Category: Personal

Christmas Party in Oncology 2010

A Layne Post

One year ago, Jon and I visited the Oncology department at Maputo Central Hospital for the very first time; it was the their Christmas party. Little did we know how the people, the place, would captivate us. Little did we know that the Lord would tell us to stay, to give our hearts and our time right there in that hospital.

Jon playing Christmas carols last year A year ago

And yet here we are.

I am so grateful, so fulfilled, so satisfied. The Lord knows what He is doing. A year ago, I felt lost. I felt unsettled and in a temporary location, but the Lord knew otherwise. Thanks for being a part of the journey thus far. Thanks for trusting along with us and for sticking around to see the faithfulness of our God. To Him be the glory.

Christmas party in Oncology 2010

Jon and Tomé as Pai Natal

Lucia enjoyed her hat as well

Lucia feeling Miss Anaya kick

Jon playing Christmas carols, much to everyone's delight

Enjoying music... her smile is contagious

Yet even amidst the celebration, their little IV ports remain taped in place, not allowing us to forget the looming fact that we’re all together because they are in Oncology being treated for cancer.

IV ports

Tomé on treatment

There are so many to love, so many to comfort. May the Lord continue to use us.

December 11, 2010

Layne

Hospital Ministry, Mozambique, Personal

5 comments

What It’s Like

A Jon Post

I asked Javan today what he thinks of our lives here in Maputo. I am always little anxious to hear thoughts and get reactions to how my wife and I live our lives. Maybe there’s something in me looking for the validation that we’re doing something right. Maybe there’s something in me looking for a fellow American to tell me that life is pretty challenging here and all the effort I put into just living is worth it.

Maybe it’s all a reflection in my heart of a deeper desire.

Maybe… I just want to rest a weary head on my Father’s shoulder and here a soft “Well done, good and faithful servant. Come and share your Master’s happiness!” (Matthew 25:23). I really, really want to share my Master’s happiness.

Javan got the opportunity to share from the Bible at a men’s Bible study that I lead on a weekly basis at the hospital with some men who live there as patients. He spoke of perfect and complete joy. I think that scene in Matthew, where the Master says “Well done, come and share in my happiness” is one that describes what I think perfect and complete joy is.

Maybe that’s what it’s like.

I see so much that is broken and incomplete all around me. I see a broken joy in the patient Jonathan at the hospital (he and I smiled and spoke at length at how happy we were to share a name), whose tumor above his right shoulder looms over him like a death sentence. I see incomplete joy in David, a soft-spoken man whose chemo-therapy treatments sap every bit of strength he has, to where his shell of a body simply breathes and waits for it to pass.

Maybe Jonathan, David and countless others here and scattered throughout the world are all just waiting for that moment.

We’re waiting for our Master to invite us to share in His happiness.

Maybe that’s what it’s like.

So Javan, try as he might to share what he sees in our lives here in Maputo, didn’t fulfill that longing in me. That longing that I have for the Master to smile… look into my eyes and say… “Well done. Come and share my happiness!”

Perfect… Complete… Joy

I think that’s what it’s like.

December 4, 2010

Jon

Hospital Ministry, Mozambique, Personal

7 comments

Javan’s Visit thus Far

A Layne Post

Javan arrived well on Sunday, and we excitedly welcomed him into our home. With him came some extremely hot days; lucky Javan!

Monday we introduced Javan to our friends in Oncology; however, the same day we discovered our dear little friend Marcelino had taken a turn for the worse. (read his story here) Sometimes these things come so suddenly; they cannot be planned. Our usual cheerful greetings were replaced with tears and fervent prayers. Tuesday our time in Dermatology was cut short, wanting to get back to Marcelino’s side.

Javan and his easy personality captured the attention of many of the other children in the Oncology ward, and as Jon and I focused on Marcelino, the kiddos were showing Javan their beds and searching for mangoes to give him as presents.

After our visit on Tuesday, Javan began to have some pain in his chest. It seemed like a familiar pain he has had before, but while his usual pain lasts only for a few minutes, this pain continued. He rested as well as he could, with little improvement. It was difficult to distinguished between jet lag and unusual tiredness. Thanksgiving came and Javan pushed through like a champ; however, he ended his holiday feeling pretty rotten.

On Friday morning Javan actually woke up feeling better, and thought he was on the up-swing. Thirty minutes later, he had developed a fever and nausea. We decided it was time to go to the clinic to check things out. Praise the Lord we did, because after some blood tests and x-rays, it was determined that Javan had acute pneumonia and needed to be admitted to the hospital.

After some phone calls, we were able to rest assured that Javan’s short term international insurance would cover the cost, and we were able to get Javan settled into a comfy room. Boy was that a good $30 spent on the insurance!

His experience at the hospital was overall a good one. The language proved to be a bit of a barrier with the nurses, but thankfully his doctor spoke decent English. Jon and I tried to stick around as much as possible to help in that department. His IVs gave a bit of trouble, forcing Javan to be poked frequently, which is always unpleasant.

As of today, Monday, Javan’s follow-up blood work and x-rays looked so good and showed Javan was responding so quickly to the IV antibiotics that the doctor said Javan could go ‘home’/our house and continue on oral antibiotics for 7 days. His cough continues, but that can linger awhile. It could be a few weeks until he is back to normal. We’ll return for a final appointment with the doctor Friday, and then Javan can head back to the States on Monday, one week later than planned.

Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails. Proverbs 19:31

Perhaps we’ll look back on this time and understand what the Lord’s purpose was. For now, Jon and I are enjoying our extra time with a special friend.

Here are some photos thus far:

Javan and Alexandra

Javan and new buddies

: Turkey Prep

Proud Cooks

The Thanksgiving Group!

Bring admitted

Playing games and Passing time

November 29, 2010

Layne

Personal

4 comments

Our first visitor! (and other tid bits)

Isn't it cozy?

A Layne Post

We are getting ready for our first visitor!

One week from today, Javan Mesnard, good friend to Jon and member of Voices of the World is coming to spend a week, including Thanksgiving with us, and we could not be more excited! How nice to have a ‘touch of home’ for the holiday. The patients in Oncology are eager to meet him as well… our first visitor!
In preparation we’ve gotten our guest room ready, so go ahead, contact us about when you’d like to come visit!

This year will be our very first Thanksgiving where we get to be the hosts. How fun! Jon is happy to have Javan to assist with his turkey preparation and baking. He will be preparing a bacon wrapped turkey = Yum! My list for cooking/baking is quite long, and I plan to do as much in advance as possible. Our guests, besides Jon and I, will include 4 Americans, 3 Portuguese, 1 Brazilian, 1 South African, and potentially 2 Mozambicans. We’ll update afterward to let you know how it all goes down. =)

25wks

In other news, Miss Anaya is growing quickly and healthily. We have an appointment this week, which I love! Since we get ultrasounds at each appointment, I am always anxious to see my baby girl. I am feeling pretty good these days, though the heat seems to make me a bit more tired. Standing up and looking down, my toes have disappeared. =/

I have already had one Skype baby shower from our Arizona friends, complete with games, gifts, laughter, tears, and prayer. What a blessing that was for me. Our Corpus friends are doing something for me, but I cannot know yet… only that something is happening. AND my church here is having a tea/shower for me and my friend Bibiana, who is due the same week as me, early in December. I really feel overwhelmed with love for our family.

Silly Dad

As for our other ‘baby’, Gasher is growing and becoming a regular member of the family. It is already a little hard to imagine life without him… even if that image seems easier. =) We’ve settled into a nice routine with him, and if we can get him out for a nice walk/run in the morning, he tends to be quite pleasant. The digging, eating my welcome mat, shaking his messy jowls all over, stinky toots, etc. just come with package. Ha!

The Lord is good.

These moments of joy, life, and happiness are such an encouragement to me. Anaya kicking in my belly, while I am visiting at the hospital. Laughing and dancing in the kitchen with my husband, while the dogs barks in confusion of the ruckus. Phone conversations with my family. An upcoming visit from a friend.

Thank you Lord.

November 14, 2010

Layne

Around the house, Mozambique, Personal

6 comments

Our Lives

A (long and maybe boring) Jon Post

Life is hard to understand sometimes. It’s also hard to do sometimes.

Thinking about life with my dog

Gasher agrees "Life is hard but fun"

Layne and I are in Botswana right now as this is posted. We own a vehicle from when we lived in Botswana (for those of you who tracked with us back in November of last year we bought one there to replace a vandalized/ruined one we owned previously) and dearly wish to keep it. I was speaking to Layne about “dream cars” for our current life here in Maputo and, honestly, I wouldn’t pick anything different than the Land Cruiser we own. It’s an amazing vehicle and has taken us across the continent of Africa 3 times and seems ready to do it a hundred more.

Working on my dream car

Well, to keep it here in Mozambique it turns out there are some papers and costs.
We need a “Police Clearance Letter”, essentially saying that we own it free and clear and didn’t steal it from anyone. This letter must come from Botswana and the vehicle must be there in order for it to be issued. Hence, we find ourselves driving 13 hours across the continent (again), simply to pick up a letter.

And we need to come up with some money. We’re not sure how much at this point (we need to get the afore mentioned letter to start the process and find out) but it looks to be anywhere from $1800 – $3500. No… we’re not trying to raise this money here and now on this blog (though we may later, heck… it’s a lot of money), I just mention it because it’s there and it’s on my heart and I like sharing what’s on my heart here with you.

On my heart… I don’t know if I communicate it all that well at times. With a daughter coming and an incredible wife I often find myself a bit preoccupied with thoughts of them and their safety.
Pray with me please. Pray with me that God grants them safety.

I heard a song a couple weeks ago by a desperate husband and father who simply wants to do both of those jobs well. He sings of his wife and children calling out to him and at times I can hear and see the same thing in mine.
Lead me with strong hands.
Stand up when I can’t
Don’t leave me hungry for love…
Show me you’re willing to fight
That I’m still the love of your life

And his/my response is simply to cry out to Christ

My beautiful wife loves me so well

Lead me
To lead her, with strong hands.
To stand up when she can’t
I don’t want to leave her hungry for love…
I’ll show her I’m willing to fight
That she’ll always be the love of my life
So lead me, because I can’t do this alone.

I want so badly to lead, provide for, cover over, and protect my wife and child. Pray with me please.