Chronicity

Dear Readers,

Grace and peace to YOU from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to Whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen! 

(Saint Paul’s greeting to Galatia) 

Thank you again for joining with us in this mission to the Highland people of Papua New Guinea. Rachel and I are greatly comforted in the knowledge that we walk this path with the prayer and love of hundreds, and we greet the bright sun of every morning filled with our Lord’s perfect Love and Peace. All around PNG, needless violence born of greed, lust, and pride casts a shadow of fear and wretchedness over countless homes and entire communities, but I bear witness to the Hand of God moving every day through His children to bring Light into the darkness. In the midst of hardship, disease, and corruption, your PNG brothers and sisters are praying, preaching God’s Word, and many hearts are turning to the freedom of salvation in Christ. There is ongoing reason for both fervent prayer and turning hearts heavenward to rejoice! God IS moving in Papua New Guinea!

Local church's Baptism celebration

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A Recent Observation:

One of the phrases I find myself most commonly using in our clinic is some version of: "Sorri, mi no can stretim dispela problem. Dispela maracine can help downim dispela kin sik bilong yu, tasol yu got dispela problem long life bilong yu." (Translation: Sorry, I can't fix this illness. This medicine will help reduce your symptoms, but you will have this illness for the rest of your life.)

The concept of a lifelong medical ailment does not register easily for PNG'ians. (Common examples being Reflux, Back Pain, COPD, Hypertension, Headaches, Pelvic Pain due to chronic STD's, etc). Most patients who present for "Review" are returning because their symptoms (usually some form of pain) have returned since their medicine ran out. In the typical mindset, medicine cures disease, so the usual complaint is - "same problems, medicine didn't work". I am then forced to clarify that the medicine did indeed help reduce their symptoms each day it was taken, but that since the supply finished, their symptoms returned. Where I would expect most patients to understand the chronic nature of their disease, here at Kudjip I constantly feel the need to apologize for my inability to cure their ailments with the medicine we have to offer.

Another form of medical chronicity is the patient who reviews with recurrence of the same disease (Pneumonia, Gastroenteritis, STD's) which had at one time been effectively treated, but then contracted again in short order. Re-infection is more common here owing to generally poor hygiene and nutrition, in combination with the day-to-day strain of hard physical labor, and because many patients’ lack funding for, or access to, timely healthcare. Widespread abuse of alcohol, drugs, and tobacco also doesn’t help.

I believe the heart of our patients’ mistaken medical perception is their overwhelming desire to be free of disease. Chronic patients are a burden to their families (obligated by custom to care for them), and should the disease carry a stigma, they may also be an embarrassment. The diagnosis of HIV carries this stigma, and the disease is rampant in PNG -- about 0.5-0.7% in the general PNG population and in our area of the highlands, the incidence is much higher at 1-2%. (More Stats HERE)

To avoid the diagnosis of HIV, many patients will "lose" the lab test paper given to them, or refuse testing outright. In some HIV+ cases already started on treatment, the patient might take the medicine for a time, then present to a different clinic for the same basic screening test. When the repeat test is read as negative, they share the good news with everyone that they are cured, and go on the spread the disease to their sexual partners. 

Whatever form chronicity takes, our patients’ mindset of denial seems to exist as a blindfold, gladly worn, to shield their already broken spirits from the depravity of life. Quite regularly, I feel some level of frustration with this uphill battle, resigning to the fact that while nothing of their normal life will contribute to their recovery, our best efforts may not be enough. 

Facing complicated or terminal cases on a daily basis, I do pray with many patients for God’s miraculous healing according to His will. In many such cases, I will also take a moment help them understand that the evil of this present age manifests as much in sickness as in sin, and that in this form of physical hardship, our Lord tests our Faith in His perfect provision as we endure the life given us. (Romans 8, Hebrews 12, James 1) Especially for those patients who know Him, I am regularly encouraged to see genuine Peace manifested in those who have just received a terminal diagnosis – a gift beyond understanding (Philippians 4) which only the Holy Spirit supplies.

Hebrews 12:11-13

No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. 

Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness 

and peace for those who have been trained by it. 

Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. 

"Make level paths for your feet," 

so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.

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Landscaping Updates:

Path flowers starting to brighten up our lawn

Hanging planters to add a little green on the porch

Extended the plants along the front of the house

The beginnings of our vegetable garden!

Little "Teddy" came back for  visit!

I sported the same breastfed neck rolls as a baby!  :-)