Still alive... check.

Hey all,

Sorry for being the silent voice over here... I guess i prefer to send personal e-mails to actual blogging... If you're feeling left out, please message me and I'll get right on it*

Things haven't been half so bad out here now that I've gotten used to the tropical heat (sort of).

It's weird living in a country of perpetual summer... my Winnipeg-bred body has been doing pretty well, thanks to all of you praying for health!

Words really cannot do this experience justice.  I mean, attending five births in one day isn't your everyday, mundane task... it's witnessing five miracles in a row!  The mothers who come to the clinic here are usually below the poverty line... even by this country's standards.  Some of them are as young as 17 pregnant with their third child or 30 pregnant with their seventh... apparently most families cant even afford contraceptives.  

The midwives on staff (about five of them) work around the clock, 24/7 some days, to care for the steadily growing number of patients each month (we've had 40 births this past September and 41 scheduled for this month).  The normal budget is 25 births/month.  

I know that this work is in God's hands and that his resources are more than enough for us... please pray that all the workers here would be given the faith to ask and receive such blessing from the Lord.

If any of you happen to be part of this blessing you might need the following information!

Some of the things we really need right now are:

4x4 sterile gauze

sterile gloves sizes 7, 7 1/2

non sterile gloves

urine dip sticks

nitrizine paper for testing amniotic fluid

KY Jelly

sterile jelly pacs

alcohol prep pads

5cc syringes and needles(1 inch)

1cc syringes and needles (1/2 inch)

macro drip IV tubing

18 gauge IV needles

Prenatal vitamins 

Iron supplements 

Tylenol

Chromic 2.0 sutures absorbable 

oxygen baby mask

De Lee's suction tubes

Catheter

Extra BP cuff or stethoscopes

Doppler!! ha ha ha 

Baby blankets, hats or clothes.

Haha... Bring on the blessing! Now I don't expect supplies of this nature to all of a sudden come flooding in... but if you are so inclined, you may mail these items to:

Ruel Foundation

Brgy. Masipit 5200

Calapan City

Oriental Mindoro

Philippines

Postpartum visits

On our way to a postpartum visit! It seemed that we had to walk a
ways through "the Jungle" to get there...

A view of the ocean! Islands, palm trees and all!

Two of the midwivs who work at the clinic, Myrna and Rose.
On a bridge to one of the families homes.

With a new mother and her family!

And release...!

Well, finally here! I've had a few of you holding your breath these past couple of weeks.... I thought it time to put you all at ease and let you know that I arrived safely and am currently still adjusting to the weather, the culture and all that fun stuff*
I haven't taken many pictures yet but I already have many stories to tell! As some of you may or may not know, I'm volunteering at both a maternity clinic and orphanage here in Calapan City... so please pardon the somewhat graphic nature with which I may use to describe any future events in the birthing clinic (mom, please beware*)...
More personally, I must start by saying that this is quite a dream come true for me... even though I may not realize what it is. I have a feeling that I've done something right... and I have exactly six months (give or take :P) to find out why God has brought me here and what he's trying to do in me. Being the short-sighted mortal that I am, this may take a while.
So please, by all means be sure to come along for the ride... it will certainly be a wild one!