Into the Swing of Things

I love this school.

What do I love?
I love how the school was born, out of a pure love for God and the willingness of one lady to offer her skills as a nurse-midwife to train others.
I love that they value the integritous character of the midwife more than the skill of midwifery.
I love my fellow classmates! Each of their stories, where they come from, how they got here, each one is individually beautiful.

In one of our first lectures, we looked at what it means to be a midwife;
in its essence,
a midwife is someone who helps to bear,
who comes alongside others,
who is a delivery agent in the work of God.


“There is a desperate need for people who will nurture what is conceived by the Spirit of God,
and see it delivered.
So that we then, move into maturity.”

going from
Always needing to be delivered ---> to becoming the delivery agents
moving from self ---> to selflessness.

The Kingdom of God is fulfilled in our selflessness.



wow. That really impacted me.

This school is about LIFE, seeing the babies live. Defending the little ones, caring for them, and seeing them thrive.

The 2 main verses for this school are
Exodus 1:17:
“The midwives feared God... and let the little boys live.”

Ezekiel 16: 1-14.
God’s amazing grace extended to the Israelites, who were likened to a newborn that was despised, thrown out and left to die.
“ I said unto you, LIVE!”

This is all very exciting. I feel like so many things that I have felt strongly about are being fulfilled in this time. It’s not just about learning anatomy and the mechanisms of birth, but it is so much more than that. As children of God we have authority to speak life over the newly born. To bring the kingdom by doing all things with great love. To show a woman value, when she has been told she has no value by her culture, by her nation. To be the hands and feet of Jesus.
To be tenacious midwifes who advance the Kingdom, bind up the enemy, welcome in New Life.

“Speak up
for those who cannot speak for themselves,
for the rights of all who are destitute.
Speak up
and judge fairly;
defend the rights of the poor and needy.” Proverbs 31:8


This is us in our class,
studying,
and learning about testing urine.

Let's all raise our glass...
Just kidding.


We found out recently where we are going for our 8 month outreach:

Starting the end of September...
Tanzania, Africa for 3 1/2 months,
Back to Perth for 2 weeks, (YWAM 50th year anniversary, big celebrations)
South-central India for 2 months,
Phillipines for 2 months!!

When I found out we were going to India, I literally shrieked with excitement!
I’ve always wanted to go to India since forever,
and my desire was to be in India on the BAS, but I didn’t want to get my hopes up, so I was preparing myself for anywhere,
but here we go! India for 2 months, baby!
And I am so, so thankful to God that He honoured that dream I had in my heart.




yay!

And now, the moment I’ve been waiting for:

From a seed that was planted early September 2007,
that grew and grew as I prayed and looked into it more,
then I finally made a decision to do it,
which meant doing a preliminary DTS course 6 months before,
which meant raising finance,
and leaving home for a year and a half,
forfeiting weddings of friends,
and the comforts of family,
but learning a skill that has always wooed me,
and discovering God’s heart for the poor and oppressed women and children of the nations.

It’s finally here.
The time is now!
It’s all happening.

The Birth Attendant School.
July 2009-June 2010

Eleven transformational months, and wow am I ready for this.
Studying the VALUE of new life,
Studying midwifery,
and using those skills to bring the love of God,
and stand in the gap, as a midwife, for women and babies who are shown and given no value.

Intense. And exciting! And spiritually very real.



We got our books! 2 thick juicy textbooks, a workbook, and Midwive’s Dictionary. I can’t wait to spend hours pouring over them all.

Looking forward to all that is ahead!

On Your Mark, Get Set, ....Malaysia?

Once back in Perth at the end of June, I had 2 weeks before the next school started.

But, with Australian Immigration and all its hoops, the only way I could stay in Aus was if I re-entered the country on a different visa.

I had found out about this earlier on,
....an unforeseen expense. But that’s what had to happen, so Lord, you knew that!

So I began to search and pray for good cheap flights to nearby countries. I found a very reasonable round-trip ticket to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, so I jumped at the chance and booked it for a 4 day journey.

Okay. So I have a ticket.
But I don’t know where I’m staying, and I’m going alone, to a foreign country I am completely unfamiliar with.

God? I need your help here.


There were a few tense days when nothing was settled, and it was a week before I flew. I didn’t really want to stay in a hostel by myself, or spend a lot of money (tight budget nowadays), I had sent the word out to a few people but still had not received any concrete answers.

Then, finally, within 24 hours everything came together. I had 5 days before I was to fly.
I got an email from a friend on base whose parents live in Kuala Lumpur and would love to have me. The immigration department in Malaysia seemed promising, and my visa application was filled out. (*visa = permit to stay in the country.... not the credit card)


Praising God, I packed my bag and flew out with now a home, a family, and transportation.

And boy, was it ever!
I stayed with the most lovely, amazing Christian family.
They considered it pure joy to have me with them, going above and beyond anything I ever expected. Asians hospitality rocks!

This family did not have much, (and they did not even know me beforehand!), but they were so steadfast in their devotion to care for me, and with such a sincere heart!
Their love for God obviously shone through their attitudes, actions, and willingness to serve others. They inspired me so much, and I kept thinking about what Jesus said,

“Freely you have recieved, freely give.” Matthew 10:8


from my journal upon arrival there:
“... Thank you Jesus.
Thank you that you are fully aware of my needs and you supply all of them.
Thank you that even amidst my feelings, you are still strong and reigning.”


I was so touched by their hospitality.

It was a wonderful stay. This is us at the tallest twin towers in the world.
Yes, they are in downtown Kuala Lumpur.

I got a ride to the Embassy to get a new Australian Visa (which worked out very smoothly and was granted in half the usual time!), and then we got to go a lot of places as a family and see the special things about Kuala Lumpur. The two teenage daughters thought I was really cool, and I had a lot of fun with them.

At the pewter museum, with historic Malaysian labourer dress-up clothes on.
With the mining-boat in the background of course.

What I anticipated to be a dry, all-business, all alone, uneasy, unenjoyable trip to Malaysia,
turned out to be a full, safe, warm, hospitable, loving family, fun trip to Malaysia.

“I am come that they may have life,
and that they may have it more abundantly.” -John 10:10

Life is so worth it with Jesus.