Missionary Medicine Intensive

Hello again, folks! Booting up my blog again, I would like to take this opportunity to tell you of my third class from Equip Inc. - MMI or (Missionary Medicine Intensive). http://www.equipinternational.com/training-courses/missionary-medicine-intensive.htm

This is Equip’s main class and reservations must be made almost 6 months in advance.  People come from all over the world to take this class, having learned about its reputation from either the internet or from personal referral. The class is two weeks long  and intensive is the operative word. It has been called the hardest class ever taken by those in the nursing program... and yet here is layman Greene. I want to say what an awesome job the instructors did. Yes, it was hard, and it should be. Even for a person with limited education the bases have been covered and I feel confident in standard practices. I would be careful to admit I am aware of my painfully obvious limitations; mainly I am not a doctor or a nurse. I shall not practice medicine anywhere, but when and where it is appropriate for the situation. "But now I know and knowing is half the battle." I took this class to be prepared to help when and where there is no doctor. If nothing else, I can help out in a clinic and I have a good base of what to do in some rather specific tropical medicine environments.  Third world medicine is more closely related to pre-1960's medicine in its approach. First, observe and take vitals, record abnormalities, and determine treatment based off a database of knowledge. This is specifically different from today’s medicine approach which involves expensive equipment and lab tests.

 Let me tell you what the schedule looked like.

7:00am - wake up and eat breakfast

8:00am - chapel with old-fashioned hymns (my favorite!) and a devotional by Equip’s founder Rev. Barrie Flitcroft. (always exceptional!)

 Next in is class - usually a lecture and a PowerPoint, followed by hands on experience and practice, practice, practice.  

Then after dinner we work on our case studies till around 10:00pm. The case studies are notes from our class creator and manual maker Dr. Mary Vanderkooi, which have been personal cases for the most part from Dr Vanderkooi's missionary experiences. She records the full body examination of her patient, a urinalysis and some indicative yes or no questioning. Based on this given data we must use the manual to diagnose and treat the patient correctly the first time for 40-50 case studies ranging from Strep Thought and Tonsillitis to Measles and Hemorrhagic Fevers.  This was quite emotionally exciting for me. I felt as if I was actually doing something, and I became obsessed with getting the diagnosis right first time every time. It can be crushing when it is measles and not chickenpox.

Let me lay out for you some of what I studied:

Dr. Mary’s extremely brilliant book set

How to do a complete patient assessment and evaluation

Infection, immunization and sanitation

 Buy and use medicines

 Drug math (extremely important)

 Emergency medicine

 Malnutrition (the most heart breaking chapter)

Rehydration  (often the main cause of death in common tropical diseases)

Periods and pregnancies

 Childbirth (and new respects for mothers)

Pain relief, sedation and muscle relaxation

Soft tissue injuries

 Lacerations

Bone and joint injuries

Splint making and spinal injury protection

Burn care and skin grafts

Using field tests

Principles of dentistry and so much, much more

Dr. Mary’s books (Village Medical Manual, 6^th edition) are two volumes. Volume I covers policies and procedures; covering the bulk of what to do and how to do it, as well, it is chockfull of graphs and information on things like… how to tell a child’s age from signs, normal vital signs and how to make tools from what you have on hand. The largest book, Volume II, is Diagnosis and Treatments. This is a step by step walk through looking first at symptom protocols. Here you may look up - say… itching red bumps, or wheezing in the lungs, bloody vomit and total body seizures out of a full body system breakdown and a breakdown of all the most common problems that can occur in that system and location. The next index is for Disease.  Dr. Mary has had years of field work with numerous tropical ailments and knows what they can look like and manifest as in different regions and races of humanity. You reach this index from the symptoms protocols which for your specific ailment(s) have indicated. This often takes time to look into more than one disease or syndrome. The more time spent and knowledge gleaned the better. This also lists the best, the second, and third best drugs commonly used to treat or fight this disease. The next index is a diagnosis protocol which checks certain disease patterns across others, narrowing down the likelihood of your diagnosis. Then you have regional notes that tell of the likelihood or impossibility of an ailment due to your location.

As usual you learn as much from the fellow missionaries as you do from the actual course. This time we had a nurse from Down Under, and a missionary from Germany, as well as, a Mennonite, a Samaritan’s Purse doctor who works in Haiti, and other notable Christ-centered individuals.

Look to hear from me again soon.

1 Peter 13-16

*Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”*

In Christ,

David Greene

Week 12 (conclusion)

                I met with David Karubba, the man in Massese, who wanted me to teach Farming God’s Way. We finished a well-watered garden, or demonstration plot.  He asked me back to talk at the church where he pastors.  So I did, explaining more of the spiritual aspect of FGW, than the material, to the people. I purchased beads from the CHE group and said my last goodbyes there.

I was called to Sifa house at 4:30 for a surprise. I said good bye to Anne-Marie and the Dutch girls, who now have to share their home with 30 Australians, four to a bed. The surprise was they had thrown a party for me.  After refreshments each went around and stated the difference I had made in their lives. They gave me a painting of us out on the lake, and some bracelets. Then we ascended the mountain to bury my treasure for Chris’s children, which I see by Facebook they are digging up now (I’m still not sure if that was considerate or inconsiderate of me).  It was tough saying goodbye to Chris, Jane, and kids and Chelsea, their teacher.  My words were few to insure no tears escaped with them.  I couldn’t help that.

I was left at a fancy hotel in Entebbe, to wait for my flight out at 12:45 that night… Around the world from Africa to Texas in 12 hrs is not bad, but I arrived in NC with only half my luggage. Travis, Lori, Turner, Baby Sarah and my mom came to pick me up. Turner and Sarah have grown a lot, and so have Ray and Paul, and I have just seen the new addition Baby Emma, two months old. Next day I received by courier the lost bag containing Christmas presents and ministry beads.

I went on this trip to understand what kind of education and preparation I need for a lifetime of mission work. I have taken countless notes on what to bring, look out for, and learn. I concluded that I need to take the Mission Medicine Intensive course, and go off to a bible college. I’m currently looking at New Tribes Bible Institute up north. The next time I go out will be for a minimum of three to five years. For now, I will start ministries here and Farm God’s Way while that option is available to me.

Thank you all for supporting me.

1 Thess 5:16-28

~“Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.  Do not put out the Spirit's fire; do not treat prophecies with contempt. Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil.  May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.  The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it. Brothers, pray for us. Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss... The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.”~

In Christ,

David Greene

Week 11

November 22, 2012

I have been working with the CHE group. I am teaching a farmer in Massese, David Kurubba, a prominate CHE member, concerning Farming God's Way. He likes the material and has caught the vision of the spiritual aspect and would like to teach others in Massese.

Chris and I traveled to Mbale at the foot of Mt Elgon and spent two days. He taught a workshop there, expecting to teach around 30, when 100 very attentive adamant people showed up from all over Uganda. FGW spreads like wildfire fire.

I am going to miss the boys I am discipling. I will always pray for them. Two prisoners escaped from Jinja main, causing there to be no church meetings. I will be home soon. If you would like Amazima Ministry beads let me know. I'll sell them for $5 if you pre-order.

Soaking up the last of Uganda, it’s almost dreamlike. I am leaving buried treasure for Chris's children to follow a map and find when I leave.

In Christ,
David Greene

 

Farming God's Way

Week 10

Week 10                                                                                                          November 15, 2001

I took Eddy, David and Elvis, the boys I am discipling, to go camping on Kira Higland Island. I knew the boys would not have sleeping bags or a tarp, so I borrowed a tarp from Chris, and decided not to bring my own sleeping bag. We arrived late to the island and so we were rounded on by the island population’s chair person, who was adamant that "munzungus" or white people don't sleep in the woods for fun. He was convinced that we were not who we said we were. He imposed that a sum of money must be given for protection and was very rude to the boys, while still being quite scared to look me in the eyes. But eventually we got out of it and got to set up our camp. The boys stated over and over they could not believe they were in the middle of a lake, nor had they ever been camping. We had a great night, playing cards, telling stories, and sheltering from a thunderstorm. You can’t beat a first camping experience like that.

I just turned down a Ugandan girl who has been coming to Chris's house to find me to ask me to marry her. I have been back to the Sifa house, but not to prison this week or to the orphanage. This week has been mostly Christian study and inward disciplines. I have finished reading the Adventures of Tom Sawyer to the kids. Now we are a good portion into 20,000 Leagues under the Sea. I have explored the railroad track from town to Chris's house, a few hours’ walk, several times. I have found walking to be an excellent ministry opportunity, not to mention, it was the preferred method Jesus used. You get those interesting run-ins.

Like at village of hope I got to know two boys, Sam and Paul, very well and shared the gospel with them. And whilst I was walking in Massese 3, I met a woman called Julia. After some talk I discovered that she was their mother, but too poor to support them. We had a Bible study at their house in Deneda or Massese 2 and she showed me their pictures in her album. Then it came, the inevitable question, "Can I have money?" Do you give money and hurt the oppressed by just giving, expanding an already prevalent dependency syndrome on white people, NGOs (Non-government Organizations) and the government? What could this woman do for money? Then I thought of the terrain ropes I need to make for my garden in Black Mountain. The ropes require bottle caps to make measured markers and we just don’t have too many bottle caps at home, unless we lived near a Cracker Barrel, so I proposed to her that I would pay 50 shillings per bottle cap. She could collect the caps, ending the deal at 400, that would give her the amount she had requested to pay her hospital bills. Whether her story is true or not, the need is real and we are to "Give to everyone who asks of you." Within a few hours the lady had all that I wanted and the deed was done. I invited her to CHE, but we did not have a meeting today, so I never saw her. 

"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the Earth."
Praying for you all,

 In Christ,

David Greene

 

Week 9

This time I am just plain late. I have been fishing with the Zema boys. They have never been on a boat before. On Saturday we are going camping on an Isle out on Lake Victoria. Chris took his family, Chelsea and me to Sipi Falls at the base of Mt Elgon near Kenya. We brought home two chameleons, who are now eating all the flies on my window to their hearts’ content. The hike was dangerous and it had just rained, so extreme caution was used with the smaller boys and those (Chelsea) who are not used to mountain terrain. I can proudly say my feet have been tested by four years of mountain XC and the black clay of Sipi Falls both without falling once.

The Village of Hope is doing well; a lady had a baby this week and named it after my friend Ann-Marie. David and Farook Zema and I hiked a nearby ridgeline and came down in a neighboring town of Kakira, known as the largest sugar producer in Uganda - fields and fields of sugar cane as far as one can see from the mountain tops. We passed groups of twenty or more men sitting around a five gallon bucket, each with hoses in their mouths. I assume they are drinking alcohol from all the sugar production. Our venture was awesome and I was able to share some of the wonders of science that I knew. We talked of atmosphere and ozone, of light and radio waves and I was able to show them the trick, that if you hold a camera screen between you and a TV remote you can see ultraviolet rays as they are seen through a phone camera. Try it.

I have been back to Massese with Luke several times. I have been attending the CHE meetings, seeing what I was taught at Equip in action. I taught at the prison ministry with Jane, Ann-Marie, and Chelsea and three men came to the Lord. Pray for Kibaluma Dohm, Oporoti Simon, Balyavish Devis. Pray for their growth and development, that they be given joy in Christ, that they are discipled and given guidance in critical times, for absolute assurance of salvation, that they grow and develop as Christians. I can’t remember what happened before Monday and neither can anyone here. Oh well, couldn’t have been anything more than the usual Sifa house disipleship, Village of Hope visits, and shenanigans that come with life here.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.  Proverbs 3: 5

In Christ,

David Greene

Week 8

11/3/12 

I apologize for my lateness with this report. This house runs on solar and it has rained for the past three or four days.

My ministry with the Zema boys is going well. I have done some ministry on an island in Lake Victoria with Andrew’s and Micha's pastor training organization. For lunch we ate small silver fish that were dipped in some sort of cooking oil. I did not bring my camera for this as the boats have a reputation for being less than quality. Even, I had to bail out water the whole trip when it was not my turn to paddle. It was beautiful though. The island was not very big, but its inhabitants were fishermen, casting nets in much the same way, as I figure, they did in Jesus’ day. This inspired me to tell one of the parables Jesus told from a boat. It was a lot of fun.

I was asked to look at a sick baby at the Sefa house, where the Zema boys live. The child’s name was Daniel and he had cauliflower sores coming from his ears, a runny nose, and high fevers. He was in pain and on medication. I took the Village Medical Manual that I had brought from Equip. It is used in Equip's Mission Medical Intensive course, a class designed to train laymen and those with a formidable background in the medical field at the same time. I am told it is like trying to drink water from a fire hydrant. I will be taking this two week course when I return.

I was able to enter Masese with Luke Anderson, another Equip Missionary I got to meet, and select members of CHE (Community Health Evangelism).  I saw all the impact Jeremy, Tamera, Anna, Luke and Katie Davis have made. Luke tells me of significant improvements and I believe him. My mind wonders to what I may be able to join the Lord in doing in my future. We were brought to another sick infant and Luke let them purchase a Clinic Ticket that costs 500 shillings (2500 Shillings is 1 US Dollar). With this ticket Equip picks up the clinic bills. The tickets used to be free, but they often found them wasted.  When an impoverished parent is willing to purchase this for someone, it means they will more than likely also take the responsibility of actually using it.

After this I was brought into the hut of a lady whose name was Lillian. She even fed us and gave us sodas. “Give and you shall receive.” When an impoverished person gives, God’s irrevocable laws of the universe come into place. The way to escape poverty is to give your way out of it. (In the hut I noticed a picture hanging on the wall of Black Mountain in the fall, with my parents’ church’s steeple, white and raising above the trees. My hometown! I bet it was even bought out of the Black Mountain Hardware store.) I was led and guided by a resident of Masese, a man named Elijah, whom I really like and was able to meet his family and enter his hut as well. There were lots of bead and necklace making ladies all throughout Masese, some former prostitutes. God is at work here!

In other news, Andrew Olson, a friend of mine here, received a Dear John phone call and was incredibly distraught.  I went that day to share his sadness, but arrived only to find his roommate and partner in missions picking up his disheveled room. “Where is Andrew?” I said to Micha. “He's gone.” ”Gone where?” I asked. “Gone back to America,” said he. That night Andrew was in the air flying home. I wish the best for him, but it still doesn’t seem his lady is going to take him back.

With the rain I have been held at the house and have been reading To Kill a Mockingbird to the older children. I found that when you read a book out loud to someone you can get pretty emotional, more so than reading in quiet alone.

I went back to the prison ministry. It happens on Thursdays, but as that’s Chris' day to go to CLD he has not allowed me to stay, until now, when he is on vacation. Many of the prisoners had been shipped to other prisons and so, only half of the faces I knew were there, but new members were present. I shared on hearing and obeying God and the necessity to seek him in quiet alone.

As well, the Zema boys, Ann-Marie and I went to the top of Monkey Mountain Thursday evening. This was the most beautiful sight I have seen since I came here: the setting sun over Lake Victoria, rain sweeping across green fields, the sunset, the stars, and a lightning storm to finish it off, and of course, monkeys, lots of them. But after just coming from the prison, I did not bring my camera. Sorry.

Best wishes, praying for all of you.

 

In Christ,

 

David Greene

Week 7

I have purchased four Bibles and the Jesus film, as well as, copied my Bible reading plan for the Zema boys, whom I am discipling. I have met with the present Equip Uganda personnel.

 

The majority of this week has been spent in thought, plan and study. Yet, I have kept up my duties with the Zema boys. Chris and I, while traveling in the east, came upon a head on collision in the road, which had happened just minutes before our arrival. We arrived ready to administer medical aid from a combination of medical supplies we each carried individually at all times. Yet, the severely injured left in a van as soon as we arrived. We placed branches on the road like traffic cones and I was able to give a bottle of hand sanitizer to an injured driver. Seat belts and air bags saved the lives of all. Prayer is needed for the critically injured. Chris and I returned to CLD as usual. All is quiet, all is well.

 

Ephesians 6:19-20 “Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly as I should. “

 

In Christ,

David Greene

 

Week 6

Well, I'm back in Jinja with Chris, Jane, Andrew, Tugume, Kenny, Albert, Isaiah,

Ezra, and Anna Sperling, Feonna, Jethro, and Chelsea Novakowski. The boys at the farm are doing well. They kept watch at nights until the murderers, all five of them, had been brought to bush justice. Not so good, but better than it was.

 

I have resumed my various ministries here in Jinja, after taking four solid days to write my various reports. I have taken the proclaimer (a small box with the audio Bible in Luganda) back to Village of Hope orphanage several times since I arrived on the fourth of September. The children enjoyed my visits and I have formed a strong relationship with a Christian lady named Mama Lois. I met her through my friend, Ann-Marie, an Australian missionary, here by her own money and strong will.  I tell you what, the Lord has showed me so, so many things in my time here. One of those things is the strength of women. There are so many female missionaries here. The only young male missionaries are Andrew Olson, Micah Burger and David Greene. Since I have been back, Chris and I have planted three well-watered gardens and three African farming style gardens, right next to them for comparison at Amazima Katie Davis's orphanage. We have been stuck in an amazing two hour traffic jam, where the main highway was rerouted to dirt bush roads, all while only zip ties held on the alternator and kept the belts from slipping off. This happened while coming back from Kampala. I have videos, these longer than five seconds.

 

Gloria

I was walking home one day and I came across a young girl outside a mud hut. “I am looking for esposer,” she said. After some what's, and say it again's, I found she wanted a sponsor for her school year. I told her I would think and pray on it. When I did, the Lord brought to mind “Give to everyone who asks of you.” I have purchased a year for Gloria and have gained a relationship.

 

Inward

I have spent a great amount of time journeying inward with the Lord. I am waking up at 5:30 now to go into a meditation, prayer and study time with God. It usually takes a few hours to get through the Celebration of Discipline, the Imitation of Christ, How Great is Our God, and my portion of the Bible, and a study in Ephesians, which I read through once a day. This has been fertilizer to my soul and I am experiencing God in new ways.

 

The Proclaimer

My plan was to take the proclaimer back to Village of Hope orphanage a few times a week until I leave, then I would give it to Mother Lois to run the listening group. I am immovably convinced this is God's will for this device; He has taken all the initiative of this ministry. As it happened on the second time I had been there this week, I told Mother Lois the plan of leaving the proclaimer in her care when I leave. The next time I brought the proclaimer I found I could not, not leave it... it is a new thing in my relationship with God, I can’t describe it. We will just call it a still, small voice. I obeyed and left it under Mother Lois's care, giving her the instructions and teaching her how to use it. After the listening group finished Revelation, we started on that day in Matthew, chapter one.  When I returned the following day, the entranced group was well into the book of John.

 

Good Friends and Beef Jerky

Andrew Olson and I have made some beef jerky.  The crew of Chelsea, Andrew, Micah, Ann-Marie, Joyce, and Melissa, me, as well as a new guy from Japan named Shitoshi, had a fun movie night. We played Dutch blitz, ate all the chocolates we could, and tried to eat wafers off our foreheads without hands, and watched Machine Gun Preacher.

 

Discipling Ministry

I have been praying that God would give me a young man around my age to disciple in Christ and give a skill to. Ask and you shall receive. There I was with Chelsea, Andrew, Micah, Ann-Marie and her two friends from Holland, Joyce and Melissa. We were playing Dutch Blitz, a Dutch card game, and Ann-Marie tells me of a group of young Christian men she spends nearly every day with. She said they were Farming God’s Way. She wanted me to meet them, so I did and discovered they were not Farming Gods Way. I offered to teach them and put in a well-watered garden with the boys. They agreed and plans were made to join on Saturday. Saturday came and I, with my FGW manual, went to the boys: Elvis, David, Eddy and Farook Zema. The men work hard, to high standards and are smarter than I am. They have proved it. I have been back several times since this Saturday.  They want me to teach them how to share the Gospel.

 

In Christ,

 

David Greene

The Journey to the Great Tree