July 1-7

This is Beth's mother speaking. I think Beth has very little internet conections. By tract phone she has contacted Sharon Klyn in Manila and she has e mailed me information. As of this Sunday morning, July 4, we know that she has arrived safely on the island of Romblon. It is a very small mountain island and one of the poorest places. The map shows a road around the edge of the island and a few more in one place. The ride from Manila to Romblon took 20 hours by bus and ferry. The bedroom on the ferry was crowded and hot. That is all I know. I am thanking the Lord for her safe travels and praying that He will keep her safe and well there. I am sure she is having quite an experience and learning a lot about life. If I hear more via Sharon I will add on to comments. Barb Hunter
July 4, 2010 11:23 AM

(This is Beth's Mom again with more information via Sharon) Monday morning for me but now it is Monday night for Beth. The only church on the island was RC so she spent her day reading and sleeping. She has her Bible and some devotional books along. Beth had her first day at the clinic on her Monday. The language barrier made it very hard. On her Tuesday morning she worked in the clinic, then in the hospital and is on call for deliveries at night. She said they had brown outs all day(no electricity. It must not effect the hospital much as they have no machines (can't afford any)and do not do surgeries or blood transfusions. She says she is in what they call a town but they serve the surrounding villages also--about 2300 people.
July 5, 2010 2:21 PM


Wed. Beth's mother speaking. In the middle of the night we woke up to the phone ringing. It was Beth. She is enjoying herself. She has been involved in a delivery of a baby. (I don't know how much). She has done a vaccination clinic (made 35 babies cry) and blood pressure clinic. It seems like she works clinics or in a clinic in the mornings, in the hospital in the afternoon and is on call at night. In the last comment I said the wrong number of people it is 23,000 not 23oo. She is in a town the size of Doon but much more compacted. The name of the town is San Augustine. It is in the province of Romblon but not the island called Romblon itself. She did remember the name of it. The ocean is beautiful. She is intrigued by the fishing boats. she loves the food (told me where to find a recipe for something in one of her textbooks upstairs). The only food she hasn't enjoyed is a dessert dish. She and another volunteer live in a home of a host family. She has her own room. The island has dogs and roosters running around all over the place (we could hear one crowing). She said the health organization has worked hard there on rabies so that there hasn't been a known case in four years. It seems like everyone knows (except the old) some English but only uses it when they need to. When there is a brown out (no electricity) there is no running water. They wash their hands with alcohol. They use a stethescope for hearing baby's heart beat. The way she has to do things there would never pass in the states. She would never be able to get all the experience she is gaining there in the states either. Her voice was full of excitement. She see seems to be enoying it emmensely. (I knew she would).
July 7, 2010 6:47 AM