Buds and Roos and Bellies and Babies

It is the beginning of spring: the noonday sun does not have its harsh chill, and the rainy bleakness is coming to an end.
The days have been so full, weeks go by like that (*snap fingers*), and there is lots to process and absorb.

Hmm, I’m wondering now how I should go about doing this blog, because the lectures we have are, you know, about newborns and pregnancies and labour and things like that. Not exactly dinner conversation, but nonetheless interesting and exciting.

Well first of all, before I say anything more,
I want to say thank you to all of you.
Many of you have come alongside me and supported me financially, making generous commitments to partner with me monthly, and not a day goes by that I am aware that I am only here by each one’s contribution.
It is with great, great pleasure that I can say that the money has come in that I need to have for the 8 month outreach to Africa, India, and the Phillipines. And to this, I thank you!

Actually, just thinking about it, almost makes me cry... I am overwhelmed! The humility God has walked me through, and the gratefulness that I have towards everything that I have in my life. Because of your support, whether large or small, it has all come together so that now, I am in Perth, in a classroom, everyday seeing more of this dream shift to become a reality.

Each one of you are investing into something much deeper, much larger than an 11 month midwfiery school. Real mothers and newborns will be watched over, cared for, loved. Women will be taught simple health care, and locals will be equipped with the gift that cannot be taken: education. It is not abstract, it is tangible. Direct to the people. And then of course the ripple effect into families and communities. What a responsibility, what a privilege! wow.

Thank you.

There is however a need for a few details extra to the outreach costs that I always forget about. There are a few immunizations that I still need to get for Africa, and the medical equipment... Blood pressure cuff, stethoscope, fetal pinnard, scrubs, closed-toed shoes.

If you would like to support me in these final details, amounting to roughly $300, we are doing a Sausage Sizzle this weekend, which is a fun way to raise money and stand over a barbeque. Please email me if you are interested in participating!



This week’s lectures have been the real deal: Labour and Delivery.
Delivering Babies 101.

haha! It’s pretty intense.

(This is us watching a video for class; we were just previously being pregnant ladies. It's pretty fun. Anything can happen in the BAS classroom!)

Last week, we learned about changes (and danger signs) during prenancy, and my favorite wonder so far: palpations!!

We got to palpate a pregnant mother’s belly. You just place your hands on her stomach and feel for the top of the uterus and the little baby inside! It’s quite remarkable. Then you find the heartbeat and listen.
This week we learned more about the baby and how it navigates down and out. There are so many mechanisms, it is pretty genious.


On the weekend we drove up the road a ways to a place called Kangaroo Island. It’s kind of like a safe haven for kangaroos that have been hurt or injured in the wild, so they just hang out in this safe, vast area, and hop around among the trees and bushes. We went on a search and sure enough found a couple nice roos. One was so tame and laid back, he let us pat him, and he hung around for quite a while. I named him Kanga.


The relentless pursuit of getting a good picture with Kanga!

We also had a dance party, Black and White themed, and another Canadian and I went as a pair of dice. We had a hoot sewing those boxes onto our belts!



Oh, also, everyday, I have the amazing privilege of sewing costumes for an Islander Dance ministry. They show God through traditional tribal dances from all over, Tahiti, Fiji, New Zealand, Hawaii.
Drumbeats, voices, clapping, sticks, feathers, shells, the whole bit.
All doing for the redemption of cultures, and embracing another venue to show the love of Christ. Since it is also with YWAM, it is non-profit and they make all their costumes.

They just had a performance this week, it was amazing. So powerful and done with excellence and precision. I sewed the white hula skirts and the red tops!The Crew + Fia

Until next time,

Fia "keeping very busy" Merkeley

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.

Final Words for Cambodia

(Pre-Bangkok)

Back in Poipet, we packed up our things, said our goodbyes, and sped off (very slowly) in our little tuk-tuk to take us to the Thai border.


Outreach was coming to an end. I was scared to come back to Australia because I didn’t know how I would cope in a successful western nation. I know myself all too well and knew there was the temptation of becoming judgmental or critical, just not knowing how to make sense of these two worlds I’ve experienced. Guess I just gotta take each day as it comes, and trust God for revelation while I process the last three months.



Moments to Remember
with love from Cambodia:

* putting lotion on the hands of a 28 year old mum (looks like she’s 15), who’s wearing a pyjama set, has a gold tooth, and is simultaneously breastfeeding her baby.

* after a monsoon rain, walking barefoot home through the sludgy roads, dodging animal dung.

* getting caught in a downpour, and being invited in to a family’s warm hut with bamboo floors. Then getting offered to take their horse back to our house.

* cutting my hair one impulsive night in the stagnant, humid bathroom. I now have bangs.

* sitting on a wood bed with an HIV patient, helping her drink from a coconut.

* throwing reeds across a lush bank with the village kids.

* praying for an HIV+ woman and her 20-day old newborn baby.

* eating boiled, salted snails and watermelon with the pastor’s family after teaching English.

* getting splattered with mud while digging the trench.

* drinking lots and lots of water, and lots and lots more.

* dancing for 3 hours solid with the kids behind our house.

* helping to fly a kite on a tropical dirt road.

Cultures Contrasted

It's just a 4 hour drive away, but the differences between
Poipet, Cambodia and Bangkok, Thailand
were enough to put me into culture shock.... again.
I walked around in a daze for 3 days in this major world city Bangkok,
trying to quickly adjust to fast trains, big Asian malls, and hot pink taxis.


Let's explore...


THE ROADS:

Poipet










Bangkok

THE STREET LIFE:

Poipet










Bangkok

TRANSPORT:

Poipet








Bangkok

THE LOOK:

Poipet













Bangkok

Portraits of Poipet

Cambodians are beautiful.

a few snapshots along the way...

Siem Reap

June 7th 2009




Siem Reap is the touristy, more developed town surrounding the only tourist attraction in Cambodia: Angkor Wat.

Angkor Wat is the historic, famous temple that is now ancient ruins. It is the three- pointed building that is on Cambodia’s flag!
And yes, I did get the t-shirt.

We stayed in a beautiful guesthouse: dark wood staircases, white marble floors, and orange silk accents. Mom, you’d appreciate it. It’s a great and surprising change from dusty Poipet.

We stayed in Siem Reap for 2 days; we enjoyed the change of scenery, the air conditioning, the temple, and the lively night market.



I had such a fun time doing photography at the ruins.

But it’s kinda weird because it’s this big palace-temple, and even though it’s more historic than religious, they still do shrines to Buddha, etc. They dress a stone Buddha up in orange, offer him food and shiny things.
There are still monks wrapped up in their saffron robes, going about their monkly duties, lighting incense and overseeing offerings and such.

The whole place leaves you with a very empty feeling, kind of like the decaying stone around you.
However, I liked how nothing is really blocked off, you can walk and sit everywhere. (except the balustrades).
But yeah, idol worship is pretty sickening.


“But their idols are silver and gold,
made by the hands of men.
They have mouths, but cannot speak,
eyes, but they cannot see;
they have ears but cannot hear,
noses, but they cannot smell;
they have hands, but cannot feel,
feet, but they cannot walk;
nor can they utter a sound with their throats.

Those who make them will be like them, and so will all who trust in them.”
-Psalm 115: 4-8

here are some pics from the day...

The Texas twins. The sweetest sisters you'll ever meet.

Us three.

Siem Reap was fun.