April 2012 More reflections of an old missionary trying to learn new things

It is another hot and dusty day as we try to function but it is hard to think or accomplish much when it is this way but they say it will get warmer in the coming month maybe to 110+.   The sandy soil dries out very rapidly and soaks water up like a sponge but they say in July and August everything around here will be covered with water and rice grows wel l here.   Now is mango season and are they delicious.   We get a few papayas and bananas and even had a coconut the other day.    There is plenty of food but one still loses weight when it is so hot.     Dolores made some granola that was really good the other day.

They  are just concluding some meetings here at the little hospital church and about 12 or so are wanting to be baptized.   Even after they are baptized they still have a lot of maturing to do sort of like the Israelites when they came out of slavery in Egypt to be God’s people.    They need our prayers and support.   

Ron, Dolore’ brother, certainly needs everyone’s prayers.    He has stage IV cancer of the throat with nodes in his chest apparently.  He has been getting tests and staging at the Univ of Okla Health Science Center since Dec 2011.   It was noted that he had a mass in his neck in Nov 2011.   It may or may not be related but he has had recurrent tonsillitis for years.   He also is a knapper (makes arrowheads) probably not related either.    He has postponed chemo for 2 weeks and has been told that radiation is not indicated for him.   Won’t it be wonderful when we get to heaven and don’t have to worry about cancer, pain,  and all the heartache we have here.  We see quite a bit of cancer here especially bladder and prostate cancer.

We recently had a young man with a strangulated small bowel around a ompholomesenteric band or Meckel’s diverticulum but this was released and he is doing well now.   So far all our vesico-vaginal fistulas  and vesico-uterine fistula  are doing well and are still dry.   The 3  day old with no anus died the next day after we tried to recreate an anus.    A lot of gas and stool came out when we opened the rectum but had minimal nursing care.    Ruptured ectopic pregnancies are fairly common.   

Internet service is very sporadic and has been none past few days.

Love    Rollin and Dolores