Happy Thanksgiving
HELENE HAPPENINGS
Happy Thanksgiving, Everyone! Even though I am missing being in Helene right now, I never want to forget to be thankful that I am a citizen of the USA. My citizenship has afforded me to be able to give more generously to the rest of the world than I ever could have, if I had been born in another country. May we all hold what we hold dear loosely, ready to open our hands and share with others in the world who do not have the blessings we hold so dear.
GUANAJA
November 23 will see a team from Washington, D. C., take off for Guanaja. This is our first team to do an outreach there. We have waited quite a while for the right time to begin our work there, and now the time seems right. The team will consist of islanders from Helene as well as "gringos," which is a blessing since so many people from Helene have contacts there. They also know Spanish well, which is the predominant language of that island.
As has been previously mentioned, Guanaja is an island 16 miles to the east from Helene. It is a large island, lightly populated with most of the people living on a key off the coast. The largest communities on Guanaja are Savanna Bight and Mangrove Bight (no relation to Helene's Mangrove Bight), and we have had the opportunity to begin to work in Savanna Bight.
The most pressing need in Guanaja is for a dental clinic, and one of the dentists who is a good friend of the clinic has very generously donated four dental chairs and lights to our dental clinic. This gift will allow us to upgrade the dental facilities in our Helene Clinic, and also begin the clinic in Guanaja.
The dental clinic is a prelude to the work we wish to do on Guanaja, which is to build relationships with the people, giving us a platform to share the Good News. Come help us!
HELENE CHRISTIAN ENGLISH SCHOOL
Emily Benson, our head teacher for the English School in Helene, will be visiting in the Northwest the week of November 12 - 18 to acquaint prospective teachers here with the opportunities to teach on the island. She will be at a get-together at the Grenleys' home in Edmonds Monday night, November 13, at 7 p.m., in the Tri-Cities area at the Brauers on Wednesday night, and in Renton at John and Kelly Morgan's home Thursday night November 16.
The school has grown rapidly in the past three years, and there are still more students who want to attend. Scholarships given by many of the people in the Northwest and other parts of the US have made such growth possible. Now the need is for more teachers to allow for increased enrollment.
If you are interested in an exciting teaching adventure, come join us and meet Emily. She has a story to tell that will stir your heart!
MEN ON THE MOVE
Larry Benson, our project manager, has had a Bible study in his home at the clinic for some time, and men as leaders are beginning to emerge to take Helene in a positive direction. We have faced some challenges in the past, and these men have become a real support to the clinic, and they have given us insight into the island way of thinking.
Now there is a possibility of a Bible study starting on the Northside, with Joe Morris--our director of maintenance and construction--working with Teddy Thomas--the pastor of the Northside Church of God Universal--to begin a work with the men in that area of the island. The men have begun, with some help from the clinic--to do repairs on the bridge to the Northside, and the need for a Bible study has arisen from their desire to be together and do something positive of a spiritual nature for their community.
I continue to operate stateside, and am making contacts for teams to travel to Helene, as well as enlisting teachers to help Emily in the school. My health issues continue to hold me here, but I can see a purpose even in this.
I continue to have an Avastin treatment (a chemo-like IV medication) every three weeks, with an MRI after every two treatments. The second MRI showed a 50% decrease in the size of tumors (they were already minuscule!), and no new tumors have shown since then.
I am learning to walk by faith, as I have no idea when I will be able to return to Helene on a more permanent basis at this point. However, I am going to accompany a team from Westminster Assembly of Seattle to Helene in Saturday, and touch bases will many of my friends.
All your support and encouragement has been exactly what the Doctor ordered to keep me focused during these past months. Thank you so much for being there for me. There's a job for us to do, and I'm so thankful He has let me be in on it along with all of you!
Marjie Thompson, RN
Helene Clinic Stateside Rep
posted by Friends of Helene @ 8:36 AM
0 comments
