Blessed are the Poor in Spirit...

I´ve just returned from Guatemala and a visit with Drs. Jennifer Thoene and Brent Burket along with their four children, Christopher, Elizabeth, Julianne, and Nicholas. (pictured here with Bishop Gonzalo de Villa y Vásquez and Lay Mission-Helper Mitch Tolbert) Just prior to that visit we had Commissioning Mass for Dr. James and Mrs. Terry Hake, leaving this summer to begin a three year assignment in Cameroon.

I had some time to think about this blog, waiting in airports (and in Guatemala City for an airport to re-open) and how I can share with you the joy, dedication, and generosity of spirit all these special individuals share. One a young family, taking their children, away from aunts and uncles and grandparents - the other couple leaving behind adult children and grandchildren.

It isn´t that they are unaware of the sacrifice, or that they don´t miss the opportunity for big family get togethers that this separation means, but that despite this separation they step out, they take the risks necessary to share their skills with individuals in need in Africa and Latin America.

This is a profound example for all of us who comfortably put our heads on our pillow tonight, who can see our families when we chose. Their example of service, so far from home, is one that we may not be able to follow today, but through our own sacrifices we can make their service possible.

Those who support the work of MDA are the essential partners in a healthy delivery in Guatemala, a child treated for malaria in Cameroon, a trauma cared for in Uganda, a village visit in Tanzania. We put our faith and trust in God that we too may be blessed.

Valentine's Day

Valentine’s day, celebrated this Sunday, often brings images of red roses, large boxes of chocolate and candle light dinners to mind. The St. Valentine, whose feast day is February 14, is among the earliest of Roman martyrs, and on this day we celebrate and treasure love, love of all kinds. The romantic and committed love of husband and wife, the devoted love of parent and child and the affectionate and caring love between friends.

In my job, I get to see a very special kind of love everyday. This kind of sacrificial love motivates people to leave their homes, travel half a world away and share their gift of healing. Not flowers or chocolates, but the love we are all called to have for all of our sisters and brothers, a universal, faith motivated love.

The title of this blog and the prayer of St. Theresa - Christ has no body,
but ours, no hands but ours is always the challenge; how can we be
Christ to others; how can we ensure that they experience the love God
has for each of them?

This week Dr. Brent Burket and Dr. Jennifer Thoene, along with their four small children, began a
three year assignment to Hospitalito in Lake Attitlan. Brent and Jennifer are very close with their
families in California and Oregon - their families too make a sacrifice, sharing their loved ones
with the people who need them in Guatemala.

Please keep this young family, and their family at home in your prayers this week, and you can
let them know you are praying for them by signing a prayer card on our web site.

Where Two or More are Gathered...

The Holidays often mean getting together with friends and families to share and celebrate.

We are working on plans, born of this same idea, getting people together to help spread the word about Mission Doctors. Generous veteran mission doctors and dedicated friends are hosting events in their area to share the stories and to celebrate the mission with friends and family, and plans are underway for more of these events after the first of the year.

I am just about to run out the door to pick up the invitations for a gathering in Long Beach next month. Dr. Brent Burket and Dr. Jennifer Thoene will be on hand to talk about their upcoming mission assignment to Guatemala, at the home of Dr. Laura King. As we make these plans and send out the invitations, I am reminded of Jesus’ promise that “where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” Coming together to share in the story of doctors who serve those most in need, Jesus is certainly with us. The promise is that He will be with us as we gather, as we pray, and as we serve together.

The doctors who travel half a world away to provide life saving medical care for God's neediest, and those who gather to pray for them and offer support, are certainly not acting alone. May you too feel the presence of Christ on this Advent journey and as we celebrate His birth this Christmas.

Would you like to attend or host a gathering in your area to share information about Mission Doctors?

Sharing their Story

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.

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.