let's talk medical (the grandparents will like this one!)

When it comes to us moving into a remote tribe, some people (especially grandparents) might worry wonder, "What happens when one of the kids get sick in the tribe"?

Well, this past week we got to see the medical options that New Tribes has in PNG--and it is super encouraging!  

One thing to know about PNG--there are no suitable medical facilities.  Like, there are "hospitals" throughout PNG, but they are very unsanitary and really not safe to go to.  But...here at Lapilo, New Tribes has an really nice medical clinic, fully staffed with two experienced doctors and a lot of wonderful nurses!  All of these doctors and nurses are here as New Tribes missionaries--serving here in PNG when honestly, they could be making lots of money in their home countries.  Praise the Lord for the amazing support staff that New Tribes has here in PNG!  It takes SO MANY people and roles to plant tribal churches!  

So here's the deal.  Even if we are located deep in the jungles, our NTM doctors will be reachable--either by phone (in some locations), or by radio.  And they want us to call them if needed--24/7!  Then, if one of our kids is very sick, the doctor will order a med-evac.  All other flights will be put on hold to make sure that the med-evac gets first priority, and they could get in to the tribe and bring us out to Lapilo in decent time.  Then, if it is a really big problem?  Like, surgery is needed, or something like that?  They will send us to Australia, and again--we could get there in very decent time.  

So, even though the medical care isn't nearly as fast as it would be in the USA, we still have very good options.  And of course, we all know that God is totally sovereign and so we totally trust Him in the area of sickness and medical needs!

So the first day we got here to Lapilo, we took a tour of the clinic.  It is good for our kids to get to know the doctors and nurses when they aren't sick--just so that when the time comes that they are really sick, they will feel less scared.

We met Dr. Bud that day, and he gave us the tour...we saw the examining rooms, where Dr. Bud let me and Nathan check our kids' ears...

There is an ultrasound room, and Dr. Bud demonstrated on Kaine's stomach :)

They have a lab, where they can do blood tests and things like that.  Dr. Bud asked Nathan if he knows what his blood type is--Nathan couldn't remember, so Dr. Bud said, "You need to know your blood type!  So let's just find out right now!"  Lol! 

Okay, then all last week, our orientation group had some stellar medical training.  The other NTM doctor, Dr. Kevin, taught our class.  Along with different nurses each day.  And it really was phenomenal!  He taught us to do things like CPR/Heimlich/first aid...

And they taught us how to take vital signs (we will have a stethoscope, blood pressure cuff, otoscope, and MANY other things with us in the tribe)...

 

photo credit: Brent Ristau

 And then they let us try out all of the skills on each other :)

One of the days was Suturing Day!  I was kind of nervous, but it was actually really fun!  Of course, it helped that we were using chicken wings instead of human flesh ;) 

 Dr. Kevin demonstrating how to inject Lidocaine for numbing--lol, it felt pretty funny to numb a chicken wing :)

 

All stitched up!  Just call him Dr. Mueller :)  

Thank you, NTM PNG medical team.  You blessed us immensely this past week!