Dentist

On Mother's Day, I found myself in a dentist office, clutching the chair for dear life. What is more scary than giving birth in a third world country? Going to a dentist in a third world country. Ok... slight exaggeration, but it's right up there! I had been experiencing tooth pain for over a year. Weeks would go by with no pain and then "wham!"... I would get hit with terrible pain in one of my teeth. It caused pain to radiate though the whole right side of my face. It was terrible and medicine couldn't help it. I would just have to wait it out. It happened a couple time while Marli was here and the sweet girl she is massaged my face to help alleviate the pain. I have been hoping to wait until we go to the US go get treatment. I hate dental stuff in the US, so the thought of going here was terrifying. There is no routine dental check ups or cleanings. The only solution for pain is to pull the tooth.

On Mother's Day weekend, the pain was horrible and this time, it did not go away. Friday night, I told George I had to see someone. On Saturday, I asked a friend of mine where to go and she said "DO NOT see anyone in Moshi (town)." She recommended going to a hospital about thirty minutes away. Another friend of ours picked me up and we headed up towards Mt. Kilimanjaro. It was raining and the roads were terrible. Our little car (my friend's, not ours) was slipping and sliding all over the place. I can't believe we made it through the mud. When we arrived, I was devastated to learn there were no dentists there on weekends. I had to come back on Monday.

We headed back down the mountain and made it safely back to Moshi. There was no way to wait until Monday so our friend Margaret made an appointment for me to see a dentist... IN TOWN! No! Not one in town!!!! I was so scared, but there was no choice. I resigned myself to the fact I would be getting my tooth pulled. By then, a filling had fallen out and I didn't know if it could be repaired. The bad tooth was one of the side molars, one that is visible when I talk and smile. I wasn't looking forward to having a hole in my mouth, but I accepted the idea and tried not to be so vain.

Sunday Morning, Margaret picked me up and we went to the office. No x-rays were done. I just sat in the chair and the dentist got to work. He said he needed to fix the one with the missing filling and I had two other cavities to fill. He rubbed some gel on my gums and teeth, telling me that was lignocaine. What? No injection? I hate injections during dental work, but I prefer them to the pain. He started to drill and I gripped the chair so tightly, praying the whole time.

He worked on me for two hours! The procedure wasn't as bad as I expected. However, he wasn't as gentle as ones in the US and my face and gums were poked many times. When he finished, I felt pretty good! The pain was gone. Yay! As I began to feel around in my mouth, I noticed it appeared he patched two teeth together. I could no longer floss between the bad tooth and the good one next to it. Oh well... at least it wasn't hurting anymore. Unfortunately, that night the pain came back, although not as bad as it was. For a week and a half I had to take pain medicine, but a few days ago, it stopped hurting altogether. So, for now I am in the clear! I never thought I would be excited to see a dentist, but I want to run to one in the US when we come home!

April/May Newsletter

(Here is our latest newsletter that we emailed out. Please email me or leave a comment if you want to be added to the email list.)

Hi from Moshi!

It has been quite a while since we have been able to send a monthly update to you. Thank you for your patience with us. We sent out an end of the year update and birth announcement. However, if you didn't get one, that means we don't have your current address. If you would like to be on our mailing list, just send me an email with your information.

Our main ministry focus lately has been on finalizing the purchase of the orphanage land. It's so exciting to finally be near the end of that process. We are just waiting to receive the title deed. Once we have that, we can continue to clear the land of thick brush, put up a wall and begin ordering supplies for the building. We hope much of the supplies can be shipped from the US in a container. We want what we build to last a long time and unfortunately, the quality of the building materials isn't very good here.

Last month, George was blessed to work with API ministries in Kenya once again. They did a week long medical camp where George was able to put his medical skills to good use. It was a great week during which so many people were helped and came to know the Lord. We always love when we get a chance to minister in Kenya.

Next week a team of doctors is coming to check out the possibility of doing free cataract surgery in Tanzania. This is a relatively simple and quick surgery that can be life changing. We met a couple of the doctors when we first came to Moshi. They have set up meetings with various clinics to see if their services are most needed there and if their facilities would be suitable. We are just helping them with a few logistics during their stay and we pray their results are favorable. Tanzania could greatly benefit from their services.

At home, we have been busy taking care of the kids and watching in amazement as we see Julia grow. Since her birth (eight weeks premature) she has already quadrupled her birth weight. It hasn't been an easy time as she has been very fussy, but we have found much joy in her and gratitude for the miracle of her life. Eli continues to be wonderful. He is two and nine months now, talking so much and making us laugh all the time.

Please remember to read the blog for frequent updates, prayer requests, support information and photos. http://www.thisisstaciesblog.blogspot.com/

For now, here are some prayer requests we would love for you to remember:

1. Julia's health & healing from reflux issues.

2. Receiving the title deed for the land

3. Confirmation from the US Embassy of Julia's US citizenship and receipt of her documents (passport, birth certificate, etc.)

4. Furlough plans – we hope to come to the US at the end of the year for a visit. The first step will be to get George's visa approved.

5. Safe travel and a productive trip for the doctors coming.

Lots of love from Moshi,

George, Stacie, Eli and Julia Orwa

“O Sovereign Lord! You made the heavens and earth by your strong hand and powerful arm. Nothing is too hard for you!" Jeremiah 32:17

#archiveModalDialog

Womens Ministry

Recently I met a dutch missionary, and we began to hang out a bit. We have a lot in common, including having two young kids each who enjoy playing together. We have been able to relate to the restlessness common to women once kids are in the picture. We both love being able to be stay at home moms, but it's easy to go a little stir crazy every now and then. We also miss being more involved in ministry. We also have both missed having a Bible study. So, we started one. Now we have eight moms that meet every Friday. It's also open to all of our kids. It's the only way some of us could participate. We all understand how kids are and don't mind if we have to interrupt the session to settle a tantrum or break up a fight. It has been a blessing to get together weekly to study the Word, pray and encourage each other. We are also thinking of planning a women's retreat, open not only to those in our group, but any woman in Moshi who wants to come. I am so thankful for this fellowship!

Team of Doctors Coming

We are really excited to meet a team of four doctors coming from the US next week. They include three eye surgeons and one ER doctor, as well as one of the doctors' wives. We have met Peter and Pam before when we first came to Moshi. Eli was only seven weeks old so it will be fun for them to see how much he has grown. They have been doing free cataract surgery in third world countries for many years and are thinking about doing them in Tanzania. During this visit, they will meet with different facilities to see if any will work out as a location for the surgery. They want to make sure there is a need for the surgeries and that no one else is already doing them here. They want to go where there is no one else helping out and the need for their services is the greatest. Before meeting them, I never knew how simple cataract surgery can be. Someone can go from being blinded by cataracts one day to being able to see the next. What a HUGE gift to give to someone. They are only here for a week and I know time will go so quickly. Please pray for their safety, good health and successful meetings.

Land Update

It's funny that during the hardest time of our lives (dealing with Julia's early delivery), we have seen the most progress in our ministry work. It shouldn't be surprising given the great God we serve. More has gotten done in the last four months than in the last two years, as far as the orphanage land goes. We are in the final stages of buying the land. All that we are waiting for is to get the title deed in our hands. George has been busy getting us to this point. Buying land here is not as easy as buying land in the US. You have to consult the village chief, have the land commissioners approve the sale, have the neighbors confirm you are not infringing on their boundaries, get surveyors to mark the property... and lots more. George has been back and forth a lot to the village getting documents completed and signed and meeting with many local people. He has also had to go to the land a few times to defend our borders when someone else has wanted to buy neighboring property. As far as we know, there is nothing else we need to do but wait for the title deed to be delivered to us. Meanwhile, George has been working on clearing the property. No easy task when there is 12 acres of thick brush! Due to the heavy rains this season, progress on that has been halted for a bit.

It has been refreshing to see God open doors after doors closing these past two years. Woo hoo!

Mom Update

Here is a photo of my beautiful Mom. As you can see, she looks great. It has been about two months since the accident and she is doing very well overall. The pressure she has felt on her face from all the hardware underneath is finally starting to decrease. Her dizziness is gone and much of the swelling is gone as well. She still doesn't have her sense of smell or taste back. Hopefully that will come back in time. For the amount of trauma she has been through, she is doing amazingly well. Thank the Lord. And thank you for your prayers. She heads back to work this week and will need prayers for that. Her body still tires easily, although it's slowly getting stronger and more energetic. Her job as a nurse is busy and demanding. Pray that she is able to ease back in slowly and keep up with it all. I will keep you updated on how she is doing.

I love you Mom!

Julia Update - 4 1/2 Months

Julia is four and a half months old now... that is crazy! I remember praying to get through one week at a time and now here we are. We have had a rough couple months with her. She was often very fussy, screaming if we put her down and struggling to eat. Because of the lack of good medical care here, we were left to guess what her problems were and pray God would heal her and help us out. The one good thing that helped us get through the hard days, were Julia's good nights. She is a great night sleeper. Eli was a nightmare, but Julia goes to bed around 8:00 or 8:30pm and sleeps until around 7:30am (although sometimes until 8:30 or 9:00!), waking only once for feeding. This past week, we were able to take her to a German pediatrician who has experience with preemies. She is looking to open a practice in Moshi, but was willing to see us in her home for free. It was so reassuring to see her. She had heard about Julia and was amazed at her progress and good health. She took measurements of Julia and Julia is right on track for a two and a half month old (as opposed to a four and a half month old) which is to be expected. She is in the 50th percentile for height, length and head circumference. Julia is twelve pounds six ounces now! The most helpful thing we learned from the appointment that answered many of our questions was that it looks like Julia has reflux, a common condition in preemies. It explains her pain while eating and fussiness when being put down. The good news is that it doesn't usually require treatment and goes away on its own with time. Already this past week, we are seeing a new Julia. She has less pain while eating and is tolerating being put in her chair or laying down on her own for a bit. She is happy most of the time, smiling and cooing a lot. I think we had turned a corner and perhaps have easier days ahead. Here are some recent pictures of our little cutie...

Sad Good Bye

One of the reasons I have had a hard time these past couple months is because our closest friends in Moshi moved away. Over a year ago, George was playing outside our house with Eli when he met Daniela, who was walking with her son, Flynn. George invited her in to meet me and from that point on, we all became friends. Our families were a good match for each other. Daniela and I became friends, Eli and Flynn became friends and Chris (Daniela's husband) and George became friends. We all enjoyed hanging out together. It had been a long time since I had a close friend. All of mine (with the exception of George's sister, Suzy, in Kenya) were back in the US. And the truth was... I was lonely. It's easy to feel lonely and secluded here. Our lives in Moshi got better when we met their family. They lived in our neighborhood, next to our old house, which was very close to our current house. So, it was easy for us to see each other. Daniela's friendship was a huge blessing to me. It made me feel normal, if that makes sense. I had someone to talk with and laugh with. We could confer about the kids, discussing their health and behavior. I could call them and ask if they had lettuce in their garden or any extra cilantro. One time, when we ran out of gas for our stove, Marli went down to cook our dinner at their house. I couldn't reach Daniela, but I knew she wouldn't mind. We often hung out in the evenings after work, sometimes staying for dinner if we didn't realize how late it had gotten. I thought, this is what it might be like if I was in the US, surrounded by people I know.

They became like family to us. George knew when he was out of town, Chris and Daniela were available to help me and Chris knew when he was out of town, we were there to support Daniela, day or night. This was not just in words, but in actions as I saw when my water broke while George was gone. I woke them up in the middle of the night, asking them to take Eli and they did, no questions asked. Even though this was Eli's first time away from us, I knew he would be ok because they loved him and he loved them. We were also blessed to meet various family members of theirs who came to visit... all as lovely as they are. When it came time for them to head back to Switzerland, we all were so sad. For two weeks after they left, I felt very down and melancholic. I just couldn't shake the sadness I felt. Since they left, I have met other people and made new friends, which has helped soften the blow, but no one will replace them. Eli was confused for a while after they left. He would ask to go to Flynn's house and I would have to explain again, with a heavy heart, that they moved away and we couldn't see them. Now he mostly understands and talks about things he remembers about them. Like "Mama Flynn said ...." or "this is from "Papa Chris" or "Flynn would like this..." They are amazing people and we were so fortunate they moved into our neighborhood and became our friends. We will keep in touch and hopefully see each other again. Until then, we will cherish the memories of the time we had with them in Moshi.

Posts Coming

Is anyone still checking this?! So sorry about the lack of posts. I have been overwhelmed and a little discouraged and anxious lately. Julia has been a hard baby and there isn't much time or energy to do things other than childcare. I am so behind on everything and am praying I can catch up soon. I will try to blog soon with more info. Just wanted you to know we are alive and ok.

Thanks for your patience and grace...