Tomorrow night at this time I will be on my way to Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic for my 13th Operation Smile Mission. My last mission was over a year ago...that seems like a long time. Usually I do 2 Op Smile missions a year & I had some other plans...a mission to China that got canceled, a teaching mission to Malawi but the dates were changed to a time I cannot go.
I was blessed to go to Houston after Hurricane Harvey & do some volunteer work there with my daughter Kelli - that was truly humbling to see the devastation & resilience of people and the genuine kindness and compassion neighbor to neighbor & by strangers. For Kelli & I we worked hard & Houston will always have a part of our hearts. Truly we were where we were supposed to be in Houston :)
Now as I head to the DR I again know without any doubt that I am going where I am supposed to go. More importantly I know that I don't have to cross state lines or continents to serve humankind. There are opportunities everywhere & I am grateful for those experiences I have at home just as much. But this work of "Changing Lives One Smile at a Time" it resonates with who I am as a person & as a nurse - my life has been spent for the most part helping children & families & this is just that. When I think that kids are shunned or ostracized from life because of a cleft lip or that they can't speak well with a cleft palate & these surgeries instantly change their lives - there is no place I would rather go....well maybe that's not totally true - using my PTO to go to Hawaii sounds quite inviting as well :) but that can happen too.
But I want to be real - it is a sacrifice & sometimes it takes a few small miracles to get me out the door...I had committed to caring for my 5 month old granddaughter sweet baby K for 10 days while her parents went to Morocco. I knew I would need some help so as to not take 10 days off work so I asked Kelli to come from Texas & help me & she said YES! Then...I got the mission opportunity & for me fitting mission in my life is like a puzzle - all the pieces have to come together - work projects, family events, getting the time off at CHOC, my mom's needs etc. AND missions are actually hard to get too as there are a lot of volunteers and with my small windows it's tough. So I decided to say YES to the DR & make this work...I didn't know however Doug would be in Ireland this week so that was a new twist.....so then I asked Sarah to come help Kelli with Baby K too & she said YES & will fly in tomorrow - we were adding more puzzle pieces but they were fitting together :) I am good with hectic schedules but this one did cause me to pause & wonder if I was doing the right thing...yet it all came together thanks to my wonderful family, coverage at work and that feeling that this is where I am needed.
I am almost packed - mostly with dolls from one friend, clothes from another, t-shirt's from CHOC, flip flops I bought & my scrubs & a few other necessities. I have definitely simplified my personal packing. Now the reality that I am headed to a mission is sinking in. A few people have said they went to the DR on their honeymoon - all inclusive resorts on beautiful beaches - pretty sure that is not the DR I will see but that's ok. I have said before missions are like childbirth - you forget about the pain & only remember the joy at the end. I am mentally gearing up for new sights & sounds, different foods, less sophisticated medical conditions, a team I will work with yet I have never met a single person before, LONG 16 hour days, being tired yet energized, managing communication where I still don't speak the language - seriously I have got to get my Spanglish improved to Spanish! I am telling myself I will be comfortable in an unfamiliar & uncomfortable setting for 2 weeks. I am doing hard things because it makes me stronger & a better person and because I have this desire to serve no matter what the personal inconvenience because there are so many who lack the access to this type if surgical care and I can use my skills & abilities to be part of the solution and truly lives are changes by these missions & these teams
As is always the case we will be in an impoverished area. The plan is 2 days of screening, a day of set up & 100 surgeries in nest week Mon-Friday. I know I will immediately LOVE the people that is always the case. I know each of them has a story that I can learn from. They are moms & dads & grandmas & grandpas & aunts & uncles & friends who will have travelled to get these children life changing surgery & I get to be a little part of that - how AMAZING!!! I have also been in contact with the my church leaders in the area I will be in & have made some connections already that tell me I am on the Lords errand to help church members as well thanks to the generosity of friends. I am always in AWE of how the puzzle of a mission always comes together even when you don't start with all the pieces & you get them once you are in the country.
I have lots of to do "lists" to leave for Doug, the girls, work, church responsibilities & just general life that will be covered by others and more things to organize for me but I wanted to reactivate my blog & reach out to friends to ask for your positive thoughts & prayers not just for me & my family while I am gone but for the whole Op Smile Santo Domingo DR team who I have yet to meet. If you are reading this thank you for your interest, love & support - I am truly blessed to have such wonderful friends & family. I am ready for another mission adventure....that relaxing vacation will come in time I know :) I will update my as I can and as always this is my "journal" that I choose to share so I hope you will be okay with that....
I was blessed to go to Houston after Hurricane Harvey & do some volunteer work there with my daughter Kelli - that was truly humbling to see the devastation & resilience of people and the genuine kindness and compassion neighbor to neighbor & by strangers. For Kelli & I we worked hard & Houston will always have a part of our hearts. Truly we were where we were supposed to be in Houston :)
Now as I head to the DR I again know without any doubt that I am going where I am supposed to go. More importantly I know that I don't have to cross state lines or continents to serve humankind. There are opportunities everywhere & I am grateful for those experiences I have at home just as much. But this work of "Changing Lives One Smile at a Time" it resonates with who I am as a person & as a nurse - my life has been spent for the most part helping children & families & this is just that. When I think that kids are shunned or ostracized from life because of a cleft lip or that they can't speak well with a cleft palate & these surgeries instantly change their lives - there is no place I would rather go....well maybe that's not totally true - using my PTO to go to Hawaii sounds quite inviting as well :) but that can happen too.
But I want to be real - it is a sacrifice & sometimes it takes a few small miracles to get me out the door...I had committed to caring for my 5 month old granddaughter sweet baby K for 10 days while her parents went to Morocco. I knew I would need some help so as to not take 10 days off work so I asked Kelli to come from Texas & help me & she said YES! Then...I got the mission opportunity & for me fitting mission in my life is like a puzzle - all the pieces have to come together - work projects, family events, getting the time off at CHOC, my mom's needs etc. AND missions are actually hard to get too as there are a lot of volunteers and with my small windows it's tough. So I decided to say YES to the DR & make this work...I didn't know however Doug would be in Ireland this week so that was a new twist.....so then I asked Sarah to come help Kelli with Baby K too & she said YES & will fly in tomorrow - we were adding more puzzle pieces but they were fitting together :) I am good with hectic schedules but this one did cause me to pause & wonder if I was doing the right thing...yet it all came together thanks to my wonderful family, coverage at work and that feeling that this is where I am needed.
I am almost packed - mostly with dolls from one friend, clothes from another, t-shirt's from CHOC, flip flops I bought & my scrubs & a few other necessities. I have definitely simplified my personal packing. Now the reality that I am headed to a mission is sinking in. A few people have said they went to the DR on their honeymoon - all inclusive resorts on beautiful beaches - pretty sure that is not the DR I will see but that's ok. I have said before missions are like childbirth - you forget about the pain & only remember the joy at the end. I am mentally gearing up for new sights & sounds, different foods, less sophisticated medical conditions, a team I will work with yet I have never met a single person before, LONG 16 hour days, being tired yet energized, managing communication where I still don't speak the language - seriously I have got to get my Spanglish improved to Spanish! I am telling myself I will be comfortable in an unfamiliar & uncomfortable setting for 2 weeks. I am doing hard things because it makes me stronger & a better person and because I have this desire to serve no matter what the personal inconvenience because there are so many who lack the access to this type if surgical care and I can use my skills & abilities to be part of the solution and truly lives are changes by these missions & these teams
As is always the case we will be in an impoverished area. The plan is 2 days of screening, a day of set up & 100 surgeries in nest week Mon-Friday. I know I will immediately LOVE the people that is always the case. I know each of them has a story that I can learn from. They are moms & dads & grandmas & grandpas & aunts & uncles & friends who will have travelled to get these children life changing surgery & I get to be a little part of that - how AMAZING!!! I have also been in contact with the my church leaders in the area I will be in & have made some connections already that tell me I am on the Lords errand to help church members as well thanks to the generosity of friends. I am always in AWE of how the puzzle of a mission always comes together even when you don't start with all the pieces & you get them once you are in the country.
I have lots of to do "lists" to leave for Doug, the girls, work, church responsibilities & just general life that will be covered by others and more things to organize for me but I wanted to reactivate my blog & reach out to friends to ask for your positive thoughts & prayers not just for me & my family while I am gone but for the whole Op Smile Santo Domingo DR team who I have yet to meet. If you are reading this thank you for your interest, love & support - I am truly blessed to have such wonderful friends & family. I am ready for another mission adventure....that relaxing vacation will come in time I know :) I will update my as I can and as always this is my "journal" that I choose to share so I hope you will be okay with that....
