Victoria

It has been many months since I moved to BC's lovely capital, and many more months since I posted any sort of words on this blog. Whatever meager following I had is most certainly disbanded and I have the delight of a clean slate. 

       I have been working since September at the Cridge center for the Family, and the children are always bright and squirmy- I love em! 

    I'm chugging right now on a sizable application which I pray will be my ticket to a Canadian midwifery practice, the loop holes are slippery, and Jesus is most definitely on my side :D 

       For those of you who have never had the pleasure of an introduction; His name is Caleb Oppel, and I'm in love with him. We depart on December 18th for a short and gleeful frenzy in my beloved Liberia- Christmas on the beach with the weird Wainesies, the surf, the sun, and a mongoose or two. 

A Birthday Baby

Yes today is my birthday, a couple day's ago was my sister's birthday- Rebecca.

After shift endorsements yesterday there was a labor for me- Maricel Lu-ang
She was 21yo G1P0 40 4/7 weeks etc, normal vitals...contractions only about 30 sec long every 4-7 min-moderate in strength. Those are the signs of a woman in early labor.
I asked her when her labor started- only a couple hours ago at 4 am- with her water breaking at 5... hmmm I did the math and was raised my eyebrows slightly in concern over these developments and the fact that she had been measuring a very small fundal hight throughout her prenatals as well as lost a kg in the past few weeks. She did not look very healthy- but handled her contractions quietly.

I did an IE at 6:50am;
definatly BOW rupture, 4 cm's dilated, 70% effaced, +1 station, sutures felt 10-3
Pretty normal and all things considered- she was making great progress!

I left her with some instructions to stimulate labor a bit and drink water etc and went out... chatted with my super visor (Krys) and decided to do the next vitals check at 7:20 am

Just before that mark I make my way back to the cubicle...am just about to open the curtain to the absolutely silent little square of space when her aunt (who was watching her)
sticks her head out with a look of concern- no noise- just concern.

I walk in and she is on the bed with the baby is CROWNING

This is what the other midwives hear in the lounge- " OH GOSH.... UH, HEAD COMING.... NO GLOVES.... I..... !!!!!"


So I caught the baby's head without gloves on as a few other midwives pour into the room-
Krys looks at me like I've just committed a murder.... (considering my bloody hands it certainly looked like it) and told me to go wash my hands right away. I proceed with the fastest hand washing in the history of the world- afraid I'm going to miss everything- and run back in time to watch Jen Germain unstick the shoulders and get in there to catch the body.

Me and blood are not through yet- at the one minute APGAR score I reach in to check out the baby who is crying on her mom's abdomen at the same time as Jen reaches in to fix the bb blanket- oh sweet collision: she manages to connect her hand to my head and wipes blood all over one side of my face!

:O
I just started laughing
what a gong show...
Krys had a look of shock on her face and did not make me go wash mine...she wiped me up and I waited for the placenta.

Later the mother and aunt asked me to suggest a biblical name for the new little one... and Rebecca stuck! So here, my dear sister- is the best present I can give you... a little rascal to run around with your name.

A new beginning; Janelle back in the Philippines

Sacrifice and Offering you did not desire,
but my ears you have pierced...
Then I said, "Here I am, I have come-
it is written about me in the scroll.
I desire to do your will O my God;
your law is in my heart....
I do not seal my lips, as you know , O Lord.
I do not hide your righteousness in my heart;
I speak of your faithfulness and salvation.
I do not conceal your love and your truth from the great assembly.
Do not withhold your mercy from me, O Lord;
May your love and your truth always protect me. Psalm 40:6-11

Davao is just as colourful as it has always been, even more so perhaps- as there are new faces here at Mercy. A fresh class; 11 beautiful women eager to hold life in their hands. We are kept well here.

Since my return the motion has been unbroken- but under every activity is the sweetness of His call. Knowing; resting, in His plans for me. He is perfect.

In the activity of days my mind has been on a hundred dreams, a thousand hopes for this year- and the eagerness to see God work. Ah but in those thoughts I again discover the utter inadequacy of my reach and so through the fluttering I am forced to settle a hundred ideals on one single desire; God.

Desiring God in every cranny of mind, and corner of action, and crevice of word. Thirsting after Him to the point of unsettledness and yet allowing him to settle me in everything. I almost feel as though I must learn how to seek all over again- how precious and desirable He is! It awes me at every turn. For those who thirst Jesus always has one word; Come.

"Come, all you who are thirsty, Come to the waters;
and you who have no money, come buy eat" Isaiah 55: 1
"If anyone is Thirsty let him Come to me and drink" John 7:37
"Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes,
let him take freely from the water of life." Revelation 22:17
What wondrous love is this?! I will come.

Mercy girls- Update

It just started raining. Something about rain that inspires me to do greater things, like little things one perhaps neglects in the spinning sunshine of life- write. I’m listening to my friend’s piano music and the rain seems to swell behind it somehow and beauty is magnified.
There are a few stories I’d like to share with you, three girls that stand out this time. Lyn, Candy and Eljin, “mercy” girls as we call them; and pray that true mercy does find them.
Lyn I met only two days ago, and 4 hours later- I delivered her baby boy. Lyn is sixteen years old, strong and graceful- labor brought out the woman in her; and also the child. There is something different when you deliver a girl that young, there is a dynamic in you that needs to be strong for her- a pillar- they cling more, and they look into your eyes and are always asking "can I do this? help me. be here." Even more different is the certainty when from somewhere you are given strength enough for that call- that you feel the burden of enough love inside you it could swallow her up and she doesn't even know it :) God is good. What freedom was found in that place! Where I could pray and He could fill her up through the spoken calm of my words!? He is good. Today she came back for her first baby check up and she looked well, her journey with mercy is not over yet. Please pray.
Candy is a sparkle in my eyes. I delivered her little Cerena Janelle about a month ago and have been texting back and forth with her since. This is, they will tell you, the bridge to the Filipino heart- Texting. So despite my technology clumsy fingers I am committed to learnJ I went to visit Candy and her family not too long ago in their home about an hour from Mercy and out of the city. What a special time! Cerena Janelle seemed the least excited about my visit and even she remained an unusually calm baby for the hours I was there. Candy’s mother kept thanking me and exclaiming “tears of joy” as she wiped some salty water from her eyes. I ate with them and plaited the hair of Candy’s sister in law with little African cornrows, which fascinated and amazed themJ. With my fingers tangled in her hair I tried to find the words to answer Candy’s question as her sisters listened on- “Janelle, why did you really decide to become a missionary?” God is good. Words fall short, but it is His Spirit that transforms. I bought a little pink dress for CJ a couple days ago and I hope I can give it to her soon since I am now her “Lola” (godmother.)
I met Eljin today; Sarah (her midwife and my crazy friend), Holly and I took her to the pool as a surprise. She has 36 and 5/7th’s week bump under her shirt that says “VIP” in huge black letters and hair almost as crazy as Sarah’s- they make a good pair. Sarah wanted to spend time cheering her up as her “bana” is seaman and just left for a year of service. The Filipino culture is very romantic, and with Eljin’s impressive English vocabulary we were left to no doubt about the great extent to which she misses him already. She sat on the edge of the pool and we made small chat, midwife small chat that is- which replaces the pregnancy for the weather as default and results in such questions as “Have you been drinking enough water? Do you want a boy or a girl? When do you think you will give birth? and are you afraid?” “Are you afraid?” We got stuck on that question. Eljin said “yes I’m afraid, you know; I am actually afraid of dying.” We started to chuckle a bit to put away her fears, but someone piped up “Are you afraid of dying in labor- or of death in general?” “Dying, I’ve always been afraid of dying. I don’t know why- my bana says it is silly, everyone has to die. But I don’t want to, I am afraid.” God is good. Once again we speak in clumsy words and pray for His Spirit to move. Jesus has conquered the grave, and He is life. O Lord hit Eljin with life!
These are my stories for today, simple stories of real loved women. Our hands are short, but His reach is infinite. Please pray that His perfect plans for them will be brought to completion. Hope in Christ.

Tale of the Exploding Placenta

ok I sort of lied, I don't think placenta's really spontaneously combust....BUT on occasion [apparently] they do use ROCKET PROPELLED force to leave the former safety of a now contracting uterus to almost explode into the face of an unsuspecting midwife.Namely me... Yesterday I had calmly and without complications delivered my 5th baby this month (that’s a lot for those of you who don't know how we gauge these things at MMC) and was awaiting the birth of Juvy Embudo's placenta. About 15 minutes into third stage labor I was re-adjusting myself on the end of the bed which for a few fateful seconds brought my face into slightly closer range with the exit point. At that exact moment, with no prior warning, and a sudden ceasing of time into slow-mo, I glanced down just in time to see a plumb and healthy placenta burst forth from its confinement and defy gravity to explode upwards towards my face. Wow. Still in slow motion I let out some kind of verbal exclamation and try and work out how to dodge this great flying mass along with all the smaller blood clots soaring with it... ha ha thankfully just in the nick of time good old gravity came to my rescue and there was a satisfying plunk-plop-plop-plop as the ammunition fell harmlessly onto the spread pink pad. fewf, I emerged victorious and only slightly bloody. Mother, baby, midwife and placenta all healthy and accounted for. End of story. :)

and Cerena Janelle was born....

I realize I'm really hitting up the updates this week if I write again- but yesterday I had the most spectacular birth ever!



Candy Cenas was endorsed to me (by my good friend Sarah Montaudo) at six am, a primagavida with slow progress all through the night she still had some dazzling smiles inbetween contractions. Eager to hold her baby and doing her best with the pain she faithfully walked outside and climbed stairs to speed her labour along. Her sister and bana were with her and both of them were super supportive and encouraging. As she started to get more and more active I added myself fully to the triage and prayed and encouraged her through her intensifying pain. Between my Bisaya and her english we were able to make a strong connection though she was often zoned out to what we term "labour land." Though she had been showing signs of heading through transition I realized quickly when we were actually hitting that wave and let my supervisor know. While still breathing through contractions she continued to walk a bit inbetween. She began to would collapse in her bana's arms with ever contraction and despite continued attempts to breath and relax I could see her body beginging the pushing process- with or without her. I waited for a few more contractions knowing how long primagravida's often have to push for and then checked for vaginal opening. I could just glimpse the bag of waters bulging...

Everything after that went so well- I got her to labour on a chair and let her push. Though exausted from a sleepless night she still smiled at my coaching and encouragement and believe me it was well deserved (the praise) with every selfless concentration the bag of waters became more visible on the perineum and the head behind that. At almost 30 min pushing, her water broke. The other midwives on shift came in to assist at this point and Candy transfered to the bed. With the same slow continual progress her baby's head reached crowning and with increadable control she breathed the head and body slowly out so that there was not the slightest tear!

A perfect baby girl! as healthy as healthy can be, wailing and pink almost from the first with such delicate little features and beautifully creased feet. 12:36pm. 6'5 Ibs. The placenta followed and the bleeding was controled, as the parents discussed a name. The had Cedrae picked out for a boy- but had not quite been quite as prepared with a girls name. I off handedly suggested Serena- trying to pick a girls name which sounded remotely like Cedrae (which they were obviously trying for) it just came to mind since its my good friend and fellow midwifes name and perhaps because of the serenity of the whole birth. I also remembered that Serena in Bisaya means mermaid. They didn't jump on it at first, but when I returned later for a check and asked them about her name Candy proudly told me that they wanted to name her Cerena Janelle- (it was important to have the initials CJ because her name is Candy and her bana's name Jeffery!)

Wow! I was pleased pink :) ;besides her being such a beautiful little thing to be running around with my name....

I sat with Candy and her sister Ling chatting for awhile between checks and it was such a good time of fellowship. They asked me all about my life- the usual questions, how long I was in the Philippines, if I was single, what country did I come from, How old was I and I got to share more, about God's goodness to me and His plans over my life. They agreed that He had given me much joy- "Thank you for sharing that joy Janelle, and thank you so much for your patience" ! I just hardly knew what to say, she was so wonderful, she had done such an amazing job, I just loved being with that little family because you could tell the rejoicing thy had over eachother and their new child. I wanted to make them understand that it was my priviledge "Thank you for letting me be here and be a part of the birth of your child..." (Let alone name your baby after me!) wow, I was quite in awe, and utterly thankful- the Glory is His!

Blessings and the Bukid

Time keeps turning over here in Davao, and what it turns over is depth of life.
I arrived back from an outreach to the Bukid yesterday (mountains north of Davao City) 5 days of motorbikes up and down the glories of green. In crevices fit the stilted houses and brown children, in the valley the rice paddies and cattle egrets. And beyond these were the stories, the story of the girl sitting with the empty rice fennel, and the one on short stilts; halves of a coconut with a string between the toes. The story of the blue mist on the horizon. In all this God takes glory, and around every bend I found my prayers carried praise and awe.
Our service could not be counted as much, I cleaned out a maze of boils and dead flesh on an older woman's neck with inadequate supplies and the buntis women came to listen to heart beats in their womb. We knew the important thing was that we prayed, over every stretched belly and into every child's eyes. We prayed promise into their lives. The truth I saw was that we did not bring God with us, though He privileged us to be His hands and feet, but that we met Him there, in every mountain stream and child's smile. That He has been glorified in His creation forever before my eyes delighted on it and in the same way He has been set on the wooing of his mountain people. So our prayers are in all hope, for we have tasted what God has wrought for His children. We have been claimed in His passion, and we have been blessed with eyes to see His presence even where pain lays abundant.
Time keeps turning over here in Davao, and what it turns over is depth of life. And this is how He has been calling me, into abundance, into intimacy. Intimacy with God is the well spring of abundance of life. As He keeps drawing me closer by His own grace and humility my learning response has lately been ruptured on the principle of first fruits. "Bring the best of the first fruits of your soil to the house of the Lord your God." Ex 23:19 I am a person who verbosely works through life, I need to talk through my circumstance and tell my stories. I know that often by the time I have talked through a situation with someone, things seem clear, the mire has settled to the bed of the pond. In the same way I can't wait to express excitement over a recent event or piece of news. But the story it seems is always best the first time, and God has been asking me to share those times with Him.
I ask Him to come sit with me for the first reading of anticipated news from home and share the excitement and needs that lay within. I express first to Him the confusion of the Birth room after a hard shift. I sit in silence before His throne first after hearing of a friend's grief. It should be the most natural thing in the world; if I have entered into a covenant relationship with God of complete dependence and deepest friendship He should be the one I can't wait to tell when I do well on my exam, or discover a prayer answered (!!!)
Yet how often do we take that away from Him? And bring him the version told already three times over... Why is there something so disturbing about the gossip of old busy bodies? And as women how can we discern between what idle talk is and what is building up? How would outcomes differ if we would bring immediately to God our first guilt and doubts before Satan had a chance to whisper lies? Oh friends, seek Him!
I can't understand or convey all that is meant or should be taken from scripture regarding first fruits. As a means to strive for intimacy with God it has meant for me truly bringing to Him first, before anyone else, the struggles and labours of my breathing moments. And here my life is deepened.
" I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day for Christ Jesus." Phil 1: 3-6 Janelle