Our Executive Director, Elise Frederick is currently out of the country visiting mission locations in East Africa. So, we thought that as the other staff members at Mission Doctors, we could take over her photo of the week blog for the two weeks she is out of the country. As the amature blog editor for Mission Doctors I am excited to be the actual author of a blog this week.
I would like to share with you my favorite Mission Doctors photo. This photo was taken by veteran Mission Doctor, Dr. Richard Stoughton of orpahns in rural Zimbabwe. This photo of beautiful childern graces my desktop background and motivates and keeps me enthusiastic about my work at Mission Doctors. I am excited to share it with you! I hope you will remember it and those smiling faces when you think about the work of Mission Doctors.
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.
I wanted to take a moment and share with you a couple of the blogs our Mission Doctors are writing to share their mission stories. 
A Step Along the Way This blog, with it’s title is inspired by the prayer of Archbishop Oscar Romero, is written by Dr. and Mrs. Richard Stoughton. The Stoughton’s have recently returned from an eight year mission in rural Zimbabwe, serving the people of St. Theresa's hospital. While their long term mission has ended their commitment to the people of St. Theresa’s hospital continues. In this season of thanks Dr. and Mrs. Richard Stoughton are sharing Eight Days of Gratitude, comparing the life lived in the US, life at St. Theresa’s Hospital and those living in the community around the hospital. 
Burket-Thoene Family Mission The Burket-Thoene Family Mission is a new blog, started by Dr. Brent Burket and Dr. Jennifer Thoene. These veteran mission doctors will start a long term mission to Santiago Atitlan, Guatemala with their four children; Christopher, Elizabeth, Julianne and Nicholas. This doctor couple will be caring for the indigenous Mayan population, the Tz'utujil, working along side the people at a hospital called Hospitalito.
Please take a moment and check out their blogs, hear their stories and consider signing up as a “follower” to receive new blog posts.
Dr. Richard and Mrs. Loretta Stoughton returned to the United States in July after nearly 8 years in Zimbabwe.
They are now facing the challenges of ‘re-entry’ – coming home, adapting to life again in their home culture. They witnessed many changes in Zimbabwe and there have been changes in the United States since 2001.
Dick wrote:
“Re-entry” is easy because SO MUCH IS AVAILABLE (gas, electricity, water, groceries, ATM’s…)
“Re-entry” is tough because SO MUCH IS AVAILABLE! How do we reconcile the differences?
I am especially touched by this last question. “How do we reconcile the differences?”, one that is often echoed by those returning from a long-term mission, as well as those who have served a month.
Even for those who may never leave home the challenge remains – keeping the missions alive in our hearts so that our choices, our actions acknowledge this disparity and we live with the discomfort.
Author Ronald Allen wrote, “The Apostle Paul advocated a “holy discomfort” with the present status of the world. Paul’s gospel calls for people to be discontent with brokenness, injustice, scarcity, exploitation, violence and death and to believe that God seeks to increase community, wholeness, justice abundance, peace , love and live…. “
It is in this discontent with the brokenness, injustice, we strive to make the world a better place.
Father’s Day gives us all opportunities to pray for and give thanks for the fathers in our lives – our own fathers, spouses, brothers, and sons. For some this primary relationship with our own fathers changes over the years. Older parents sometimes need the care of their children and this change of roll can be challenging for both parent and child.
Dr. Stoughton recently shared a story with me from the home based care program at St. Theresa’s Hospital in Zimbabwe that I felt was the perfect story to share for Father’s day:
A man, who had lost his wife, had three sons. Two lived with him after she passed away. Two years ago he was an in-patient on the male ward at St. Theresa’s hospital and although everything that could be done for him was tried, sadly he wasn’t getting any better. He was unable to get out of bed and was discharged and sent home. In the United States he would have been on hospice care because his prognosis was so poor.
He continued to take the antiretroviral drugs begun at the hospital after returning home. His son would make the long walk to Chengwena Clinic every two weeks to pick up his father’s medication and give a report on how he was doing. All of 2008, the father was bed-ridden, but the sons made sure he was fed and turned in bed frequently.
The sons even made a seat for him to sit out in the sun; made it of home-made bricks and put a cushion on it. The boys planted the maize and the garden, and they have done all of the cooking.
When the home based care volunteers would visit they were always impressed that they would find that the father had never developed any bedsores, had no other chronic illnesses, all the more impressive because the boys are now only 10 and 12 years old.
Dick wrote “Since the first of the year, the father has been able to walk with the help of a walker. They are indeed an inspiration for all of us, taking such good care of the father under such difficult circumstances.”
The love of his sons and their determined care has brought this man back from the brink and been an inspiration of love to all.
·For those of us whose fathers are already with our loving God in heaven, may Father’s Day be an opportunity to remember them with joy.
·For those who can take the day to share with their father, may it be an opportunity to reinforce the love and bonds of parent and child.
·And a prayer for all the fathers out there; whether you are still holding onto the back of the bicycle and running down the street, or being steadied at the elbow by your own child, or any point in-between, may the circle of love bring you ever closer and may you know the love of your children today and always. 
The youngest son was not home when we were there, but just as we were getting into the car he came "running rapidly down the road" to see us and greet us, and be sure that he would have his picture taken also!
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?
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?”
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.
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?
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.
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.
“….and it was always said of him, that he knew how to keep Christmas well, if any man alive possessed the knowledge. May that be truly said of us, and all of us! And so, as Tiny Tim observed, God Bless Us, Every One!” I love this closing of Dickens’ Christmas Carol.
When we served in Thailand it was easy for me to keep the focus on ‘the reason for the season’ – partly because we were in the very small minority there celebrating Christmas, and then the focus was the celebration at Church, preparations for this with little focus on gifts, shopping and decorations.
After returning to California it became more difficult to keep that focus, and I find that it is so easy to become distracted with baking, shopping, wrapping and all the preparations – not that I become a Scrooge – but rather that the incarnation of God 2000 years ago in Bethlehem becomes secondary to all these trappings.
When lay missionaries are preparing to serve in the missions those of us who have served always try to share this experience with them, and encourage them to enjoy this opportunity to ‘keep Christmas’ in the missions. Many of us are distracted this year with concerns about finances, uncertainty about the future. Hopefully we will pause and remember what we are celebrating, “For God so loved the World” and this knowledge will deepen in us our awareness of God’s love.
One doctor and his wife will be in my prayers in a very special way this Christmas. Dr. Richard and Mrs. Loretta Stoughton are serving God’s children in Zimbabwe – despite, no because of, the difficulties the people are facing. Babies are born at St. Theresa’s people receive anti-retroviral treatment for HIV/AIDS, and this oasis of care in a country facing huge problems. Please keep them and all the people of Zimbabwe in your prayers this Christmas – If you want to give a gift in support of their work, you can go to our web site (Donate On-line using a check or credit card on our secure site.) You can designate that the gift is to support the work of the Stoughtons in Zimbabwe if you like.
“...he knew how to keep Christmas well, if any man alive possessed the knowledge. May that be truly said of us, and all of us!” May we all keep Christmas well – remembering what we are celebrating, honoring and comforted by the knowledge of God’s great love for us.
And so, as Tiny Tim observed, God Bless Us, Every One!”
I am especially touched by this last question. “How do we reconcile the differences?”, one that is often echoed by those returning from a long-term mission, as well as those who have served a month.
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.
One doctor and his wife will be in my prayers in a very special way this Christmas. Dr. Richard and Mrs. Loretta Stoughton are serving God’s children in Zimbabwe – despite, no because of, the difficulties the people are facing. Babies are born at St. Theresa’s people receive anti-retroviral treatment for HIV/AIDS, and this oasis of care in a country facing huge problems. Please keep them and all the people of Zimbabwe in your prayers this Christmas – If you want to give a gift in support of their work, you can go to our web site (Donate On-line using a check or credit card on our secure site.) You can designate that the gift is to support the work of the Stoughtons in Zimbabwe if you like. 