The Lord is the Healer

2009-10-12T07:22:00.000-07:00

October 7, 2009

Dear Family and Friends,

I return to Cambodia October 10, 2009, to begin a long-term project training Village Health Workers (VHW) to provide basic health care in remote villages of Kampot Province. People there lack proper health care and have no access to the health system. Consequently, the area has a high rate of maternal and infant mortality. During October, we will teach a basic “Village Health Worker” course to 25 students. This course, utilizing Community Health Evangelism materials, will educate and prepare the VHWs to help people in their respective villages meet basic health needs. This community-centered approach to health care has had outstanding results in other developing countries. We’ve been authorized by both the provincial and local governments as well as the health department to go forward with this project.

The teaching team includes 2 nurses, a midwife, and a family nurse practitioner (myself). An MTW medical team resides within Cambodia, and will provide follow-up guidance and assistance to the newly-trained VHWs. The medical team holds twice-monthly medical clinics in the region, during which time it will provide supplemental education and support to the VHWs and the community as a whole. Through this process, we hope to link the community to the district health care system for sustainability.

Every 3 months we will return to Kampot to conduct additional training, especially in midwifery skills. The maternal mortality rate in Cambodia is one of the highest in the region. The majority of births still occur at home, with only a small number attended by a health professional. When I last visited the area this past June, I heard many stories of women dying in childbirth. Even “experienced” midwives there are deficient in knowledge, especially in life-saving skills. Properly trained birth attendants could minister in both Word and deed, providing safe delivery of infants and advocating safe motherhood practices.

Attending to health needs serves as a fundamental tool for introducing the gospel. In providing for basic needs, VHWs can share basic health skills – and their faith – so that individual lives, families, and even communities may be transformed.

Please pray for our team and the students.

PRAISES

For the privilege of serving Him in cross-cultural ministry
For the support of wonderful family, friends and Church family.
For the assistance of many agencies and people in planning this project

PRAYER REQUESTS

That I may show God’s love through health ministry to bring people into a saving relationship with Him, strengthening the local church and facilitating church planting.
Good Health and Safety for the team, students, and Pastors
Financial support (goal: 7 supporters @$500/ea and 5 @$300/ea). Any donation is graciously accepted.
That many people would be ignited for the mission field through this ministry

Thank you so much for your prayers and support!

May the Lord richly bless you for your part in my ministry!

Yours in Christ,

Karen McClure

klmcclure@comcast.net

Donation address:

Mission to the World

PO Box 116284

Atlanta, GA 30368

Account# 013945

Call 1-866-373-6133 for e-donations

Acts 20:24

“But I do not consider my life of any account as dear to myself, so that I may finish my course and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify solemnly of the gospel of the grace of God.”

Cambodia Project

2009-05-25T21:45:00.001-07:00

Cambodia Project

2009-05-25T21:27:00.001-07:00

Cambodia Project

2009-05-25T20:37:00.000-07:00

Cambodia Project

2009-05-25T20:05:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we traveled to the southern part of Cambodia the Kampot Province-Chhuk District to meet with several Pastors/leaders. God is always surprising me. When we reached the meeting area, the group had prepared lunch for Dale and I and our translator. Dale speaks fairly good Khmer but sometimes needs a little help. The translator was also our driver. Several of the pastors spoke a little English. Our meeting was held at a school. It is a very unique situation. One of the pastors started this school . It is Gr 1-12 and there are over 750 students! It is a Christian school but being a Christian is not a requirement. When the children graduate they will take a test to see if they qualify for a college scholarship. If they do not…they can stay for further training…they can learn to sew, be a hair dresser, auto repair etc. There are also children that board there whose parents died of HIV or others whose parents went to Malaysia and never returned. How do they support the school? They do computer repair on site and a few other tasks. Some of the students families can afford to pay. It is a great example of a self sufficient community. It is a group of 28 small churches that work together.

Over 30 church leaders, including pastors showed up for this meeting! This was an informational and prayer meeting. We met to find out the needs, gather information and to see if there was a desire for assistance and if they would participate. We also made it clear that we needed permission and that the prime purpose was to carry the gospel to the villages.

Notes from the Meeting:

1. They have some untrained midwives in the villages

2. Several midwives would like further training

3. Several would like to train someone to take their position as they want to retire

4. Most women cannot afford to deliver at the Health Center. Midwife charges 20,000 Riels ($5) and the Heath Center charges $25

5. A women stood up and told about her sister that died giving birth last year.

6. Another told of someone that went to the Health center and could not pay and went home. Both Mom and Baby died at home!

7. There is not always a midwife available at the Health Center

8. They feel that the Health Centers discriminate against Christians. They would like to build their own Health Center.

9. Midwives that are in the villages are untrained, unschooled and cannot perform life saving measures. They were trained by another traditional birth attendant. Some villages do not have any midwives.

Please continue to pray for this project. We will be meeting with the Director of the Ministry of Health on Friday along with many other NGO’s. On Saturday we will be holding a clinic in the Kampot Province along with medical students that we are mentoring. This will help us to continue to build relationships. To God be the glory!

Thailand and Cambodia

2009-05-09T07:51:00.000-07:00

May 8, 2009

Dear Family and Friends,

On May 10, 2009, I will depart for Thailand and Cambodia. While in Bangkok, Thailand, I will take part in a Tropical Medicine Course hosted by MTW, Medical College of Georgia and the Mahidol University as part of my missionary training. I will also be giving a presentation on the Training and Education of Community Health Workers and caring for patients with tropical diseases while spending time in the jungle. Recently there has been much unrest in Bangkok. Please pray for my health and safety.

As you know, after working at the World Health Organization last summer, I felt the Lord calling me to work in decreasing maternal mortality (mothers dying in pregnancy and childbirth). Two years ago, while serving in Cambodia, we visited the medical school and nursing school in Phnom Penh, and one of the stated needs was a strong provincial midwifery program. I cared for a woman there who had been in bed (bleeding) for 6 months after delivering a baby and the baby was being fed rice water. Both were very sick. Trained birth attendants could minister here in both Word and deed.

The maternal mortality ratio has remained high in Cambodia and is one of the highest in the region. The majority of births are still occurring at home, with only a small number of all births being attended by a health professional. And even among the few trained midwives, there are deficiencies – particularly in life-saving skills

I will fly to Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on May 23 and stay through June 8, meeting with Provincial Health Dept leaders and others together with Missionary Physicians Dr Dale Knutson and Dr Eda Kim to determine the needs there. We hope to launch a project there in the next year. It will be small at first, possibly training 15 midwives or skilled birth attendants in the Kampot Province.

Previously, I worked in the area of maternal health and perinatology for over 25 years. This is where my heart, my passion, and my area of training lie.

. Midwifery training will increase the capacity of traditional birth attendants (most cannot read or write, nor have life saving skills, and can’t use Pitocin to stop bleeding) to safely deliver infants and advocate safe motherhood practices. We will structure the program to encourage community ownership.

Attending to health needs serves as a tool to introduce the gospel. In this way, village health workers learn to share basic health skills – and their faith – so that individual lives, families, and even communities may be transformed.

PRAISES

· For the privilege of serving Him in cross-cultural ministry

· For the support of wonderful family, friends and Church family.

PRAYER REQUESTS

That I may show God’s love through health ministry to bring people into a saving relationship with Him, strengthening the local church and facilitating church planting.
Cambodia project:

For other groups or agencies to partner with us
For productive meetings with local Ministry of Health officials and other agents
For the Lord to provide teachers and trainers
That Midwifery training would start before October
For financial support
That many people would be ignited for the mission field through this ministry

Home address: Karen’s Donation address:

800 Cool Glade Court Mission to the World

Millersville, MD 21108 PO Box 116284

klmcclure@comcast.net Atlanta GA 30368

h. 410-987-0784 Memo: # 013945

c. 410-991-9953 Call 1 866 373 6133 for e-donations

BLOG: www.thelordisthehealer2.blogspot.com

Thank you so much for your prayers and support!

May the Lord richly bless you for your part in my ministry!

Yours in Christ,

Karen McClure

Acts 20:24

Bangladesh Health Promoter Course

2009-01-06T14:08:00.000-08:00

We have returned home from Bangladesh after completing 3 weeks of teaching an intense Health Promoters course through Mission to the World (MTW). The 25 students were from many different villages and tribal groups and about half of them will be using their training as they go out as missionaries and spread the gospel message in Muslim and Animistic villages. They were all at least 5 hrs and many 2 days away from the nearest medical care.

The course was taught with the assistance of Pastors Zar Lawm, KL and Rama who translated our teaching into Bengali and the Bawm tribal languages. Students were given Health teaching materials that were also translated as well as equipment and medications. The military provided soldiers to guard us while we were there. There have been kidnappings in the area where we taught.

The rate of mothers dying in pregnancy and childbirth in Bangladesh, is among the highest outside of sub-Saharan Africa. Less than 12% of all births are attended by a midwife, nurse or physician. For this reason, I taught a birthing class and also stressed gave the importance of nutrition and wellness of the pregnant woman. Malaria is endemic there and this contributes to the vast anemia, especially in pregnant women and children.

Students and translators told stories of pregnant women dying in their villages. The Health Promoters were given Permethrin-treated mosquito nets to distribute to families in their villages-especially those with children and pregnant women.. P. Falcip malaria is deadly and these mosquitos are prevalent after sundown. Sleeping under the nets can greatly decrease the incidence of dengue fever and malaria. They have all known people in their villages to die from those diseases. A mosquito will die within 1 1/2 minutes after it lands on a treated mosquito net. Thank-you to all who donated money for this life saving project!

Trinidad Summer 2008- 9/5/08

2008-09-20T12:17:00.001-07:00

Friday, 5 September 2008

Dear Precious Friends and Family,

As we end out time here in Trinidad, we are sad to leave our friends but excited to return home to you!

This week we realized that the water tanks were nearly empty and Steve and Pastor Gosyne have placed many calls to have water restored but to no avail. The McGee family may return home to empty pipes and empty water tanks! Please pray for “running water” not just water delivery.

Steve completed his teaching on the book of “Romans” at the Bible College/Seminary last weekend and had the opportunity to spend some extra time with his students both at the house and some at the Bible College/Seminary. Several of them came to me and shared that he was a great teacher, they enjoyed his teaching and they learned a lot. This was a condensed course. The students went through the entire book of Romans in 3 weekends! They read the book (in at least two bible versions), answered written questions, read classical commentaries, exegeted verses, gave oral presentations, wrote a 10-page essay, and took an impromptu final exam. A lot to cover in a short period.

In teaching through the book of Acts for my Sunday School class of 9-12 year olds, I have given a memory verse for them to learn each week. They have been very eager to return each week to recite the verse even without reward! They have also learned the importance of personal devotions and feeling comfortable leading group prayer. One of my students, Shandel, even painted a picture for me!

Yesterday, we welcomed an MTW Missionary couple, Pastor Keith and his wife, Debbie who will be caring for the McGee home and dogs and ministry until their return in 10 days. Please pray for their peace and comfort in driving and finding their way around, in their ministry, and of course in obtaining water!

We have become very close to a student of Steve’s at the Bible College, a 44 yr old man named Ceasar, who comes from a background of addiction. As he tells people, he has no wife or children, car or home but he has all he needs in Jesus! He works making silver jewelry, lives with his cousin and family and is a great witness for the Lord here on the island. He feels called to ministry and we would ask that you pray for him as he continues his studies at the Bible College/Seminary and his mentoring relationship with Pastors Gosyne and McGee.

Last Monday night, Steve and I hosted the Ligonier Ministries Radio Program for Pastor McGee from 12MN-4 AM, for the last time. During each broadcast, this program receives 20-80 calls from listeners. Emmanual, a broadcaster there at Isaac Radio 98.1, shared with us that the station owner initially was very reluctant to put this program on the air (she wasn’t convinced it would attract listeners). But, the very first night they received 80 calls, and it is now their most popular program! People call to ask theological questions, to order broadcast material, or just to talk. The Gospel message is being carried through the air waves across Trinidad!

Please also pray for:

1) Pastor Gosyne’s wife, Denise, who has been battling severe asthma. Please pray for her healing and the physician’s wisdom as he adjusts or prescribes medication.

2) The Church, Covenant Reformed Evangelical Church must vacate their building Sept 30 and move to a new facility. Please pray for an increase in their financial supporters and construction mission teams to be able to help with the new building ASAP. This is a very poor church and they cannot support themselves. It has an incredible outreach with a huge impact on very poor areas including Carlsen Field.

3) Please also pray that God would call Missionaries to assist with the tasks of administration of their ministries, the Church, the Bible College/Seminary and Radio Ministry.

4) The children at Carlsen Field to have changed lives as a result of the ministry there. It is an area where violence is common, children raised in single parent addicted homes, very little food to eat and most times cannot score above 30% in their grade level testing! They now have a role model in Krystal, a High School student who has passed her school exams with very high scores. This is an example of a changed life through the ministry of Covenant Reformed Evangelical Church!

Thank-you so much for your support of our ministry in Trinidad! Steve will continue to write courses for the Bible College/Seminary through MINTS and we will return for him to teach there. The ministries of Covenant Reformed Evangelical Church are growing tremendously through the work of Pastors Gosyne and McGee. Please continue to pray that God would bless them and their families and ministries.

Thank-you so much for your encouraging letters and prayers!

We Love you and miss you all!

Karen and Steve

(Phil. 4:13)

Trinidad Summer 2008- 8/22/08

2008-08-22T12:15:00.000-07:00

Friday, 22 August 2008

Dear Precious Friends and Family,

Praise God from whom all blessings flow…including water! The water company finally delivered water this week. There was a water main break in the village before we arrived and the water was turned off. We were purchasing water, taking cup(bucket) baths and even using pool water for the toilet. At least we were able to use the bathroom for bathing and toileting, which is unlike what we have done in refugee camps.

The Dental and Allied Health (Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy) Team arrived home safely on Sunday after serving over 600 patients. A Pastor shared with Steve and I that he has been in pain with wisdom teeth for many years and he was able to have them extracted. His family also was served and he said that it would have cost his family 3000TT for the care they received. This is equal to about $500 which he could not afford. Sadly our Allied Health team saw Brittany, a 7 yr old little girl with severe cerebral palsy who had not received services previous to this time. On this island there are only 3 physical therapists! Hope Williams, an MTW (Mission to the World) administrator and I grew attached to her. Hope is trying to find help for her and her Mom. Brittany must be carried everywhere and the only assistance her mother has is a town reporter that will come once weekly and drive them to town.

Each Sunday, I am teaching children’s Sunday School and they are learning about the book of Acts. Steve is leading music and teaching adult Sunday School. In the evening Steve is giving the message at Carlsen Field, where they are hearing about Esther. It is a very poor area and each week Covenant Reformed Evangelical Church brings food to feed them. The children receive food daily when school is in session however there is no school during July and August and part of September.

We are learning that the ministries here are growing as we take calls for Mars Hill Institute of Biblical Theology and the Radio Program(ISAAC Radio 98.1). Callers ask for catalogs for Seminary courses, Cd’s, books and Bibles and have other questions about theology and life. Steve is hosting the Mars Hill radio program for Pastor McGee and continues to teach the MINTS seminary course he wrote on Romans, each weekend.

Please pray for the church as they have to move to a new facility on Sept 30 when their lease expires. They have really outgrown their building anyway but it is a poor church so finances will be tight.. Pastors Ricky Gosyne and Steve McGee found this facility before Steve departed for vacation. Pastor Ricky is working on the lease agreement. Praise God!

Please pray for:

1) Steve’s stamina and God’s wisdom as he prepares his course, delivers the radio programs and teaches Sunday School

2) Karen as she leads Youth group with Pastor Ricky and teaches Sunday School and leads the ladies in Prayer on Wed evenings.

3) Brittany would be able to receive Physical Therapy and her Mom could get assistance.

4) WASA (the water company) would find the water main break and reconnect so there would be a constant water source here. Praise for water!

5) That the people here will see Jesus through our ministry

6) Rest and relaxation and travel safety for the McGee family as they enjoy their first vacation in five years.

7) The Carlsen Field children…that the Sunday program there will be a blessing to them.

8) That God would raise up people to come and assist Pastors Steve McGee and Ricky Gosyne with the Church ministries, Radio programs, and Seminary.

9) Finances for the church building and food to feed the hungry children in Carlsen Field.

10) Our families at home

Thank-you so much for your encouraging letters and prayers!

We Love you and miss you all!

Karen and Steve

(Phil. 4:13)

Trinidad Summer 2008- 8/10/08

2008-08-10T12:03:00.000-07:00

Sunday, 10 August 2008

Dear Precious Friends and Family,

Steve and I arrived here in Trinidad safely on Wednesday August 6 to begin our ministry. We are staying at the McGee home while they enjoy a vacation time in the USA.

We have been assisting Pastor Steve McGee of Covenant Reformed Church with 2 Short Term Mission Teams from the USA. The first team of 22 people from Poolesville Baptist Church in Maryland was here to do VBS and construct a fence in Carlsen Field, an area of very poor children. They departed Sunday morning for home after a very good week of ministry.

The second team, MCO (Medical College Outreach) team from Georgia arrived on Friday night, beginning their ministry early the next day in Tuna Puna. It is a group of 72 Dental, Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy students and their leaders and mentors. At this time, there are 4 people that are sick on the team with vomiting and diarrhea. They have a nurse on the team and I am the medical provider in case of emergency. Please pray for them.

Supporting mission teams involves arranging for transportation, meals, lodging and ministry areas, most of which were done before our arrival. Yesterday we made 150 sandwiches for lunches. Steve and I will spend time with the team and provide support for them as needed.

This morning, Steve preached at Covenant Reformed Church and the message on God’s Will was very well received. Many people said it was just what they needed to hear. Steve told them that if we are not using their gifts God gave us, we are not in tune with God’s will. He told the congregation if they were not sure of their gifts to talk to their Pastors (Ricky Goseign and Steve McGee).It was great to be reunited with our friends here. Next weekend I will start teaching Sunday School and we will assist with the Youth at Carlsen Field.

On Monday nights, Steve will be hosting Pastor McGee’s (98.1) radio program. On the weekends, he will teach a Miami International Seminary (MINTS) course that he has written on the book of “Romans” at the Bible College.

Please pray for:

1) Healing for the students that are sick

2) We have a limited water supply as there has been a water line break in the community. They have been unable to locate the break. We are taking “cup baths” and saving rain water to use.

3) Steve’s stamina and God’s wisdom as he prepares his course, delivers the radio programs

4) Our good Health and Safety

5) Our families at home

6) That the people here will see Jesus through our ministry

7) Rest and relaxation for the McGee family as they enjoy their first vacation in five years.

8) The Carlsen Field children…that the Sunday School there will be a blessing to them.

Thank-you so much for your encouragement and prayers!

We Love you and miss you all!

Karen and Steve

(Phil. 4:13)

Worship in Trinidad

2008-01-21T05:22:00.001-08:00

New Years Day 2008 Letter from Trinidad

2008-01-21T04:45:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone,

Steve, Corrie and I (and the rest of the team too) arrived safely in Trinidad on Saturday night. It took us 2 1/2 hrs to get through Customs, but the good news is they did NOT search our bags! (The last trip they seized all of our medications.) Praise God! Thank-you so much for praying.

Saturday night we got to bed around 2 AM (the rooster was crowing!) and we had to be at church the next day at 7:45 AM. Even with very little sleep, we were refreshed. The Lord sustained us throughout the busy day. At Aramalaya Presbyterian Church, Steve preached on "Joy in Serving Others" and Corrie and Andrew led music. It sounded wonderful, especially considering the amount of sleep that they had and they only practiced once before. This team comes together from all over the country so this was the first time we met together.

Later that day we were asked to lead a Sunday School class at Covenant Reformed Evangelical Church. It was led by Ben Prinz, a 16 yr old High School student on our team and Corrie and Andrew again provided music.
This church, led by Pastors Steve McGee and Ricky Goseign, ministers in a very poor area called "Carlsen Field". The children there live in mainly single parent homes and they are left alone most of the time. Most of the homes do not have running water, electricity or flush toilets. This is where we will be holding medical clinics for the week. These children are hungry for love and attention and are just precious! They loved Ben's Sunday School class! He was so animated and interactive with them. He will make a great pastor!

On Monday, we held our first clinic at Zaid and Sheri's home, a Muslim couple who are close friends of the McGees. One of the highlights of the day was watching Ben share the Gospel with a Muslim and a Hindu. Tom and Jess, 4th year medical students and Cindy, a Senior Nurse Practitioner student, saw patients as well as Dr Cal and Dr Karola. Linda, a Psychologist, provided counseling to many families. Aaron, a pre-med student took care of our eyeglass clinic, assisting Betsy in the lab when needed. Andrew, a 4th year Pharmacy student dispensed drugs in the pharmacy to the patients as needed. Corrie and Brenda, both nursing students from Anne Arundel Community College, took care of triage, taking vital signs and assisting in lab and other areas. Erin and Amber, both nurses, took charge of overseeing the students at triage.
All patients who came through our clinic were prayed with, because as you know, only the Lord is the Physician Healer, not us!

Later that evening Steve preached on "Perseverance in the Faith" at Covenant Church. Andrew, Karola, Ben and Cindy and others in the church (including some of the youth!) gave their testimonies. Andrew gave thanks for his grandmother (who died earlier that day ) ,who led his mother to the Lord and his mother led him to the Lord. It was an incredible evening! As we returned to the Morton House, where we are staying, it was close to Midnight and we watched the church Bell ring in the New Year and the fireworks.

Today, I write you from the McGee home where we are spending the first day of 2008. We have enjoyed music with 2 guitars and 2 steel drums and food from the US and Trinidad. The McGee family, our Missionary hosts here truly have a gift of hospitality!
Please continue to pray for our health, safety and busy clinic days.
We Love You and Miss you all!
Steve, Karen and the Trinidad Mission Team

Consider joining our team to Trinidad......

2007-09-25T12:27:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone,

We are preparing for yet another adventure for the Lord. Steve and I will lead a medical team through Mission to the World (MTW) to serve in Trinidad, West Indies from December 29, 2007 – January 6, 2008.

We are putting together a team of physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, nurses, pre-medical students, medical students and nursing students. Medical and non-medical folk are needed. If you would like to be part of the team please pray about it and call or drop an e-mail to us. The estimated cost of this trip is $1650 each, to cover travel expenses, food and project costs.

Trinidad is an island, located in the Caribbean just north of Venezuela. It has a multiethnic population, with many of African and East Indian descent.

We have been invited by Steve McGee, a Missionary Pastor who serves in West Indies Covenant Ministries, to serve the people by providing health care through medical clinics. We will share our testimonies and pray with the people as we spread the love of Jesus Christ.
The purpose of their ministry is evangelism, reformed church planting, and teaching. Steve is a professor at Grace Bible College in D’abadie, Trinidad, and hosts a twice weekly radio program, “West Indies Table Talk.”

We are excited about the challenges this trip offers to learn and grow. As Jabez prayed (I Chronicles 4:10), “…Bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.” In other words, push me, Lord, and expand my horizons. God granted Jabez’s request. We go knowing that we do nothing ourselves – only He does anything. We can only be instruments for His use, resting in the knowledge that He will guide and protect us.

If you would like to be stretched and grow in the Lord please consider joining our Medical Team to Trinidad.

Yours in Christ,

Karen and Steve McClure

home-410-987-0784
cell-410-991-9953
800 Cool Glade Ct.
Millersville, MD 21108
klmcclure@comcast.net

Acts 20:24
“But I do not consider my life of any account as dear to myself, so that I may finish my course and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify solemnly of the gospel of the grace of God.”

Don't miss this missions conference!

2007-09-24T06:31:00.000-07:00

MTW is sponsoring the third PCA Global Missions Conference on Nov. 16-18 in Atlanta. In 2004, the conference drew almost 2,000 people, and conference planners are preparing for up to 3,000 in 2007, reflecting the PCA's strong missions commitment.

The conference is designed for anyone age 13 or older with an interest in missions. Plenary messages by Dr. Richard Pratt and Dr. Paul Kooistra will offer inspiration, motivation, and challenge. Workshops will offer practical assistance and solid information about God's work around the world through PCA missions while pre-conference workshops will target specific ministries. And conference-goers are always grateful for the opportunity to join in worship together.

http://www.mtw.org/home/site/templates/default.asp?_resolutionfile=templatespathdefault.asp&area_2=public/General/2007MissionConf

Malaria Control Project and Ministry in Cambodia

2007-09-12T07:47:00.000-07:00

Dear Precious Family and Friends,

One of the most important parts of this trip has been our Malaria Control Project. The students in Myanmar were given mosquito nets to dip in Permethrin. Then they were dried and they will distribute them in their villages to families, especially those with children and pregnant women. Children and pregnant women are most at risk for death from dengue fever and malaria. This is very prevalent here. They have all known people in their villages to die from those diseases. A mosquito will die within 1 1/2 minutes after it lands on a treated mosquito net. This is the rainy season so mosquitos are especially bad now. Please pray that this will save many lives. Thank-you to all who donated money for this life saving project!

We are finishing up the last part of our journey in Cambodia. This week we joined a Church Planter, Lloyd Kim and his physician wife, Dr Eda Kim to encourage them and come alongside their ministry. Our team, led by Dr Ted Kuhn and Dr Sharon Kuhn, Medical Directors at MTW included Dr Doreen Mar (ER physician), Dr Soho Choi (Neurosurgeon), Dr Dale Knutson (Missionary Pediatrician) and wife Nancy, John Sexton (Nurse
Practitioner- Missionary) and myself. We provided medical care for 4 villages and were able to do lab work, provide medications and do ultrasound.
We had some very sick patients including a child who had 10 seizures daily, a woman with severe anemia who had been bleeding since her child was born 6 months ago, a man diagnosed with schizophrenia, many patients with high blood pressure, a baby with pneumonia to name a few. All children received Albendazole for worms and Vitamin A was given to boost their immune system.
Most of the people believe that if you have diarrhea you should not drink anything. Their philosophy is that if something is coming out of the body, do not put anything in. Consequently, children and adults can die of severe dehydration. We taught them that your body is made of mostly water and that you must drink "boiled water" if you have diarrhea.
We visited a man who had a stroke one month ago who is now on the mend. There were lots of people we saw who suffered amputations from land mines. Cambodia is the country with the highest amount of land mines. I was able to share my faith with each patient.

On Sunday, I went to a little village after church called "Prey Lavia". The Grace Christian Center (the Kim's church) have been holding a Bible Study there each week for children as well as adults. I was able to share my testimony. I shared about being a widow and being all alone and how God "was my husband". I was never really alone because He was all I really needed anyway as I drew on His strength and not my own. After I spoke I realized that the group I was speaking to was all women and one man. I was told by the leader that the men in the village went to the city for work and were not coming back. These women were all alone! God knew the message they needed to hear that day. We walked through the village and the women followed as we made home visits. This was a wonderful way to witness and establish relationships.

Today, John, Eda and I visited the University of Health Sciences and met with the Director of the Nursing School. He indicated that they would like to establish a relationship with another School of Nursing and maybe even have a "faculty exchange". They have a real need for Midwifery and Mental Health faculty as well as textbooks and overheads. This week when visiting villages we learned that most women deliver their babies at home where there is not a trained midwife present. There is a high rate of maternal death as a result.

In the afternoon we met with the Dean of the Medical School, Dr Seang Therrith. He shared with us that the Medical School was closed from
1975- 1980 and only 30 physicians in the entire country survived the Khmer Rouge! He was one one them and he and 3 others started the Medical School in 1980. All the country of Cambodia was affected by the Khmer Rouge. Many many people were tortured and executed at that time.

Well dear family and friends, this trip has come to an end. I'm excited to return home. I come back a changed person.
I will be home Sept 9. Please continue to e-mail or call. I am very encouraged by the many friends and family who have written and will join me on future mission trips. There is still room if you want to join our Trinidad team December 29 - January 6th.

I Love You and Miss you all!
Karen

Health Promoter Graduation and on to Cambodia

2007-09-12T07:44:00.000-07:00

Dear Precious Family and Friends,

I depart Yangon, Myanmar with sadness today. I am sad to say goodbye to Tial, Annie and Eden (their 20 yr old daughter and one of our translators and student). It is also hard to say goodbye to the students as we spent much time with them in the classroom and outside.
I had a great time as I taught one of my favorite subjects, birthing a baby. We took a baby doll and simulated a birth using a box with a womb carved out. I was able to purchase a fetascope to listen to baby's heartbeat. They also learned about how to care for the newborn, premature babies and emergencies. Many of the women will return to their villages and be the village midwife as well as the health promoter. The students shared that there are women as well as babies that die in their villages after and during childbirth. Hopefully some of the things I taught them will prevent this from happening.
Tial asked me to speak to the church on Sunday about how to stay healthy. I told the mothers and fathers to show their children how to keep clean, feed them nutritious food and have their children vaccinated. I encouraged them to boil all their water, brush their teeth and always wear sandals in order to prevent many common illnesses and injuries. I encouraged the teachers to teach the children these things. School children were asked to share what they learned with parents. I told them smoking causes cancer and is harmful to others as well. Too much alcohol causes many health problems and leads to much unhappiness. I ended by asking them to pray daily, have devotions together as a family and come to Church and Sunday School.
John preached on "Gratitude". Giving thanks shows our dependence on God. Giving thanks humbles us. If we recognize this, we become less envious and desirous of things. In all things, we can give thanks. God promises to be with us in all circumstances. He may not keep us from these things but he will bring good out of the evil. God may be bringing good to others in these circumstances. So give thanks for God's perfect love!
I know that when my husband died I could not give thanks but what I can give thanks for is how much I have grown since then as a result of my dependence on God.
On Wednesday we held a graduation ceremony with diplomas and pictures and a banquet. We prayed for each student that the Lord would care for them as they depend on His wisdom and strength to guide them.
We will now move on to Cambodia to provide medical care for poor villages there. Dr Ted Kuhn will be teaching an Ultrasound course to 22 Medical Residents. I was told by someone here that many of the physicians there have less training than a nurse and no license.
Thank-you for all your kind letters of encouragement. I really look forward to
reading them each day!

I Love you and miss you!
...Karen

Second Week of Teaching in Myanmar

2007-09-12T07:42:00.000-07:00

Dear Precious Friends and Family,

Christina, John and I are really enjoying teaching the students. We are
challenging them daily with case studies of patient scenarios and Health

Teaching. We know that they will learn more if we don't just stand up there and
lecture, but rather that we involve them in the process. So each day we have taught them a
different method of teaching, and given homework for them to come back to class the
next day and teach.

One night, for homework, the students were given a "First Aid" topic that each
had to present the next day. One student did a demonstration of the "Heimlich Maneuver"
(for a choking person) and another taught how to splint and cast a broken arm. Others did poster presentations or one-on-one teaching. We know that they will learn more by teaching and also our goal for them is to teach in their communities.

Tuesday was very interesting with the students. I split them into 2 groups and
asked them to come up with common illnesses and diseases in their villages and
their traditional treatments, and whether those treatments helped, hurt, or made no difference.
For diarrhea, they take opium, use guava leaves or other leaves...and yes it
helped. For a red eye, they take breast milk from a mom who has a son and place
it on the eye....it helped. For Diabetes, they drink their urine and spread it
on their body...in the morning ...it didn't make a difference. For Malaria...they eat
dog meat and drink the blood...sometimes it helped. For a cough...mustard oil and
ginger to the chest....it helped.

Yesterday I taught them about Health and Sicknesses of Children. I was very
surprised that all the diseases like measles, mumps and rubella (and others too) exist in
their villages. The ministry of Health sends a Health Worker out to the villages to vaccinate against these. I told them that the 3 most important things to teach to protect a child's health are cleanliness, good nutrition and vaccinations. I asked them to find out
when a Health Worker is coming to vaccinate in their village, and to go door to door
and ask families to bring their children so they don't die of a preventable childhood disease. I
ended by talking to them about how children learn and what can be taught--especially by their example of kindness, responsibility and sharing.
Teach them to pray...take them to Church and Sunday school so they will have the
love, support and encouragement of their church family. And hold family devotions. These
things will become part of their children's lives, and they will do the same when raising their own families.

On Wednesday we will have a graduation and banquet for the students. Please pray
for their health and stamina as well as ours. My roommate, Christina, was very sick this week, but praise God she is better now. Several students were also ill.

Thank-you for all your kind letters of encouragement. I really look forward to
reading them each day!

I Love you and miss you!
...Karen

Teaching Health Promoters in Myanmar

2007-09-12T07:41:00.000-07:00

Dear Precious Friends and Family,

We have now completed our first week of teaching Health Promoters here in Myanmar.There are 16 students in our class--about 9 men and 7 ladies. They have come from close and some from very far away villages. Most live at least 2 days from any medical care. For example, if a woman is having problems in childbirth, four men must carry her to the nearest medical care, probably 2 days away.By then, she or the baby may have died.We are teaching them everything including nutrition, first aid, medications, illnesses and diseases and how to care for the people, casting and childbirth to name a few. Our desire is that they will learn, use it in their village and teach others as well. On Saturday, we purchased stethescopes, Blood Pressure cuffs, thermometers, otoscopes, bandage scissors, pick-ups (tweezers) for their medical kits. Tomorrow, we will purchase medication for the kits.

It was a joy to be reunited with Tial, his wife, Annie and their children.Tial is the pastor of Reformed Presbyterian Church of Yangon and the President of the Seminary. I was here in 2001 with a medical team. Many churches have been planted since I was last here.

Yesterday, I was able to give my testimony at the church. John Sexton, our team leader preached about how God loves each of us and as we have opportunity, do good to others. We all have needs--the need for encouragement, money, spiritual care, help in the home, etc. How can we help each other in the family, church or neighbors? We need to reassure others of our love for them and God's love for them.

Please pray for us as we teach this course. We are rewriting lesson plans each night to meet the needs of the students and the culture. Also pray that we are not hampered by illness. Pray for the students that they can remain healthy. A few have been sick but have recovered.Pray for out families that we have left behind.

Thank-you so much for your encouragement and prayers! Keep those letters coming. They are so uplifting!

I Love You!
Karen

Our Kenya Team has returned home....

2007-06-15T14:16:00.000-07:00

Hello Prayer Warriors,

Our team has returned home safely after serving the Lord in the slums of Nairobi. We were stretched and have grown as we relied on the Lord’s strength and not our own. Because we know that if left up to us, we would not have left the safety of our own homes. Thank-you all for your prayers and support.

As I sat on the plane in Amsterdam (2nd leg of trip home) waiting for take off, the pilot spoke over the intercom “folks, we have been asked to return to the gate. This is a first for me, but apparently someone fell asleep at the gate and their luggage is on board. Security is telling me that a passenger cannot be separated from their luggage. So we will either pick up the passenger or download their luggage. We will also have to top off our gas, so it should be about 20 minutes.”

You could see the passengers grumbling, not happy for the wait. When we arrived at the gate, a sleepy eyed college age young man with a baseball cap pulled almost over his eyes came aboard. The pilot returned to the intercom with an update. “Folks it’s the pilot again. As we approached the gate, a brake light came on. If it is only the “light”, we will be out of here in 20 minutes. However, if it is the brakes, it will be at least 1 hour.”

A little later the pilot said “ Folks, it appears as if it is the brakes and I will keep you informed of time, give you something to eat and we will rebook any missed connections. Then the flight attendants opened the doors and brought sandwiches and beverages on board. No one was upset because it was beyond our control.

As we taxied out 3 ½ hours later, the pilot came back on the intercom and said “Maybe it was a blessing that the passenger fell asleep at the gate.”

Give God control of your life today and always. It will relieve anxiety and stress. He wants to handle it for you. I know that He does a much better job in handling things than I do anyway!

May God richly bless you as you give your stress and anxiety to Him.

Many Blessings,

Karen McClure and the Kenya Team

PS: All updates and some pictures will be placed on the blog:

www.thelordisthehealer2.blogspot.com

Effective Health Teaching Course

2007-06-13T18:53:00.000-07:00

Effective Health Teaching Course will be held July 23-29 in Cherokee, NC. For more information see www.mtw.org.

Registration form--mtw.org
Download the brochure-mtw.org

The Medical Ministry of Mission to the World seeks to share the love,
knowledge and power of our
Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, by...

. Giving mercy to the family of faith
• Augmenting church planting
• Ministering in word and deed

Saturday in Nairobi

2007-06-12T11:35:00.000-07:00

Hello Prayer Warriors,

Today was our last day of clinic and we spent it at Muthega, a little slum village. In fact it was probably our favoite village here in Nairobi. In the afternoon, we traveled to the boys and girls home that the Makukus started 4 years ago for orphans. I believe they have about 20 children in the age bracket of 7 yrs to 18 yrs. Two women that we worked with here, Carolyn and Purity are the house mothers.

Since it was Ariel's 21st birthday, we decided to have a birthday party for her. We had lunch and then Martha, Imboumi's wife carried the birthday cake out with the candles lit. The children's eyes were as big as saucers. I don't think they have ever had a birthday cake. We showered them with love and attention. We brought gifts and sang with them as Hazen played the guitar. The highlight was most definitely the soccor (football ) game. Our entire team and Imboumi and all the children played. We had so much fun! The children were so precious. They have so little and are so appreciative. Ariel (and us too) has a great memory for her 21st birthday.

Tonight we did the repacking thing. It is quite a chore for a medical team as we see who has room in their bag to carry medications and supplies back home in their bags. I just finished and sure am glad that it is all done. Tomorrow morning we will travel to Masa Mara on a safari. Please pray that it does not rain. Imboumi said the ride is a "bone breaker". It will be exciting to see another part of God's creation.

We will miss our friends here in Nairobi but will continue to pray for them and their ministry. It has been a trip of growth for each of us. We will never be the same person. God has certainly stretched us all.

This will be the last communication for this trip as we will fly out Monday evening to return home Tuesday. Please continue to pray for our health and safety.

Please know that we are praying for you.

We love you all and miss you!

Many Blessings,

Karen (McClure) and the Kenya Team

PS Third reminder--Families of our Missionaries please remind them when they return home to continue to take their Doxycycline daily for 30 days. Some have asked me to put it in an e-mail so they do not forget.

Friday in Nairobi

2007-06-12T11:33:00.000-07:00

Hello Prayer Warriors,

Today I shared a devotion with the team on encouragement and they agreed that it came at just the right time. Who needs encouragement in your life? Have you encouraged someone today? One of the girls wrote it on her hand so she could remember to be an encourager. It is something that scripture commands us to do.

We continued our clinic in Kawangware today. Ed and Ariel held Bible Club inside for the children as it was raining for a time. It was so much fun to see the children singing and playing games.

Lauren saw patients with Karen G and Katie worked with Anna. Mandy saw quite a few families.Hugh saw most of the male patients. The men really like being able to see a male provider.As usual the pharmacy was a busy place and Diane and Hazen did a great job keeping things under control.

I had to prescibe medication for a patient with typhoid fever and many patients come in and tell us they have either had malaria or they think they have it now. This is not a malaria endemic area becuase of the elevation.However if they go out of the area they do expose themselves to the mosquitos that carry malaria. I think all the Sudanese refugees have been exposed to malaria. We continue to see many patients with parasites and of course we are educating them on boiling their water and giving medication. There are so many orphans, it just breaks my heart.

After dinner and debriefing tonight the team sprung into action. Several washed all our clothes. (They will wash clothes here but the electricity was out before) We have clotheslines strung across the room. Others restocked what few medications we have left. And then there were the party planners....

Tomorrow afternoon we will drive to the girls and boys shelter that the Makukus started. Our plan is to have a BIG birthday party for Ariel (21st birthday!) and the children there. Hazen will take his guitar and we will play games and share music. We ordered a birthday cake and cupcakes (called "queens cake" here). The children will get to decorate them and eat them. The team has planned a puppet show. Hugh will make balloon animlas for the children. The highlight will probably be the soccor (football) game that Katie and Ed have planned for them. We also have gifts to bring them. We're excited! These children have very little and I pray that we can bring some joy and show the love of Christ to them.

Thank-you to everyone for all the gifts and other items that you donated. We gave Imboumi all the books for his library and he smiled from ear to ear! What a joy!

Please know that we are praying for you.

We love you all and miss you!

Many Blessings,

Karen (McClure) and the Kenya Team

PS Second reminder--Families of our Missionaries please remind them when they return home to continue to take their Doxycycline daily for 30 days. Some have asked me to put it in an e-mail so they do not forget.

Thursday in Nairobi

2007-06-12T11:30:00.000-07:00

Hello Prayer Warriors,

I thought I'd send a note a little earlier tonight. The electricity has been out all day and just came back on so I thought I should take advantage while I could. Today we were in a slum called Kawangware. There are Kenyans and Sudanese Refugees living there.

The Sudanese living here left Sudan 12 yrs ago and went to Uganda and then came to Nairobi 2 years ago. They left their country because the non-Muslim people were being slaughtered by the Muslim warlords. The Ethiopians went in and defeated the Muslim warlords in the last few years.

Each night someone on the team is responsible for "factoids". You are asked to share some fact about the country, culture or people. Tonight Ed shared a "factoid" about the Sudanese people.Many of them had scars onn their heads. The scars are made by spears and if they cry when it is done they are considered a lower class. Their bottom teeth are also removed. Very interesting factoid!

Today we saw a Sudanese man who was beaten by the police. A 45 yr old Christian patient named Susan came into the clinic, who had 4 grown adult children. She found a baby in the dumpster, rescued him and named him Moses. She brought him in to see Karen G. He is now 2 years old. Ariel and I had a patient who was caring for a 3 month old baby for a friend who died from malaria. It was a very busy day for all in the clinic.

I think the team is a little tired. We have a very full schedule. Each night we come home and shower, eat dinner, debrief and refill medication bags for the next day. Everyone usually take walks or runs and some do yoga to relax. We are staying on a compound which belongs to the Benedictine Sisters. There is an international representation here--Tanzania, Gemany, Uganda. They even have a Korean church service on Sunday. It is beautiful on this compound. The grounds are amazingly beautiful! It is very necessary for us to unwind and relax when the busy clinic day is over so God provided just the right place for us.

You must have been praying hard for us. The "fishes and the loaves" are evident! In other words, the medications are being stretched as well as our faith.

Tomorrow we will return to Kawangware. Please pray that the people would see Jesus through us.

May God richly bless you! We consider you part of our team as you support us in prayer. We could not do this without you dear friends and family!

We Love you and miss you all very much!

Karen (McClure) and the Kenya Team

Wednesday in Nairobi

2007-06-12T11:27:00.000-07:00

Hello Prayer Warriors,

Today we had a grand day in Kibera. We saw many men and women and the orphans they are caring for.It was our last day there so we had to say goodbye to some of our translators. We said goodbye as we usually do with a gift for each of them and a card. I brought wrapping paper and cards which had been part of an incredible ministry of Trisha McClure. She has now gone on to be with the Lord but I know she would have donated them and would be pleased that we are using them in Kenya.

Ariel saw a young very sick girl who was brought in to the clinic by her aunt. She now lives with her aunt as both parents are deceased from AIDS. We treated her, prayed with the family and hugged her. The people here just love the attention from us. I pray they see it not as us supplying them with medicines but more as the light of Jesus. We also saw a young AIDS patient who had a CD4 count of 10 with herpes in her eye and pneumonia. This is hard and can be draining to see these precious people so sick. We were able to give her Acyclovir and an antibiotic and pray with her.

Katie and Diane served as our pharmacists and were very busy as usual! Ed and Katie helped us register and triage patients with the help of a translator. Hugh saw male patients in a private office. Again, the men are very private and this is the only way some of them will come to the clinic. Anna, Lauren and Amanda and Karen G provided care for the patients and prayed for their needs. Anna and Hazen held a Bible Club for the children and made puppets.

One of the most incredible ministries is the use of a poloroid camera on the mission field. Diane Davis' Sunday school class donated a Polaroid camera and film to her for use in ministry. She took pictures of the families and children and gave them a picture. Now imagine the look on their faces when they see this picure. It brought tears to my eyes. Many of them have never seen a photo, let alone of themselves. I don't know if they even have a mirror. This is the slums of Kibera!

Hugh and I went to the bank to exchange money today for the team and ministry needs and they took a photo of me with the money. The exchange rate today was $0.64 shillings/dollar. So I had quite a wad of cash!

We are running out of medications and money to purchase them with (team funds) so please pray that the Lord would provide. We have prescribed a lot of medications here and had to purchase more today.

A young woman in our clinic today needed to have an X-Ray of her hip to identify if she had a fracture. She had suffered abuse at the hands of her husband. She may only have 1 meal each day so you know that she did not have money for an X-Ray. We donated money to send her for an X-ray.

Please pray for our team. We get up early each morning and have devotions and breakfast together and then leave for the clinic.We usually go all day until 1:30- 3:30 PM until we eat lunch. Please pray for our stamina. We are sometimes asked to do things that are out of our comfort zone. For example- prepare talks without much notice, prepare a skit for Bible Club, counseling patients, etc. We sometimes do not know where we can get the materials to prepare. But somehow...the Lord provides! I guess this is how we learn and grow. But doesn't it just feel so good to have a plan and stick with it? We would never grow if we left it to ourselves. Step out of your comfort zone......

Well enough for tonight. Please know that we are praying for you.

We love you all and miss you!

Many Blessings,

Karen (McClure) and the Kenya Team

PS Families of our Missionaries please remind them when they return home to continue to take their Doxycycline daily for 30 days. Some have asked me to put it in an e-mail so they do not forget.

Tuesday in Nairobi

2007-06-12T11:23:00.000-07:00

Good Morning Prayer Warriors,

Today we were back in Kibera. We mainly saw AIDS and HIV + patients. The patients that attend the support group here are very educated about AIDS by Mary, one of the church members, who leads the support group. They all know their CD4 counts and what will make them better. If their CD4 count is below 200 that will give them a diagnosis of AIDS. Then they will be placed on ARV drugs with the hope that they will raise their CD4 count above 200. If not, their immune system will not be able to fight off disease and they will be very sick.

Ariel and Katie taught a class on Sexually Transmitted Diseases to a group of women and it was very interactive. The patients asked lots of questions and they all enjoyed it. Diane and Hazen had a backyard Bible Club for the students in the school on their break and after school. Over 100 children were present and had a great time.

The pharmacy is probably one of the busiest places here at the clinic. Lauren was the "pharmacist" yesterday and most of the patients were prescribed at least three drugs.

The clinic is very busy and it can be exhausting at times. Karen, Mandy, Anna and Hugh saw a record number of patients yesterday. Today we will not be seeing as many patients. There are many coming to know the Lord through our presence here. That is the most exciting thing. It is not all about practicing medicine because we know that the Lord is the healer.

When we closed the clinic and school was out, Ed held a group counseling session for all the workers and teachers. He talked to them and discussed abused, raped, defiled amd escaped children and how to listen, talk to and counsel them.

Most of the women here have been raped or assaulted as children first and then later as adolescents and young women. Some of the families will even prostitute their children out for money. Many of the women contracted HIV from their husbands who have either died or have abandoned their
families.

Hugh saw the men patients in a private area and that was a blessing. The hope is that this will bring more men into the church. The church has a lot more women and children than men. We pray that we can be the light of Jesus to these men and all and they will know that they are loved unconditionally in spite of their HIV status.

We are running out of medicines in some categories and are going to the local
hospital pharmacy to see about buying more on the way to clinic in the morning.
We do not have unlimited Pray that they will have the meds we need..

Please continue to pray for us, especially in the area of spiritual warfare.
Many of our patients today had amulets or bracelets they have purchased by the
witch doctors. We cut most of them off and discarded them. The witch doctors
will not be happy.

We Love you and miss you dear friends and family!

We feel your prayers. Please don't stop praying!,

In Christ,

Karen (McClure) and the Kenya Team

Monday in Nairobi

2007-06-12T11:18:00.000-07:00

Hello Prayer Warriors,

Today we were in another slum of Nairobi called Makura Kayaba. Our patient population was primarily AIDS patients. The church has an AIDS support group here and there is also a school here.

Before we left to travel to our clinic, Ed shared a devotion on "Weakness". It helped us all to share our weaknesses. When we share it helps others to know that we all have weaknesses and struggles. It made me think of Paul talking of his weaknesses in 1 Corinthians 2. Oh how I can relate! Each of will share a devotion on this mission trip in the morning and then will share at the clinic as well.

We saw a patient today named Evelyn who has 2 sets of twins, a set of triplets and another child. She also had a child die in the past year. She lives with AIDS and breast cancer. Please keep her in your prayers. We saw another patient named Esther who is very angry. Her mother is Muslim and abused her and she was raped by her father. I assisted Dr. Karen G with a small surgical procedure called an I and D. Karen and I both love surgery and the patient was very stoic.

In the areas that we work, almost every female has been physically and sexually abused. They have sexually transmitted infections and there is a lot with AIDS. We do not treat AIDS because the patients are treated at the clinic. There are still many that will not go to the clinic to get diagnosed. For about $1/day the government will provide the drugs called ARV's. What we are treating is oportunistic infections.

You will probably not see pictures of the walk that we take to the medical clinic because the people are sensitive to their living conditions and we respect them.We must walk through streams of garbage, human excrement, chickens, dogs, etc to get to where we are going. It can be terribly nauseating but we must look past that. I am just eager to serve God in Kenya.

We are enjoying working here with Pastor Imboumi Makuku, his wife Martha, Pastor Patrick, Wycliff and James with the African Evangelical Presbyterian Church. Every day is and adventure and if you dont't like adventures and like to handle problems yourself and not ask the Lord for help, then this is no place for you. This is what increases my faith and grows me spiritually.

After we closed the clinic today we came back to the Guest house and Imboumi gave us a cultural orientation. He talked about Spiritual warfare here. Satanic shamans and witch doctors and cults are everywhere and in the open. Many of the Christians still try to keep a foot in both camps. They believe that if anything out of the
ordinary happens that it is because someone has put a spell or a hex on them or
one of the gods is angry with them. They then take their scarce monies and go
to the witch doctor to buy a counter spell. They wear amulets to protect themselves
from evil.

We asked Imboumi, how does a Kenyan get married? He said, you ask the girl to marry you. Then you must go to her parents with an elder person and negotiate a dowry. For example, the family may decide that you must give a "gift" of 14 cattle or goats to the parents for your bride. To all those who have daughters and have to pay for weddings in the states...come to Kenya where you actually receive a "gift" for your daughter.

Please pray for our day tomorrow. Besides our medical clinic, Ariel and Katie will be teaching a group about STD's and Lauren and Hazen will teach another group about Hygiene.Diane will teach the children, about the Bible and Ed, our counselor will meet with teachers to discuss topics surrounding abused, defiled and escaped children. Hugh is providing care for a group of men who probably all have STD's but will only be seen by a male provider.

We Love you and Miss you all!

May God richly bless you,

Karen (McClure) and the Kenya Team

Sunday in Nairobi

2007-06-12T11:17:00.001-07:00

Good Morning Prayer Warriors,

Just a short note to tell you not to worry. I usually send a note sooner however our electricity was out most of the evening and all night. We had a great Lord's Day-Sunday which was actually Pentacost Sunday. The team sang like angels. Ariel gave her testimony and Imboumi translated for her. She is a born speaker! She was a little concerned because of translating it to the culture here. All eyes were focused on her so I think that was indication enough that it was greatly received. Katie will give her testimony this week. I have great pictures and we will be sending pictures to Katie to make a disc so we can share in our churches and with friends and family.

Hazen preached and the sermon was translated into Swahilli by Imboumi. Now Hazen is very young and his sermon was preached with emotion and vigor that only the Lord could have spoken through him. Who knows what God has in store for his future.

Thank-you friends and family for sending encouraging e-mails. I will try to answer but we are so busy that its difficult.

I had to laugh last night after the electricity when out. We still had work to do to prepare for today. I looked over and there was Lauren wearing her headlamp making teaching materials for today..Diane and Karen G were refilling our medicines--actually counting meds and putting in bags. Others were wrapping gifts for our translators. Precious moments.....Only in Nairobi.......

Well it is 6:10 AM and I must sign off to do my devotions and help the team prepare for the day.

We Love you and Miss you all!

May God richly bless you today and always,

Karen (McClure) and the Kenya Team

Saturday in Nairobi

2007-06-12T11:15:00.000-07:00

Hello Prayer Warriors,

I guess you are wondering what happened to the attachment from last night's e-mail. Well I wonder myself. It must be the dial up connection that didn't allow it to go through. If I can post pictures to my blog tomorrow, then I will send a link.,otherwise it will have to wait until I return home. So sorry....

Today we held a medical clinic in Muthiga, a village in Nairobi. After driving up red very muddy, rocky hills and mountains here, I don't think I will ever complain about a road in Maryland again. Pastor Imboumi calls them "bone breakers". By the way, we are at 8,000 feet elevation here. No one on the team has been bothered by it, though.

Each day in clinic is an adventure . We always go in with a plan and know we must be "semper gumby". What is that you ask? It means that things are always changing so we must be very patient and very flexible. But the good news is that through this process God is changing us. He is refining us and will give us a peace about things that used to give us anxiety. We learn to relinquish control to God, our father in Heaven. Today it was the pharmacy again that we had to revise. We were seeing both adults and children and set up 4 provider stations and Dr. Karen G, Amanda-RN, Anna- RN and Hugh-RN saw patients and prescribed medications. I believe they saw over 70 patients and prayed for them as well.

Ariel, Katie and Lauren rotated between registration and taking patient history's and working with one of the providers. Each one of them are growing more confident with their skills and most important to me is the love that I see in them for the people. They are truly sharing the love that Jesus shared with the people. Some removed stitches, treated parasites (intestinal worms), bacterial infections, many skin infections and lacerations just to name a few.

Ed worked and played (and evangelized) with the children and I understand they just loved him. Hazen assisted Diane in the pharmacy, which is one of the busiest places to work here.

Something to behold is the smile on the face of a 46 year old woman, nearing the end of her life (average life span of a woman here is 48 yrs), when she puts on a pair of glasses and can see clearly! We had the joy of seeing that on quite a few faces.

Again today I was "floating" team leader, which means that I took the reponsibility of managing the clinic, medical consultant and floating to whichever station needed assistance to keep things moving smoothly. For those of you who know me well, you know how I multi-task.

At the end of clinic we were treated to African tribal music with drums and chanting/singing which involved clapping and jumping and was very lively! What a way to end a day!

You will be pleased to know that my luggage was delivered to the convent here today. Sister Bonnie sent a paid driver to the airport and he was there for 8 1/2 hrs just to retrieve my luggage! What a wonderful patient man. He made it possible for me to have clean clothes and other things. But you know that God has supplied all my needs through my wonderful teamates who gave me clothes, protein bars to eat, shoes, etc and I didn't even need to go shopping.

Praise God that nobody has been sick We are very strict about what we eat and we treat our own drinking water. Since we have followed this policy we have an almost 0% sick rate.

Tomorrow is the Lord's day and I am excited that we will be singing and Hazen will play his guitar. Hazen will also preach and Ariel will share her testimony. They will do this through a Swahilli translator, which is not always easy. Please pray for the team again tomorrow.

Please send me or the team an e-mail if you can dear family and friends as we are praying for you too daily.

We Love you all and miss you!

May God richly bless you,

Karen (McClure) and the Kenya Team

First Day in Kenyan Clinic

2007-06-12T11:12:00.000-07:00

Hi prayer warriors,

Thank-you so much for praying for us! We had a great first day in the clinic today. Our purpose was to screen children and their teachers in the Kibera Reformed Presbyterian Church School. For most of us, the trek into the school was an eye opener. There was waste that runs like a river through this very large slum area.I myself have been doing mission work around the globe since 1995 and have never seen poverty like this. We thought that we would see a lot of children with scabies and lice and profound malnutrition. We were surprised to see that although they were malnourished, we did not see the red hair, thin limbs and other things we typically see in profound malnutrition. They have a feeding program at the school so the children are getting at least 5 good meals each week. We also did not see any children with scabies or lice. Karen G saw a little girl that was crying and found out that the girls parents both have AIDS. One out of every 3 people has AIDS. Every child was given Albendazole, a medication for intestinal worms.I have attached a picture of a little boy. Tomorrow I will try to send more.

Hazen, a young man on our team will preach in church this Sunday and next. He has been blessing us with his guitar music and sweet spirit. Hugh, my co-team leader, wife Diane and twin daughters, Amanda and Anna have been joys to work with. We have a large pharmacy and the pharmacist has a really big job, especially on the first day. Diane was a trooper, cutting pills and bagging them as drugs were prescribed. Anna and Amanda worked with the patients and mentored the students here. Katie is a fast leaner and learned head to toe assessments, as did Lauren. Ariel is in her junior year of nursing school and perfected her skills. She and Hazen are also leading our music and we will sing in the church on both Sundays.We are blessed to have Ed, a counselor on our team. Today he and Hazen did the eyeglass clinic and the children just loved them. Next week, Ed will be counseling AIDS patients and the staff.

We are blessed to have you supporting us in prayer. We could not do this without you! Please pray for:
1-Continued team unity and flexibility
2-That the people would see the love of Jesus in us
3- Safety
4-That we would change and grow spiritually. I am never the same person when I return home!
5- Be with our families
6- Be with us as we care for the people, evangelize and teach in the clinic.
7- That my luggage would be delivered tomorrow. ( I thank my friends here for supplying me with what I need.)

If you feel that the Lord may be calling you to go on a mission trip, Steve and I will lead another trip, with students and others Dec, 29- Jan. 6 to Trinidad. Please consider praying about that. We welcome, physicians, students, nurses, pastors, youth leaders, counselors and we definitely need non-medical people.

We pray also for you dear friends and family!
We love you and miss you!

Many Blessings,
Karen (McClure) and the Kenya team

Thursday May 24-Arrival in Nairobi

2007-06-12T11:10:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone,

Just a quick note to let you know we arrived safely in Nairobi, Kenya on Thursday May 24 at 7:30 PM. Nairobi is 8 hrs ahead of east coast time. Imboumi and his family met us at the airport and drove us to Subiaco Guest House, a former convent. We were greeted by Sister Bonnie who made sure we had a hot meal of goat, rice and bread.

I was hoping to send pictures but this is dial-up. I'll post pictures when I return.

Please pray for:

1- Karen McClure's bag to arrive in the morning. It has clothing and all personal items.

2-Pediatric clinic that we will do tomorrow in the school.

3-Health and safety of the team.

4- Be with our families that we left behind. I especially pray for Ashley as she takes intensive summer classes. If anyone would like to assist with child care so she can study please call her.

Many Blessings to you my little prayer warriors. I feel covered in prayer.

Karen

Thursday, May 24-Arrival in Nairobi

2007-06-12T11:07:00.000-07:00

Betsy's Newsletter about our Mission Trip to Trinidad

2007-05-13T16:23:00.000-07:00

About the Father’s Business…
...in Trinidad

Prayer-Newsletter of
Betsy Christiansen
Medical Missionary
to Latin America

Volume 5 Issue 1
May 2007

Your prayers and financial gifts allowed me to serve
in Trinidad in April, on the southernmost island in the
Caribbean where the Spirit drew >500 to our clinics. My
colleagues shared God-given gifts with patients, and He
blessed me as Team Leader with sacrificial, servant-hearted
and cheerfully-flexible teammates.

Meet God’s mosaic: MDs John Buckingham, Sharon
Kuhn, Jeff Lee;, Mourad Nessim; NP Karen McClure; RNs
Linda Arial, Courtney Cole, Clayton Jackson, Karen
LeBlanc; versatile administrator Cheryl Erb, dietitian Dina
Sunderland; ‘Eye-Guys’ John Fender,Bryan McReynolds;and Laura Singleton,
evangelist.

We came alongside resident missionaries Pastor Steve McGee, his wife Adanna and children Hannah, Joshua, Geneva; Trinidad pastors Thom,
Hosein, and Gosyne; and, Dr. Beharry.

Our first reminder to depend on God alone came
when Customs officials held 90% of our meds. Preapproval
documents had not been delivered despite Steve
and Dr. Beharry following Ministry of Health protocol.
Why? Let’s just call it “the fallen state of man.”
But this did not stop the Lord’s ministry! In
addition to providing 390 eye exams and Rx or reading
glasses, praying with the hurting, and sharing the gospel in
predominantly Muslim and Hindu communities, God did
a loaves and fishes miracle: 4 bottles of Ibuprofen lasted 4
days for 400 patients, most of whom presented with
musculoskeletal pain! We also had respiratory and cardiac
meds, and Dr. Lee shared, “Whenever I went to the
pharmacy table, I found just what I needed!”

By God’s providence, patients also were generally not too sick.
Trinidad is a land of spiritual darkness. Our team
encountered it daily in little or big ways, including severe
knife-like pain in Dr.Beharry’s ankle early on clinic day 3.
It abated when a Bible study brother came to pray for him.
and he was soon able to get up for more ministry with us.

Dr. Kuhn shared at the close of one clinic day, “I sense a
real tug-of-war going on for souls, as patients tell me, ‘one
week I go to church; the next week to [Hindu] temple.’”

I wondered why 25 year old Leera sat non-verbal
and at a distance from her mom, her toddler daughter and
4 year old son. Leera’s face reflected deep sadness. I introduced
myself, thanked her for coming and, silently praying,
sat awhile with her. When Leera blurted, “I’m pregnant and
don’t want to be,” the grandmother had already consulted
with Dr. Buckingham about the 16 month old’s 5-day fever.
So I asked Leera if our female doctor could give her a
check-up. I got crackers for her nausea and set up a private
exam area. Leera’s face was slightly brighter after her time
with Dr. Kuhn, and she agreed to come back for labs the
next day. That evening the team prayed for Leera and her
10-week pre-born baby. She didn’t return to clinic.

In Charlieville the McGee’s best friends and Muslim
neighbors Zaid and Sherry Ann demonstrated generous
hospitality in opening their home as a clinic site. Steve
gained credibility as a loving Christian who brought free
and compassionate care to their community. Lord willing,
we also reflected Christ’s redemptive love and demonstrated
His free grace.

In this mixed Hindu and Muslim community a
Christian drove his 92 year old blind, lame Uncle Charlie to
see us. I took vital signs while seated on the running board,
then Dr. Buckingham knelt to examine and pray with him,
and treat his arthritis. His nephew told us, “Charlie is
disturbed by demons and night terrors despite my telling
him about Jesus.” Adanna and Clayton again
shared the hope of Christ,but Charlie kept saying, “I
can’t believe in a God who could be killed!” He couldn’t
grasp that God sent His Son to die and rise again so to
break the power of sin and darkness. Charlie went away still bound,
but with a nephew determined to continue sharing the gospel with him.

go. connect. engage.

PRAISES...
• • God’s grace in equipping us for ministry with the McGees and Trinidadian believers

If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God.
If anyone serves he should do it with the strength God provides,
so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ.
To Him be the glory and the power forever …Amen. 1 Peter 4:11

PRAYER REQUESTS…
• God’s favor and provision for the McGees, reformed pastors and Grace Bible College
• Salvation for Charlie, Leera and her 3 children, and all those who heard the gospel for the first time gospel with scores of children in Carlson
Fields. Many were effectually ’street kids.’ Steve Jadoo, his wife Nanda
and their children gave their home and yard totally over to
us so we might serve their neighbors. Steve was also our excellent
van driver all week, and, with further hospitality,
Nanda prepared us a delicious Trinidadian lunch that day!
We get to serve (and enjoy!) the family of faith, too.
Patient Ann Marie and I (page 1) called ourselves “Salt and
Pepper” after getting to know each other. And I made 2 more
friends with just a bag of reading glasses, hugs and prayers.
Nicholine and Alice visited us in D’Abadie.Nicholine’s daughter
Christiann had an equally beautiful smile and faith after 17 cleft
lip/palate surgeries in 17 years! (Please pray for
Christiann’s last surgery scheduled this July.)
Thank you and bless you for joining this ministry of Word and deed with our church planters!

How may I pray for you?

Effective Health Teaching Course in Cherokee, NC

2007-05-05T19:35:00.000-07:00

From Cherokee to Hobbema

We are planning to take a small health teaching team to Hobbema in the fall with counselors and other health professionals who are eager to listen and show love and encouragement to the Cree.

Before we return to Hobbema we will be having an “Effective Health Teaching Course” in Cherokee, NC July 23 to 28 for people who would like to incorporate health teaching on medical mission trips. This will be good preparation for health teaching teams to Hobbema and to other places in the world.
Pray that we will be well prepared for this course, and that we express clearly important concepts of teaching.

The Cree People in Hobbema, Canada

2007-05-05T19:32:00.000-07:00

The Cree People

In March, Elizabeth Sexton, RN and Karen McClure, a nurse practitioner with MTW, visited Hobbema, a cluster of four Cree Indian reservations where snow stays on the ground from October to March, where 80% of the people are unemployed and where Marcus Toole, the only MTW missionary in Canada, seeks to bring the hope of the gospel. Marcus invited us to Hobbema for a needs assessment where 60% of the adults have diabetes and they had the highest suicide rate in North America for 10 years. The assessment would enable us to follow up with health teaching teams.

In Hobbema we learned that “medicine” has more to do with witchcraft and curses than to do with modern medicine. There are about 300 medicine people and about 300 Christians in a population of 15,000. There are over one million Cree and Hobbema is a center of the traditional native spirituality. Marcus’ prayer and goal is that a church planting movement would begin in Hobbema and spread from there to other Cree reservations and native communities.
The Cree Christians love to pray and their prayers are filled with such honesty to God in a way I have rarely seen anywhere. At Jesus Church, where Marcus is the pastor, prayer time is sincere, honest, not rushed and with great faith in God. Tina asked for prayer for her nephew who was stabbed by a gang member. Eva asked for protection from the medicine people that are upset because she wrote her testimony in a book called Out of Darkness into His Marvelous Light.
Pray for Marcus Toole as he disciples the new believers and for more people to join him in his work.

Peter and Trina: From Despair into Joy
One of the families we visited was Peter and Trina and their 3 young sons. They asked that we pray for them and their home that Jesus would fill them and their home instead of the conflicts, the demons, the addictions and the abuse. Sunday morning they walked into church hand in hand with their faces glowing as they rejoiced how God had changed their lives.

Pray for Trina and Peter for spiritual growth and strength against addictions and that Peter can use his musical abilities for God’s glory.

Please pray for our Medical Team to Kenya

2007-05-04T08:31:00.000-07:00

Hello Faithful Prayer Warriors,

On May 23, I will be departing for Nairobi, Kenya in East Africa for two weeks. I was asked by Mission to the World to lead a medical team of 10, along with Hugh Davis to serve the people there in the slum area of Kibera. Our team is comprised of students, nurses, a counselor, non-medical people, a physician and myself, a nurse practitioner. We were invited by Imboumi Makuku, Pastor of the African Evangelical Presbyterian Church, to serve the people by providing health care through medical clinics and home visits. We will share our testimonies and pray with the people as we spread the love of Jesus Christ.

Nairobi is the capital of the east African country of Kenya, with a population of 3 million. Kibera, located in Nairobi, is one of the largest slums in the world, with an estimated 1 million people living on about 4 square miles. The average Kibera resident lives on about one dollar a day. The housing there is owned by slumlords who extract rent from the residents.

One out of three people in Kibera is HIV positive and there are about 50,000 AIDS orphans in the slum. Most of the families are headed by women and young men have no role models. Many of the men are alcoholics who have abandoned their families. Life expectancy is 48-49 years.

We are excited about the challenges this trip offers to learn and grow. We go knowing that we do nothing ourselves – only He does anything. We can only be instruments for His use, resting in the knowledge that He will guide and protect us.

Please pray for us, as we anticipate physical, medical and spiritual challenges. Specifically, pray that God will be with, and care for, our families in our absence; that we’ll be safe and secure in our travels; that we’ll be protected from disease and ill health; and that the Love of Jesus Christ will be evident in us to the people we serve and care for.

I could not do this work without your prayers and support! Thank-you so much!

Yours in Christ,

Karen McClure

Are you delighting in God today?

2007-05-01T04:22:00.000-07:00

The great sin of the world is not that the human race has failed to work for God so as to increase His glory, but that we have failed to delight in God so as to reflect His glory.

John Piper

A picture of Jeremiah and me in our clinic in Trinidad

2007-04-27T10:13:00.000-07:00

Picture of Zaid and Sherry Ann

2007-04-18T04:27:00.000-07:00

Zaid and Sherry Ann will host a medical clinic in their home in Trinidad next week. Along with them in this picture is Pastor Steve McGee and his wife,Adanna.

One week until I leave for Trinidad.....

2007-04-14T15:15:00.000-07:00

April 8, 2007,

Hello Faithful Prayer Warriors,

I am preparing for yet another adventure for the Lord. I will be part of a medical team of 15 with Mission to the World (MTW) to serve in Trinidad, West Indies, from April 21-29. Trinidad is an island that is 6% Muslim, located in the Caribbean just north of Venezuela. It has a multiethnic population, with many of African and East Indian descent.

We have been invited by Steve McGee, a Missionary Pastor who serves in West Indies Covenant Ministries. The purpose of their ministry is evangelism, reformed church planting, and teaching. Steve is a professor at Grace Bible College in D’abadie, Trinidad, and hosts a twice weekly radio program, “West Indies Table Talk.” He lives in a predominantly Muslim community with his wife and 3 children. They have built relationships with their Muslim neighbors, and one especially – Zaid – who owns a small shop in the community.

Zaid and his family are willing to open up an area near their little shop to host our medical team. We plan to spend 2 days ministering in the McGee’s community at Zaid’s shop, and 2 days at the Bible College where we will minister to the staff/students and the surrounding community there.

Not too long ago, we learned that Zaid and his wife Sherry were expecting their first grandaughter. We were later told that the baby died in childbirth. Please pray that I will be able to spend time with the family and be an instrument of God’s peace.

This week, Steve and Dr. Beharry (a friend of Steve’s) will be obtaining our medical licenses and obtaining a letter from the Ministry of Health that will enable us to practice medicine and send our supplies through customs. Please pray that this process will go smoothly.

We are excited about the challenges this trip offers to learn and grow. As Jabez prayed (I Chronicles 4:10), “…Bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.” In other words, push me, Lord, and expand my horizons. God granted Jabez’s request. We go knowing that we do nothing ourselves – only He does anything. We can only be instruments for His use, resting in the knowledge that He will guide and protect us.
Please pray for us, as we anticipate physical, medical and spiritual challenges. Specifically, pray that God will be with, and care for, our families in our absence; that we’ll be safe and secure in our travels; that we’ll be protected from disease and ill health; and that the Love of Jesus Christ will be evident in us to the people we serve and care for.

I could not do this work without your prayers and support! Thank-you so much!

Yours in Christ,

Karen McClure

Acts 20:24
“But I do not consider my life of any account as dear to myself, so that I may finish my course and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify solemnly of the gospel of the grace of God.”