It Rained!

Whelp, I'm halfway through my stay in Hainan.  And I've already learned more about the unexpected.  For instance, I don't do a whole lot while here.  Which is kind of silly, but I'm here to build relationships with my school and theirs...not to destroy them.  So, make friends I will!  Hahaha.  Another unexpected learning...the kid that's been assigned to my group while we've been "working" in the villages is Catholic.  That's not the unexpected part...the unexpected part was when I asked him why he decided to join the Catholic church...he said he had a friend who took him to church (not unexpected) and he liked it.  And then the unexpected part came...he really enjoyed watching "The Godfather" movies...and apparently, those movies (I don't really know the plot in them besides the mafia) were sort of the clincher?  Hahaha.  I never knew I'd meet someone who converted to a church because of a movie, but hey, if he finds God in his life, then by all means!  :)  I asked him if there were a lot of people our age who would join churches, and he said no.  Because many of them join the polical party (yes, the one that begins with the Big C that I'm not going to type because of possible filters) and if you join that politcal party, you basically can't be known as a Christian of any sort.  Interesting huh?  Sad actually, it's so ridiculous what moral state the world has come down to.  Having a religion would actually bar (one or two r?) you from joining a political party?  That's absolutely absurd. 

 

Other than that, Hainan is dandy.  We've been bascially living out of a hotel and all day long, we sit here and input things into computers or go around the island with the hospital director and see stuff.  We've been to visit some of the more isolated villages (a few just got electricity a few years ago and a few don't have any at all).  It's interesting to see their living conditions, while you look at it and it's absolutely disgusting in some ways (pigs roam free and there is trash EVERYWHERE), their small yards and animal pens are as clean as they can get them.  It's just strange.  I'm sure there's loads of water contamination, yet no one's really mentioned diarrhea as a problem (perhaps they're immune?).  Also, the data we're inputing is inaccurate.  THAT IS A PAIN IN THE BUTT!  Thats all I have to say about that!  When you have inaccurate data, everything else is screwed up.  But don't worry, we weren't the ones that gathered most of it...most of it came from the village doctors who didn't really seem to care what they wrote down as they wrote something down.  And the most disconcerting thing yet...is a blood pressure of 30/50 possible?   YEah, didn't think so.  Even if we were to switch the numbers, the person would probably be dead..but on a number of the data sheets, those are how the BPs are recorded...so, we're not sure what's going on with that.  If the village doctor doesn't know how to take blood pressures, should they be giving shots, meds an IVs?  Yeah...how can you be sure that they're well trained in other areas if they can't remember how to take a BP?  I don't know...I'm sure something was up and we'll figure it out.  But yeah, those are my frustrations.

 

Also, I can't watch Chuck and I can't watch Psych, there is no such thing as facebook, no matter how many different ways I try to get in (minus taking my computer to Macao or Hong Kong).  :)  There are some things about the motherland that are just ridiculous and retarded, mainly the government.  But I think I'll save that discussion for another time.

 

I really love how uplifting music can bring in the Spirit so strongly into a room and just fill it with warmth and peace.  It's an amazing feeling sitting there in your room, just listening and pondering on the message, the Lord's Spirit is there to testify to you of the message of the music, it's absolutely inspiring in every way.  Trying to keep the Sabbath day as holy as possible is a bit difficult here, I can't say that I spend my Sundays doing everything that I would like to do (like go to church) but it's so comforting to know that sometimes when you are really just so tired, the Lord sends you that one tender mercy that you've been waiting for.  Just that little something that makes your Sabbath day really feel much more like the Sabbath instead of just any other day.  Anyways, the Church is true!  The Lord loves you!  Hope you have a GREAT day!

                  Suzi