends and family who shopped and sent their gifts early so that we could open them on Christmas day. Thank you Lord for the advent of Your Son.
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Thailand
Mariah was awarded a wonderful scholarship and blessed with generous donations to join The Potter’s School (the online school that our kids attend) on a mission trip to Thailand. Her team worked with a ministry that fights sex trafficking and ministered to missionary families gathered from around Asia for a conference. Mariah helped lead daily worship, enjoyed the experience of un-rushed intercessory prayer, and made some wonderful new friends. In the photo above it is morning and Mariah is in the red-light district learning the value of friendship evangelism. She is visiting with a young lady that is caught up in the web of the sex trade. Wow.
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Birthday
Every January it happens, Marinajo gets a year older. Thank you for another year in Your grace, mercy, and love Lord.
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She's 18!
Oh my goodness, oh my goodness! Our baby girl turned 18 years old on February 16th! In our next newsletter we will update you on her plans to return to the US to study in the fall.
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Reentry Retreat
In March Mariah attended a retreat for Junior and Seniors in high school that are preparing to head back to their “passport country.” The goal of this retreat was to prepare these youth for the emotional and spiritual reality of reentering into the culture where they were born. Many times missionary and military kids who have been raised in two (or more) different countries find themselves not belonging to either country but to a “third culture” that is created from the amalgamation of both the passport culture and the culture of the country in which they reside. Thus these individuals are called Third Culture Kids (TCK). This retreat delved deeply into the possible issues a TCK could encounter upon reentry. She also had some fun - in the photo above she's doing her first zip-line!
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24th Anniversary
On December 29th Dave and Marinajo celebrated their 24th wedding anniversary. We discovered that we share our anniversary day and year with Jim and Teri Riley. We celebrated together with them this year with a special dinner (prepared by Mariah and Rebekah Pirkle) on the porch, dining underneath the glow of Christmas lights with jazz music softly playing in the background. We are in awe of how God has brought the Riley family out of tragedy into His joy again. It was our privilege to be part of this process in many ways.
Sing praises to the Lord, O you his saints, and give thanks to his holy name... 5 Weeping may tarry for the night,
but joy comes with the morning. Psalms 30:4-5
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Ortho Team
Every February we are honored to host an Orthopedics team from Jacksonville, OR. This time we had our good friend, Dr. Rich Owens who is an Orthopedic Surgeon, another friend, Steve Zerkel who is a Physical Therapist, and a new friend, Justin Williams who is a Prosthetist, which is a prosthetics specialist. We also had our special friends, Amber Shields and Lori Bell serving with them as Recovery Nurses and doing various other projects. We sure do love this team. In the picture above Justin is casting an amputation patient for a prosthetic leg.
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Optician
We were blessed to have an Optician, Mark Snider, come visit Loma de Luz. He was a great big help in the Eyeglass Clinic for Marinajo. Mark brought a suitcase full of donated, fashionable, prescription eyeglasses. Not only did he make a huge dent in filling the eyeglasses inventory he also trained Marinajo how to fit, repair, and adjust glasses for her clients. Mark also helped the visiting Ophthalmologist take vision screenings in the clinic while he was here.
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Dave's Surgery
Dave had Orthopedic surgery on March 19th. He was born with a bone condition called Multiple Exostoses. He had a large bone spur removed from his right femur. He is doing well and is relieved to have it off his leg. Within days he was riding his motorcycle, gently swimming, and back to work (from home.) He says that the relief that he already has from having the bone spur removed is wonderful.
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