How did it get to be February?

I find myself saying these kind of things more and more – but then I hear that from everyone else too!

It is not enough to be busy. So are the ants. The question is: What are we busy about? 
Henry David Thoreau

January was a particularly busy month for us!   Doctors headed to Cameroon, Uganda and Tanzania.  Our new class begins today with the arrival of Dr. Antoinette Lullo and Dr. Brian Medernach who drove in from Chicago on Friday.  They will be here in Los Angeles for four months for the formation program, will be commissioned in May, and will then begin a three year assignment to Peru.

We are also preparing for the Religious Education Congress, our Annual Retreat / Seminar, the Appreciation Brunch, working with the Auxiliary for the Annual Benefit, well the list goes on and on… but, I think we can answer the question of: What are we busy about?

We are busy with the Mission of Mission Doctors – A Mission of Healing – A Partnership of Hope! 

Thanks to all who help us make the work possible!

Lent is just around the corner….

Mother's Day Around the World

Mother's Day in the US is this Sunday, May 9, an opportunity for children of all ages to appreciate their own mothers and celebrate the role of mothers around the world. And while my own Mother's Day will be filled with a few of my favorite things; family, good food and just a little time to relax, my thoughts will inevitably travel not only to my own mother but to all mothers. 



The State of the World's Mother's report recently came out reporting the best and worse places in the world to be a mother. The report ranks 160 countries based on health, nutrition, education and political data. Our own country, the US, ranked 14 in the developed world, while 8 of the lowest ranking are Countries in Sub Saharan Africa.

• A women giving birth in Cameroon has a 1 in 100 chance of dying in childbirth, a number 100 times greater than the US.

• The life expectancy of a women in Zimbabwe is now 44 years, up from a previous record shattering 35 years just a few years ago.

• A mother in Uganda faces an infant mortality rate 10 times greater than a child born in the US, and a risk that her child will die before their 5th birthday is 131 in 1000, vs. 8 in 1000 in our country. *

Mission Doctor, Brent Burket, M.D., now working in Guatemala wrote recently in his blog about the lives of the mothers he has observed there. The pace of their day from the moment that they awake to the time they go to bed, their tasks to collecting water, moving to the water’s edge to wash clothes, collecting wood for a cooking fire, preparing meals – every moment of every day part of their efforts to provide for their families and this is where he notes there exists the similarity between his own mother, sisters and wife, their care for the family.

Mothers everywhere are striving to provide for their children. Most mothers around the world however are not as fortunate as I am, having four healthy married adult children. As I reflect on this time with my children and their spouses this Sunday, my heart is overflowing with gratitude for what I have, and I feel the need to raise a prayer for mothers everywhere.

Those who struggle today to bring life into an uncertain world, those who sit at the bedside of a sick child, and those who are facing - what in our hearts we know to be the most unnatural order - laying a child to rest. May we find ways to support women around the world through our prayers and actions to make the world a safer and healthier place for all mothers and their children.

Christmas Gift

A newlywed couple, Dr. Mark and Mrs. Sheila Bisanzo from Massachusetts recently shared how they are experiencing Advent and preparing for Christmas in Uganda. Sheila commented “...we're grateful for the opportunity to enjoy the essence of Christmas and the renewal it brings without the overwhelming American distractions of buying and spending”.

I remember Christmas during our time in Thailand, now almost 30 years ago, with the same joy that Sheila recalls. There is something liberating about being removed from what we take for granted and have come to believe must be part and parcel of the 'traditional' holiday. Shopping, wrapping, planning, mailing, often accompanied by stress that can overtake the meaning of the Holy day. Removing all these made it easier to stay focused on what we are really celebrating - 'that God so loved the world that he sent his only Son...'

In the years since returning to Southern California, I can’t say I’ve always kept this perspective during Advent and Christmas, especially as my kids were growing up, wanting to create perfect memories for them. As I take a step back and look at all of the holiday that have come and gone, I know that Christ has been at the center, even if we were momentarily distracted. Taking the time to slow down and be grateful (even after staying up until 3 a.m. wrapping gifts and making cinnamon rolls...), we have been given the opportunity to express to each other the love that God has for each of us.

There is a special gift that those serving at Christmas receive, even if like Mark and Sheila it means working at the emergency room - a gift that will last a lifetime. Sheila shared 'When we think about the Holy Family and the image of the Nativity, a peaceful time of a family gathering is the gift they shared and which we still embrace today. ‘Where two or three are gathered together,’ that's the Christmas gift.”

May we all experience the presence of Christ, though all of the errands, shopping and wrapping, and may we always recognize the real Christmas gift!

We Wait Together

Advent is the time of waiting and preparing- but the word Advent is from the Latin word 'coming".

We are waiting, we are preparing for Christ’s coming – as the world waited more than 2000 years ago – but we know that in Advent our focus needs to be, not on the waiting but on who we are waiting for. We are waiting for Christ to come, waiting to celebrate once again the dawn of the new day when nothing would be the same.

Children may anticipate with joy the coming of Santa Clause.

Adults may prepare for families coming together at the holidays.

There are others in Guatemala that are also awaiting with joyful anticipation the coming of Dr. Brent Burket and Dr. Jennifer Thoene who will begin a three year assignment to Hospitalito in January.

In Uganda, the hospital awaits the coming of Dr. Ron and Mrs. Barbara Wick in January.

In Cameroon, Sr. Xaveria is awaiting the coming of Dr. James and Mrs. Terry Hake.

These doctors and others serve because Christ has already been born in their hearts and they can’t wait to share their skills and their faith with others.

Please keep all mission doctors and their families in your prayers this Holy Season.

We wait together. We know who we are waiting for, and we know that once again we can strive to be the one others are waiting for.

Our Lady Brings the Rain

Drs Melanie and Roy Elfrink served this summer with four of their six children at St. Martin de Porres Hospital in the diocese of Kabale, Uganda. Melanie wrote about the start of the rainy season, and the link to the Feast of The Assumption, which is a National Holiday in Uganda...

Melanie writes:
One of the highlights was seeing the rainy season start. Everyone kept saying that it was going to rain on the 15th, the Assumption. It's a national holiday, and the people say "Our Lady brings the rain on her feast day". Since that was Saturday and we'd had no rain for some time we decided to see. Skeptically, like the Americans we are. Wednesday: a few clouds, no rain. Thursday: a few clouds and a clap of thunder, no rain. Friday: a few clouds, two claps of thunder, and a teeny sprinkle that barely counted as rain. Friday night: downpour. Saturday: downpour. Sunday: downpour. Repeat that last part every day since the Assumption. Father John told us at mass, "Our Lady brings the rain every year on the Assumption to show the people of Uganda that she has a special love for them because we have a special love for her."

It felt like Easter, because after months of that red dust coating everything, including your body/eyes/even teeth if you walked very far, Saturday of the Assumption the air smelled clean, the plants were all clean, and the people were so happy they were giddy with relief and gratitude. Mass was filled with beautiful music, special dancing, people pledging themselves to Mary.

May the changing of the seasons be an opportunity for us too, to recognize our dependence and to celebrate, with gratitude, the example of the lady who said yes to God!

Honeymooning at Karoli Lwanga Hospital

Mark and Sheila Bisanzo were married on June 12, 2009 (My husband Tom and I were married that same day 33 years earlier!) Unlike many newlyweds, they didn't set up their home near work or family. They are beginning their lives together serving as members of Mission Doctors Association at Karoli Lwanga hospital in rural Nyakibale, Uganda. The reflected on how, beginning their married life in the missions has given them cause to reflect on the challenges and blessings.

As we continue on this journey of acclimatization and discovery, we appreciate the significance of ritual in our daily life together, especially because we are beginning our marriage in Uganda. We are creating a rhythm of daily rituals in our new home and surroundings while we accept the lack of running water and current drought.

We celebrate the threads of joy and gratitude woven throughout our experience, such as an enthusiastic "Agandi!" (“Hello, how are you?”) and smile by a child along the road, or watching the soulful sway of parishioners dancing and singing to the drum beat at mass. A common greeting which our colleagues and neighbors extend to us says it best, "You are so welcome." The Ugandans whom we have encountered and whom we will work and live alongside have made us feel wholly welcome, as they express warm appreciation for our coming to work at the hospital. We only hope that we can share some humble offering in return as we continue our work as part of the Nyakibale community.

Guess what I want to do with my life?

As children we may dream of our place in the 'grown up' world and this may include a job, place to live when we “grow up”, for others the ideal position may be a connection of what others recognize in us, and what is already written on our hearts.

For Terese Bauer, her dream job, came in the voice of friend during her undergraduate study at theUniversity of Wisconsin who insisted that “You should really become a doctor...”.

On her way home for Easter she contemplated how she could use her skills as a physician working in the mission field. When she arrived home,she asked her parents to guess what she wanted to do with her life…admittedly a common question throughout the year. Her mom guessed a several different scenarios, and when each was met with a 'No' she asked Terese to just tell them. Stubbornly, she said, “No you have to guess.”

Her dad looked her straight in the eyes and said, “You want to be a missionary doctor." She knew that the Holy Spirit worked through him to confirm her call.

Since that time, her energies have been focused on following the Lord on the path of this unexpected call to love Him and heal Him in the poor. Dr. Terese and her husband Dr. Paul Bauer are in Uganda this summer serving with Dr. Mark Bisanzo at Karoli Lwanga Hospital in Nyakibale. Here they offer direct patient care on the wards and provide teaching in pediatrics and adult medicine.

What is your dream job? What do you feel called to do?

To read the complete article, sharing the story of the Paul and Terese Bauer and their family, visit the Mission Doctors website and read the 2009 Annual Newsletter.

National Holiday in Uganda

June 3rd is a national holiday in Uganda. Workers and students are off; churches across the country hold festivals and as many as a million people travel miles to the city of Namungongo to celebrate the lives of 22 young men who gave their lives for the faith in 1885. Why celebrate the gruesome death of young people at the hand of a tyrant, over a century ago?

These 22 young men, Catholic converts, died as martyrs for our faith. In the late 1800s Christianity was for the most part unknown in Uganda. As the faith grew, the young king, King Mwanga feared Christianity’s power and its rejection of both slavery and polygamy (both common practice at the time). This fear and the spread of the religion, led to the persecution and martyrdom of Christians.

Joseph Mukasa Balekuddembe was the first Catholic convert to be martyred. Joseph had been a chief advisor to the King and had spoken out, condemning the King's order for Anglican Bishop Hannington's death. The King would not tolerate this criticism from his advisors and ordered Joseph beheaded on November 15, 1885. Joseph proclaimed "Mwanga has condemned me without cause, but tell him I forgive him in my heart." King Mwanga may have believed that by killing Joseph he would convince other converts to give up their new faith. However, others in the King's service responded not with fear, but faith.

Charles Lwanga was the chief of the 400 pages who were the young men in the service of the King. When Charles learned of Joseph's death he went together with Bruno Sserunkuma, James Buzabalyawo and several others to the Fathers and asked to be baptized. They escaped from the confines of the palace grounds at night to be instructed, knowing that they were putting their lives in God's hands. Denis Sebuggwago, who was a servant of the king, was found teaching catechism and was killed on May 26, 1886. Andrew Kagwa who was the bandmaster to the King was also a catechist who had converted his wife and gathered many others to the new faith. Andrew and Ponsiano Ngondwe were beheaded the same day.

The King's anger and distrust of Catholics grew and he announced that it would be necessary for the pages to choose between their faith and life. He ordered that all the "who prayed" stand aside. Charles Lwanga led the way and was followed by others; all knew what their fate would be. Tied up, the next day they were forced to walk 12 miles to the hill that would be their place of execution at Namugongo. Gonzaga Gonza collapsed and he and Antanansio Bazzekuketta were killed on the road. One of the pages, Mbaga Tuzinde, was the son of the chief executioner who tried to hide him. He escaped from his family and joined the others.

Once they arrived at Namugongo, the place of their death was not ready, and they waited for seven days. They were cold and hungry, but despite this they were filled with joy and kept praying the Our Father and Hail Mary. On Ascension Thursday, the drums alerted them that their execution was about to take place. Charles Lwanga was first; then the others were brought out and tied in bundles of three and thrown into the fire, where they kept singing and praising God until they perished.

The King's intention had been to deter the growth of Christianity, but the martyrdom of these early believers sparked its growth instead. It has been observed in many other instances, that the blood of the martyrs proved to be the seed of faith. Christianity is now the dominant faith in Buganda and Uganda as a whole. The 22 known Catholic martyrs were declared "Blessed" by Pope Benedict XV in 1920. On October 18, 1964 Pope Paul VI canonized the 22 Catholic martyrs during the Vatican II conference. These 22 young people are recognized for their sacrifice and witness of faith.

Anticipation

When Tom and I were sitting at LAX some 30 years ago with 18-month-old Joshua, passports and tickets to Thailand in hand, two trunks of books and clothes already on the plane, we knew things would be different very soon. While we knew this was what we were being called to do and had been prepared for, we couldn’t know how this step would impact every day of our lives thereafter.

This Sunday’s readings seem to explode with anticipation. After all, next Sunday is Palm Sunday – the beginning of Holy Week. We can feel this building “The days are coming….” Jeremiah says… The new covenant will be written “…upon their hearts;” and we pray with the Psalmist to prepare our hearts for this day ‘Create a clean heart in me O God’.

Jesus is anticipating what is the culmination of His mission.

"The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified…
"I am troubled now. Yet what should I say?
'Father, save me from this hour'?
But it was for this purpose that I came to this hour.
Father, glorify your name." …
…Now is the time of judgment on this world;
now the ruler of this world will be driven out.
And when I am lifted up from the earth,
I will draw everyone to myself."

Today, when mission doctors and their families sit at the airport ready to board the plane to begin an assignment at a mission hospital or clinic, they may be anticipating the experience, being both excited about the possibilities and anxious about the upcoming challenges. They take this step into the unknown with the surety that they are called to do so because of their faith in the One who has been lifted up.

This week we are called to go deeper – continue our efforts as we prepare to renew our Baptism on Holy Saturday – Prayer, Sacrifice and Good Works - what will we do to discern what we are being called to? How can we be obedient to that call?

Keeping Things in Context…

When doctors and their families make a commitment to serve for three years this calling, taken out of context seems absurd. Why would a doctor leave their practice in the United States to serve in the missions receiving a stipend of $150 a month? Why would anyone leave their friends and families to serve those in need half a world away?

The readings for the second Sunday of Advent, taken on their own, may be confusing at the least, but we are reassured by Paul, “If God is for us, who can be against us?”

As we continue to make this Lenten journey, of prayer, sacrifice and striving to do good works to renew our own baptism, we read of Abraham being put to the test, and Jesus transfigured with Moses and Elijah, representing the Law and the Prophets.

Taken on its own, Abraham is being asked to sacrifice his only beloved son, to us an obvious foreshadowing of the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. Taken in context, Abraham is willing to do so because he deeply believes in the promise God had already made, and he believes that if he carries out what is asked, God will raise Isaac from the dead to deliver on that promise.

Jesus appears transfigured with Moses and Elijah. On its own we can completely understand Peter’s reaction – "Rabbi, it is good that we are here! Let us make three tents...” In the context of the Resurrection we see that Jesus is the fulfillment of both the Law and the teachings of the Prophets, his transfiguration a foreshadowing of the Resurrection, with the exhortation from the Father, "This is my beloved Son. Listen to him."

Mission Doctors and their families serve in the context of their faith. Called to live our Baptism, we too, with prayer, sacrifice and good works, believe in the Promise and know “If God is for us, who can be against us?”

The First Sunday of Lent

This First Sunday of Lent --- taking the first steps on this journey to renew our baptism, where we were washed clean in the waters, signed with the cross and received the Holy Spirit.

Jesus tells us today that; "This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel."

The old covenant has passed away – the covenant made with Noah that prepared the world for the Son of God. The new covenant was made through Jesus’ sacrifice bringing to us the opportunity for forgiveness, wholeness, perfection, and union with God.

Our baptism begins with God's love and continues with us, living and bringing God's love and care to the world. Our mission doctors strive to do this each day and those who support are partners in this care.

As we walk this 40-day path together we can strive to remember that we must act in a way that both recognizes Gods love for us, and also calls us to act in a way that reflects God’s love to others.

How will we do this? Step, by step, with prayer, sacrifice and fasting.

What are you doing as you begin your journey? Please share your experience with me here, by posting comments on this blog, I would love to hear how you are living this Lenten journey.

Ash Wednesday

On this 40-day Lenten journey we are called to renew our baptism that begins with God's love and continues with us, living and bringing God's love and care to the world.

Ash Wednesday, our first step on this journey gives us the Gospel reading with Jesus speaking of three important things we should be about on this path: sacrifice, prayer and fasting, all to be done without a desire for recognition.

What we do recognize is that we are in need of conversion, and the ashes that are on our foreheads today publicly acknowledges this and reminds us that we are to called to "Turn away from sin and be faithful to the gospel."

The prophet Joel tells us that we can rely on God who is "gracious and merciful...slow to anger, rich in kindness and relenting in punishment," And the reading from Paul expresses the urgency of the message – the time is now, this very day is our “day of salvation”.

As we walk this 40-day path together lets remember that it we must act in a way that both recognizes Gods love for us, and also calls us to act in a way that reflects God’s love to others. How will we do this? Step, by step, with prayer, sacrifice and fasting.

What are you doing as you begin your journey?

And a good time was had by all….

What does a black tie party in Los Angeles have to do with the medical needs of patients at a mission hospital or clinic?

On Valentines Day the Mission Doctors Auxiliary hosted the celebration of 50 years of ‘Hearts and Hope” at a Benefit Gala at the Jonathan Club in Los Angeles.

So much work goes into this type of event – and I continue to be completely impressed by the generosity of the Mission Doctors Auxiliary members with both their time and treasure! Everything from addressing invitations, assigning seating, collecting donations for and making the beautiful silent auction baskets, handwriting the placecards, overseeing the beautiful decorations and then running around all evening to ensure that all went well.

If you’ve been to other such events you might think you already know what this one is like, but I think you would be surprised. First there are the doctors and their wives who came who have served in the missions, happy to share their stories with supporters and occasionally huddled in a corner with other doctors sharing stories of unusual surgeries.

Individuals who have been involved in supporting this work for many years bring friends to introduce them to the work and engender their support.

All evening I was struck by the sense that this is all part of a chain – each individual a critical link bringing health and hope to a child in Zimbabwe, a women in Cameroon, a family in Uganda.

We celebrated the work, honored both those who served and those who make the work possible, and introduced the mission to others. On top of all this we raised money to make the mission a mission possible. Quite a bit of work, but the outcome, as always truly outweighs the effort.

Generosity

One of our doctors recently shared a story of faith and abundance that sounded like it came right out of the pages of the Old Testament (the name of the sister and hospital have been omitted to protect their generosity).

A Catholic sister serving as hospital administrator was approached by a group of about 80 individuals and families members who had walked for two days with no food – they said that they had nothing and were turning to the hospital as a last resort.

Sister advised her staff to feed them for three days and send them back to their homes with a supply of food. The hospital staff while compassionate, informed the sister that doing so would wipe out their eleven day store of grain.

Sister’s reply was "Then we will eat just vegetable here at the hospital.” The people were fed and sent with enough to see them home and provide some nourishment for a time.

The next day the hospital learned that the Jesuit Fathers would be receiving a large shipment of corn, and that they would be sending one ton of corn to the hospital. She believes it is from God. So do I.

I would love to hear about a time in your life or in the lives of others, that were reflections of the generosity of God. Please post here and share your experiences of compassion.

Preparing

I think it is surprising that Advent is one of my favorite times of year, because like so many of us in the US, I am not one who likes to wait.

It has been my experience that people in many other cultures are often better at this. They don’t seem to be so impatient, or hurried. People I’ve met in my travels seem more comfortable in that vast stretching time that can exist when one is waiting. Maybe that is an illusion; maybe they too feel the same frustration that I experience, and just don’t seem to show it.

But the waiting that is the anticipation of Advent is my time to reflect on how God comes to me. How God comes to me in the form of a child born more than 2000 years ago and how he comes to me today in my family members, in the person with the cardboard sign at the end of the freeway off ramp, or the patient in the rural hospital in Uganda or clinic in Guatemala.

If I close my eyes I can easily see the brightly dressed women who waited to serve a meal after a makeshift clinic had been set up in their small village church in Guatemala. I can see the mothers with children in their laps lined up, waiting to see the doctor at St. Theresa’s in Zimbabwe. They wait, but greet the stranger among them with a smile and shy giggle.

The waiting that is Advent is for me this connected waiting. I am waiting with the women in Guatemala, the children in Zimbabwe. We are all waiting. We are anticipating Christ. We are awaiting his birth into the world again so that all people will care about and care for all people.

We are the body of Christ.

We wait for Jesus to be reborn in us this advent, that we can be his hands in the world.