The ear an issue once again - in US til January 2008

This is just a quick communiqué to all of you on my email list including those who have not known the events of the past month. The main thing to communicate is that my ear has once again become an issue. A week before returning home to the States for my “proposed” month’s stay, I developed a bad ear infection. At least during that final week in Romania, I managed to complete my two courses, take my finals, get started on antibiotics and get on the plane for home. I arrived back on October 2^nd.

Since being home I enjoyed traveling with my mother and visiting family in California and Oregon from the 9^th – 20^th. (FYI - flying is not an issue since I have a hole in my ear drum anyway.) I have been under the care of my ear doctor for this infection during this time and since the ear is not healing as swiftly as expected, I will be extending my stay here in the States. I expect that I will stay here till after Christmas and return in January.

So now I will have a little more leisurely time to visit with many of you and to rest and get this ear healed, not to mention to be here to enjoy the holidays.

Looking forward to what the Lord has in store during this time.

Article about the Romanian Hearing Project

The Hearing Journal published an article about the Romanian Hearing Project entitled "Good Samaritans of hearing care cover the world to help those who cannot hear". It appeared in their August 2007 edition.

You can go to this link to read it (you may need to copy and paste it onto the web address field):

http://www.audiologyonline.com/theHearingJournal/pdfs/hj2007_08_p21-29.pdf

Trip to Poland with a Rental Car

Forget summer, fall is here and my down comforter is already back on the bed!

This is just a quick update to let you know that after finishing two courses in August I took off for the IT Conference in Poland. The opportunity to drive there with Kinga, a Romanian missionary in Turkey, in a rental car made it a great, sight-seeing adventure. Along the way, we visited northern Romania called Maramures, where you can find bride’s dowry trees which have colorful pots hanging on them (an old tradition) and a “merry” cemetery where all the tombstones have pictures painted on them in colors and tell a story of the person’s life. Spent a night in Debrecen, Hungary and then drove through Slovakia and on to Ustron, Poland just over the Czech and Slovak borders. The trip was like going from the Appalachian Mountains (Maramures), across the plains (Hungary is totally flat) and on to the Rocky Mountains (Slovakia has tall mountains like the Alps), within the span of only a day and a half. Beautiful vistas! The only thing different is the roads – it is like going across the US on back roads, like the old Rt. 66 or the Skyline Drive. No highways as yet in Romania or Slovakia and in parts of Hungary, so it makes for a little slower driving (don’t tell them that, they drive fast!).

While in Poland, we were able to visit Auschwitz and Cracow. It was my first time visiting a concentration camp – something I had always wanted to experience, but nothing can ever prepare you.

Got back to Cluj August 21^st and was catapulted into two more courses (about 200 pages of reading a week and that is only for one course!) and seeing patients at Petros. There are 3 more weeks left in these courses and then I will be heading home on October 2^nd for a month in the States. Please pray with me for endurance and discipline to “stay the course” with these studies. Thanks! Hoping to see many of you when I am home.

Homestretch of Two Courses and Travel to Poland Planned

Here is a quick update with a new email address. Hard to get used to new electronic things for those of us born before 1980!

In the homestretch now for these two courses – only another week to go with a boatload of assignments. Glad that the Petros Clinic is closed for summer vacation so that I can dedicate my time to finishing well.

Afterwards, I have two weeks off and will be heading up to Poland for an IT conference. I hope to be able to rent a car to drive there and finally get used to driving in Eastern Europe. Pray for traveling mercies. Will also be fun to explore some of the countryside.

Mike Webb is over here with his daughter, Anna, for a week as well. As most of you know, he was the fellow who started the Romanian Hearing Project in 1993 for three years. Pray I don’t talk his ear off – no one here in Romania really to talk “audiology” with over here. And, he understands in ways few do. I promise a picture that he really exists.

In September, back to seeing patients and will take two more courses. Then will be home in the States in October for a month. Hope to see some of you then.

Hope you are having a wonderful summer.

At the Rear Window!

Anyone who knows me well knows I love old movies. Alfred Hitchcock’s movie, Rear Window, oftentimes comes to mind as I work at my computer studying and writing (sometimes all day!) in front of my rear window hearing all the activities surrounding me in the nearby apartment buildings. No, no one is getting murdered! In the discipline of studying, the hardest thing for me is keeping my fanny in the chair! The writing and processing take loads of time which has consumed all my free time! Only one more week left in my second 6-week course! Just 14 more to go with two week pauses in between!

I have been busy as well organizing at the Petros Christian Free Clinic and seeing patients there on Wednesdays and now Fridays. After seeing patients all day and speaking only Romanian with them, I arrive home pretty much brain-dead. For now, the pediatric hospital is on hold until autumn when the docs expect another doctor to arrive who will specialize only in audiology and in developing the new department there. I will then be able to share my knowledge with her. Please be in prayer with me – the $20,000, specialized piece of equipment that was donated to the project in 2004 is broken. Please pray with me that my computer guy, Attila, can fix it. Thanks!

Also, since Easter much has progressed in regards to my Mom’s transition from her home of 51 years into retirement living. Her house sold last month and the closing will be on June 20^th. She moved yesterday to an apartment in Annapolis in walking distance to my sister Cynthia and her husband Dave and I heard that everything went very smoothly. A wonderful praise! Plus the house is even cleared out. Miracles! Please pray with me for her adjustment and comfort in this new stage of her life. Grateful to you all!

Some big WOW's!

It is two months TODAY since I arrived back in Romania. Amazingly, it has taken me all of 6 weeks+ just to get myself re-acclimated to time (there are some stories re: different daylight savings times in two continents!), place (we’re not in Kansas anymore, Toto!), language (what was that word?), different faces, foods and things from what I had left. During that time I had a lovely visit from the Greenhalgh’s, a trip to Bucharest, two weeks of illness for a sinus infection and started my first on-line course for my doctoral work which meant a mandatory online chat at 3AM once a week (hence the disorientation to time – missed a couple of chats due to the time change!)

Some really big WOW’s have been happening. By WOW’s I mean answers to prayer re: future direction on how to proceed with this project. As I mentioned to many of you before leaving, the second chapter of this project had to proceed differently from the first chapter. The Lord has been answering those prayers! First, after Easter I will start seeing patients at a Christian Free Clinic called Petros. No longer will I use my apartment and wear all the hats of answering the phone and making all the appointments. The ladies at Petros Clinic will gladly answer the phone and make the appointments for me. I am moving things over there and getting organized as we speak. And second, the docs at the pediatric hospital are making some wonderful plans of getting another doctor to specialize only in audiology and to learn from me. These are some MAJOR breakthroughs, believe me!

May you experience His resurrection power during this Easter season!

Your ears back in Romania!

I hath arrived back in Cluj and am here now a week+ adjusting to things, getting internet set-up and contracts renewed for apartment, phone, cable etc. Everything was expired - but, Praise the Lord I still have the same addresses and phone numbers for people to contact. I believe that is a praise.

Getting adjusted slowly but surely - sleep is still affected with wakefulness for a couple of hours in the middle of the night which means I sleep in a little later. Oh, well. They say a day for each time zone to get re-acclimated (that's 7 for me), but I think they need to factor in age and season of life! I am trying to pace myself and get things in order here at home and then will start up again with the project slowly. I returned to the old familiar stuff of the city and familiar faces in neighbors and friends. Have already had several invitations - at least I walk more to work off the feasting!

I'm expecting Dave and Ellie Greenhalgh from church this weekend which will be very exciting indeed.I will keep you informed as things go forward. The weather here is very mild - in the 40's. It is colder in the States.

Chapter 2 unfolding soon!

The New Year 2007 is already starting off with a bang! On January 3th, the Lord spoke through my advisor at International Teams and said that I NEED to get going, and THIS MONTH! So I booked my return flight this week and I will be departing on Monday, January 29th arriving in Cluj on January 30th. I know there have been some false starts and some of you may think that I have already left!! This, I believe, is the real thing! So, hold onto your seats cos’ Chapter 2 in 2007 will be beginning shortly!

What has been accomplished in the year that I have been home? I am certainly healthier physically! I had a health check-up this past Monday and found many more improvements – the bugs are still gone, the Lyme’s is gone, candida is gone and my thyroid is healthy! Praise the Lord with me! I will take some medicines and supplements with me for continued healing and strengthening of my immune system. I have also grown in wisdom to help me make more informed decisions as this ministry unfolds. I return more financially fit as well – there is still a little bit to raise in monthly support and I am certain the Lord will be providing it.

In my final couple of weeks stateside, could you please pray along with me concerning all the details of organizing, packing and good-bye saying. Thanks for all your love, care and concern! I will keep you informed.