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
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
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