We leave in a few minutes for San Pedro (out in the Zona Reina). We are waiting for the call to say that it is safe to land there. We have not been out to San Pedro since the end of December to do a day of clinic. But we have been out several times for emergencies. One little boy who was shot in the head while at school, another who fell off a horse and was unconscious several hours later, another two day old baby who needed emergency surgery. At times like these we are so grateful to have the airplane and the ability to get out to these areas to help. And at the same time we become so frustrated with the lack of help once the children get to the hospital. The little boy with the gun shot wound was left waiting in the ICU in Xela because the CT scan was "broken down". But at least now they have a CT scan...that works sometimes.



I have postponed our clinic day in San Pedro until today because I have been a little short of help with Katie recuperating from the birth of Anna. Thankfully, Don Allison is here to help me shoulder some of the responsibility that I feel. I have several others who will come to help as well...Craig, Sally and Armondo. As I was praying this morning, I remembered what my friend Bonnie always said to me, "God doesn't call the equipped, He equips those He calls." I am feeling pretty inadequate this morning but trusting that He will give to us all that we will need today.



More when we return....

Friday evening... We had a great day in San Pedro. We made it in even though it was pretty cloudy and drizzly all day. Duane is so familiar now with the area that it was "no problem" as he said. It was cloudy all day so it was cool...so cool that I never took my sweater off! Normally you start to sweat the moment you step out of the plane. We saw around 100 people - lots of sick children with pneumonia and ear infections. We did one house visit to a young woman who could not get out of bed. She had been told by the traveling medicine salesman that she had an incurable disease and that she would die soon. She was afraid and started to cry when we talked to her about Jesus. Amazingly, her husband told us about his recurring dreams where the Lord was calling him to "come to Him." So they accepted the Lord and we are believing that she will begin to recuperate quickly. That made out entire trip worth it!!

Praise God for the safe arrival of Joshua and Anna!

I went back to Illinois last Monday to help Ryan and Katie during the planned induction of Joshua. It turned out to be a very easy, (much easier than the first!) gentle birth. Joshua weighed 7 pounds 4 ounces and seems to be a very peaceful little baby. His older brother Jacob is already protective and very much the "big brother" who became very upset when the nurses carried Joshua off to the nursery. Katie came home from the hospital Wednesday afternoon and Wednesday evening I recieved a call from Katie Shaw...who was in labor in Guatemala. So early the next morning I left Marine hoping to make it home in time to help her in whatever way I could. Duane and Aaron flew her into the City early Thursday morning, barely making into the birthing center in time for Anna's arrival. 13 Minutes and 5 pushes later she was born - also a very easy delivery for a first time mom! By God's grace, both Katies and both babies are healthy and strong and most definitely beautiful! Two grandchildren in two days...as my sister said, "my cup overflows!"

Without Katie's help in the clinics for the next several weeks, I have been concerned about how I would care for everyone...but as always, God is faithful to supply for every need. Dr. Heidi "just happened" to be here for the week doing surgeries in Chichicastenengo and finished a day early so she came out here to Canilla to greet baby Anna. Saturday morning, before Duane flew her into the City for her return flight to the US, she helped me finish care for all the pregnant women. About 15 minutes after she left, we had a small team of medical students and Dr. Richard arrive to help finish the day and they stayed to help me yesterday in San Andres where we saw about 120 patients. Don and Lori Allison arrive on Thursday with their family. They will be here for the next few weeks to help in clinics as well. God is so good and His faithfulness to supply for all of our needs never ceases to amaze me!

I feel like I am in a "holding pattern" - a term that I am familiar with, being married to a pilot for many years. I am circling, waiting...for many things to fall into place. Both of our daughter in laws are pregnant and due any second - one here in Guatemala, the other in the US. I want to be there for both births, knowing that to do that, I will need a miracle from God. But beyond that immediate waiting, I sense that there is more.

Early Saturday morning we recieved a call from a health care worker in San Marcos, out in the Zona Reina. He had a mom in labor who needed to get to the hospital right away. So Duane and I rushed to get out there as quickly as possible, only to find on our arrival, that the baby had died. She was born breech ( feet first). That is the second call that we have had from that village in the last few weeks for a complicated birth. None of the women there recieve prenatal care. I am frustrated by that - knowing that we could provide it - but knowing as well that I cannot take on much more responsibilty without more help. And so we wait...in that holding pattern...trusting that God's timing is perfect.

We have several construction projects going, in the anticipation of many folks who are coming this year. We are adding a room onto the clinic, and re-modeling another here in the house. Most of those who are coming are not medically oriented but we have learned that when God has a plan, He begins to move people around like puzzle peices. We don't know what His puzzle will ultimately look like but we are confident that it will be beautiful...and so we wait.

In this season of waiting, the Lord has led me several times to Psalm 23. If you are like me, waiting is frustrating and difficult. But I find great comfort in knowing that He is my Shepherd and that I lack...nothing. And when I let Him, He leads me to grassy pastures and beside quiet waters where my spirit is restored. I find that in those times, I can wait patiently, trusting that He has all things in His hand.

Here is a small family update:
Grace will be 5 tomorrow. We are still waiting for her final name change (at the moment she is "Grace Ficker Ficker" from the Latin tradition of taking both the mother and the father's last names. (One Ficker is bad enough!). Abi's adoption has finally made is through the national process and we are waiting for approval from our local judge.

Hannah will start work today at MD Anderson. We enjoyed getting to know Matt a little better during his brief visit. Rachel is working now as well, teaching an English class to a small group of bi-lingual secretary students at the local high school. She is younger than most of her students! Aaron, David, and Joseph remain busy repairing vehicles...from airplanes to motorcycles...some our own and some for others here in the community. They, along with Craig, have quite a ministry going to a group of young men here in this community who need to experience the love of Jesus.