Newsletter August 2014
Since my arrival back in Timor on 24 June God has blessed Alina, Marta & I with a continual flow of friends to work alongside us in Weberek.
Praise God for the safe arrival of Fransisca’s 7th baby. Lauren, Alina, Marta & I worked in two teams to attend Fransisca’s long labour. Early on the 9 July, we made the decision to transport Fransisca to a medical clinic 40mins from Weberek due to a prolonged labour. The family agreed three hours later. On arrival to the clinic a healthy baby girl was born. Descent had been slow due to a problem with the uterus which prolapsed following birth. We returned to Weberek with Mum & baby two hours following the birth.
We were blessed with the annual visit of a team from Peak Hill led by Geoff Steventon. The Mayor of Parkes, NSW, Ken, joined the team again this year to meet with the new Chief of Weberek, Chief Antero to renew the Friendship Agreement between Weberek and Parkes. A village meeting was held during the teams visit to give the people an opportunity to express their views and after a lengthy meeting there was general agreement among the people for the chief to sign the friendship renewal agreement.
Photo, back row, left to right, Manuela,Filamenu, Maria, Lewis, Lewis, Josephina, Celestina,
Marcus, front row: Sabina & Lorenzu.
We received a call to attend Lucia’s labour about 2200hrs on 18 July. On examination a footling breech presentation was diagnosed (foot first rather than the head) with a probable grade 1 or 2 placenta praevia as there were several episodes of bleeding prior to the birth. We transported Lucia to the Wederberek Clinic where she was examined by a Timorese midwife and local doctors and the foot presentation was confirmed. An ambulance was contacted and we met the ambulance on the road between Wederberek and Same hospital. The ambulance had a flat tyre which was replaced with a spare tyre that was not inflated much more than the flat tyre that had just been removed. We followed the ambulance for awhile as a back up vehicle until a second ambulance was deployed to meet the first ambulance. Praise God, for the safe arrival of a baby girl (feet first) at 0600hrs on 19 July. Lauren and I arrived back in Weberek at 0500hrs. The following day we drove Lucia and her baby and support group home to Weberek.
On 28 July Lauren returned to Australia and on 29 July I returned to Weberek with Anne, (the Norwegian nurse who I worked with in Weberek from February 2005 to November 2009), and her friend, also from Norway, Hildagunn. Their visit was very much a blessing to both us and the people in Weberek. Anne and Hilda have now continued their onward journey to Northern Thailand where Anne is now continuing to serve God in the area of health care.