One Week!

One week to go till my LAST portion of clinic fees are due and only $2,740 to go!

While it usually gets to a point where I feel really antsy and doubtful, there is something so different about this year. I know I have talked about it already, but this "deadline" shall we say, really does not scare me like the other ones did. Maybe it's because I have so many moments of God's faithfulness to look back on, or maybe it's because, with His help, I've been able to change my perspective this time around. All I know if that I feel such freedom in knowing that things are going to work out just fine!

Yes, there is still just under $3,000 to raise in one week.

Yes, the Canadian dollar is HORRID right now resulting in a very unwelcome increase in dues.

Yes, it seems like a lot. And it seems impossible.

Last time I checked, God specializes in impossible.

If ONLY 60 people supported with $50, my goal would be met.

So with that, would you please be praying with me that:

• The fees are provided for in full, in time. 
• The exchange rate changes, even just a little bit, in favour of the Canadian dollar. 
• That my computer gets fixed :)
• For health over everyone in the clinic. We have all been a bit under the weather, and I currently have a sinus infection. Health for us all is needed. 

If you have any interest in financially supporting the work being done here, you can just click the PayPal link to the side. Or contact me if you have any questions :) 

$20 or $2,000, there is no big and small. It all makes a difference! As does monthly support!

If you know of anyone who you think would have an interest in partnering with me, please pass this along!

Much love,

A

Life with these girls is NEVER boring!

Another year has gone by... (yikes!)

I must be honest. When I was a kid I really disliked the fact that my birthday was so close to Christmas (and I'm not even a big birthday person). It was like all the excitement (read: presents) for the year was compressed into a measly few weeks. As I grew up, that changed quickly. Now it's like a New Years do-over for me. Or New Years is a trial run for my ACTUAL new year. There is so much joy to be found in a new year. It's like opening the door to a whole new adventure. Now I do understand that not everyone feels that way due to our lovely human fear of aging, but if you aren't excited about turning a year older, then you can at least be excited about a new adventure, right?

As I close the door on last year, I move into this new year with joy and thankfulness. Every year is filled with happiness and sorrow, laughter and struggles, lessons and learning. I am grateful for each bit of those things that made up my past year as it has taught me and helped me grow. This year is filled with many unknowns, and I'm jumping two feet in knowing that I am never alone and that my God will always catch me.

For the past month I have been feeling the strong need to simplify my life a bit. Even living in a small room, the amount of things accumulated is unnecessary, at least in my opinion. It's not like I have a ton of stuff, but I DO have stuff that I certainly DON'T need. I'm pretty sure we could all say that! As a birthday present to myself I am clearing my room of 27 things I do not need in honor of turning 27. Why not start the year with a little challenge eh? Want to join me? You know you should ;) It may seem like a very simple thing, but it is unbelievable how attached we become to material things that are not important and that we probably don't even use. So whether you want to now, or want to do some spring cleaning later on in the year, I want to challenge you... Evaluate what you have. Consider the word NEED. Act. Clean our your closets. Clean out your junk drawer (there are people in the world that would take EVERYTHING in your junk drawer, make something from it, sell it, and buy their family food for the day). Be aware of the fact that we use ridiculous excuses to live in extreme excess. Just go for it! You'll be glad you did :)

So, to finish off this little blog, let me give you a quick fundraising update. God is SO SO good. All the time! Only $3,240 to go until my last payment of clinic fees is provided in FULL! I am continually blown away by the generosity of friends and their willingness to be a part of what God is doing here in Tabuk. THANK YOU!

A couple prayer requests:

• For continued provision of funds before Feb 1st. Click the PayPal link to support, or contact me at pagnucco.alexandra@gmail.com.
• For my poor computer... contain your laughter people. I have had my fair share of computer issues since I have been here and am struggling to keep patience regarding my current issues. I need this computer to last until Oct 1st.. that's it :) Just pray it stays together.
• The Mom's and babies we care for at Abundant. Good deliveries, healthy babies, and healthy mommas.

Thanks for reading, friends!

Much love,
A

Quick update!

Hi Friends,

It's been 5 short, but fantastic days since my last post. I was able to enjoy a few days of relaxation in Manila, and am now back in chilly Tabuk. Chilly or not, I'm happy to be home :)
The past 5 days has brought amazing provision. I am now only needing to raise $4,490 before Feb 1st in order to cover my last portion of clinic fees! While I had broken it down into a reasonable "$50 from 121 people", God shattered my idea of reasonable and provided $1600 from just 3 people. However, if I was to stick to this idea of breaking the total down into $50 dollar donations, that would mean only 90 more are needed... Wow!

Please check out my previous blog for more information on what was accomplished in the past year, how to donate, and what your support goes towards :) Also, check out www.gthemidwife.com for even more great information about what was done in 2014.

Much love,
A

Removing the aspect of "surprise"

Happy New Year!!!

Hope you all had wonderful holidays filled with laughter, family, and delicious food. The holidays here were filled with lots of Christmas movies, good meals, fun times together, and awesome fireworks. I found it harder to be away this year than last year, but chances are it wasn't the last Christmas I will spent away from home and snow so I just consider it practice for more years ahead :)

In the spirit of the New Year, we often take a look back and remember the events of the past year. Come on a quick look back with me :)
The past year has certainly held some unforgettable moments. So many to name! More importantly, I want to tell you about how your support has had an impact on the clinic here in the past year. When you support and give towards my clinic fees, it goes directly to helping fund the operations of the clinic, thus helping us effectively care for the mother's of Tabuk and surrounding villages.

• In 2014, Abundant (the clinic I volunteer at for those who aren't familiar) saw over 550 women for pre-natal visits.
• Close to 300 of those women delivered their babies at the clinic (some drop-in labors are included).
• Over 60% of our mothers were either first time mom's or had delivered previous babies at home* without the help of a skilled birth attendant.
• Our intrapartum (in labor) transport rate was 9%. These are the patients who we need to refer to a higher level of care due to complications.
• In September, we had the clinics busiest month yet at 39 births!

I love looking at these numbers and seeing all the things being accomplished. It is such a privilege to be a small part of what is happening here, and it is YOUR generous support that has made that possible!

As the due date (Feb 1st) approaches quickly for my last portion of clinic fees, it can make for a pretty stressful time. Or at least, that would be expected and that is a feeling I have felt in the past as I waited patiently(HA!) for funds to come in. This time there is a different freedom, shall we say, that I have found in this process. I recently finished a book called Bruchko. It's a great book about a missionary to the Motilone Indians in South America (read it if you get a chance!). This missionary, like many, relied heavily on the financial support of others in order to continue the work he was doing. He would spend months and months in the jungle, come to the nearest town to get supplies or medicine, check his mailbox, and know without a doubt that there would be something there if he needed it. He just seemed to have this very matter-of-fact way about God's provision. Of course He will provide. Of course he is faithful. He writes about needing finances for medicine for an outbreak and going to his mailboxes in two cities and finding almost all he needed. The remainder came in the next day. When he found the finances were provided his response was "I wasn't surprised" (what do you mean you weren't surprised dude?! I AM surprised FOR you!). He trusted. He believed. He didn't doubt. Therefore, God coming through for him wasn't surprising. It was normal. How cool is that. Are you surprised when God comes through for you? I have been surprised many times in the past year and a half. Immensely thankful, but surprised. As if I have been living with this undertone of doubt, just waiting for something to not work out. Can I tell you something? I am so sick of that doubt. And I have no desire to live in that anymore, so I decided not too. I decided to remember that God has always been faithful, and that He will continue to be faithful. And I will continue to be so thankful, and blessed by how he provides through the generosity of people.

So here's a little financial update for ya!

• I currently need to raise $6,050! That is down from $6,900 just before New Years! Amazing.
• If 121 people donated $50, my goal would be met! That's less than a quarter of my facebook friends.
• You can donate ANY amount that suits you. It is all accepted with such thankfulness!
• You can donate by clicking the PayPal option to the right on this screen, or you can contact me (pagnucco.alexandra@gmail.com) for other options.
• Prayer and encouragement is just as important and means so much!

I'll leave you with a couple pictures of my favorite moments from 2014 in the Philippines!

Much love,
A

*I am a huge advocate for homebirth with skilled care providers and access to hospitals if needed. Most homebirths that occur here are without skilled attendants and often result in tragedy, therefore we are thrilled when they choose to deliver here with us!

 

 

The importance of language... as seen through my eyes (or heard through my ears).

Words carry weight, right?
I think that's something that we can all agree on. Whether positive or negative, the words we use can affect people or situations. Do you often think about that? I sure don't! While I'm not exactly what people would call the "outspoken" type, I certainly can't say that I always put consideration into the words I use. This is something I've been contemplating a lot in not only the past months, but years really. If you feel like walking through those contemplations with me, keep reading. If not, I'll never know anyway ;)

I have been really blessed throughout my life to have friendships with people who really value words. People who consider the affect that language can have and strive to use words that will correctly express what is being said.
For example, what would you think if I said that midwives deliver babies? Do you agree? I sure don't! I have spent enough time around birth in the past year and a half to understand very well that midwives do MANY things but none of those things include "delivering" a baby, unless it is their own child. Some people may go even farther and say that women don't "deliver" babies, they "birth" babies. There are pretty popular bumper stickers amongst birth activists saying "Babies aren't delivered.... Pizza's are!" I'd say that's pretty accurate (I'd also say I'd LOVE to have some pizza delivered right about now, but I'll stick to the point). If I, as a midwife (sooooon!), were to say I delivered a baby, I would feel that with the language used I am taking WAY more credit for all that work than I deserve. I'm not gonna lie... Midwifery is really hard. But birthing a baby is so much harder. I think that women deserve to be empowered through birth, therefore, I'm careful about the language I use as I feel that it carries weight. Make sense?

Ok. Let's transfer this concept biblically!

If you know me well, you know that I love Elevation Church and Pastor Furtick's sermons. He said something in a sermon last week that really challenged me and brought me back to this whole point on the importance of language, or words. He was talking about Ezekiel and the Valley of Dry Bones. Now let me tell you, if I were in that situation and God told me to prophesy to a bunch of skeletons I would be like "Heck no, Lord!". I have a hard enough time speaking life into smaller situations. Looking at a bunch of bones and prophesying that they will come to life is a BIG DEAL! There have been some big things that I have had to believe for in the past few years (such as finances to be here), but nothing like that! One of the points that Furtick made with Ezekiel's story is that Ezekiel spoke TO the dry bones, not ABOUT the dry bones. That hit me in the face like a good hard God brick.

Then he said to me, "Prophesy to these bones and say to them, 'Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord!

This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life.

I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and

you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord.' "

Ezekiel 37: 4-6

 

I am really good at talking about whatever valley of dry bones I may be facing, but I am lacking when it comes to talking TO the bones. How much would change, I wonder, if I altered my language (and thus my heart, possibly) a little bit more to match Ezekiel's gumption? Would it bring more hope to a dire situation? Would it put the "bones" back in the hands of the giver of breath? Would I see life come from these "bones", whatever they may be? I think I would. I think WE would.

What are your "bones" right now? What do you need to alter about the way you speak TO your situation? Maybe nothing. Maybe something. That's for you to decide. I, for one, will continue to be challenged to consider the power of the words I speak, whether to people or to situations in my life. God didn't give us communication for nothing, my friends!

 

 

Anyways, that's it for my musings today :) I'll move onto some other things of importance.

I am currently 7 weeks away from my LAST payment for clinic fees being due. Doesn't seem like a lot of time, but it is certainly enough. Unfortunately, due to the relatively horrible exchange rate (my fees are due in USD), I have had to add a little bit extra to my budget. Instead of $8,000, I need to raise $8,500. I didn't consider the exchange rate enough with the last payment, thus forcing me to really consider it this time. However, I am very stoked to report that I have already received some very generous donations and am now needing to raise only $7,200!! Amazing eh? While that number still seems a tad large, I know it's do-able!

Besides a small amount needed for a flight home next year (which I will talk about in the late spring), this is the final stretch in fundraising! I know that I have said these things over and over again, but it's important to remember that your donations go directly towards supporting the clinic that I work with here, allowing us to provide excellent midwifery care for the women of Tabuk and surrounding villages.

 

I have been so blessed by all the people who have believed in and supported the work being done here, and I would love if you could continue in that with me. Your support, from $10 to $1,000+ goes so far and is received with a very grateful heart. If you have any questions about supporting, please contact me. I would LOVE to talk with you. To donate, just click the PayPal button on the right of this screen or e-mail me for other options.

 

 

Thanks for spending the time reading! Much love to you!

A

Christmas time is here... almost.

It's almost December!!! EEE! While I have been in full Christmas mode for well over a month now, I understand that not everyone shares in that with me. Therefore, I can be excited that all you Grinches who do not celebrate until Dec 1st will soon join me in rockin' the Christmas spirit ; )

The past 7 weeks have been quite full and it's hard to pick out the details to share. I was able to spend a wonderful week in Bugnay near the end of October. It was fun, relaxing, and a good break from the norm. I always look forward to my time spent there. The weekend I got home all the staff and volunteers at the clinic had the opportunity to do a shoulder dystocia (a complication in birth resulting from the baby's shoulders getting stuck somewhere in the pelvis) workshop with Gail Tully (www.spinningbabies.com). Gail is a very respected midwife who specializes in "spinning" babies into optimal positions for birth, as well as techniques to resolve shoulder dystocias. We first watched a workshop video, in which our hearts all stopped as it showed a dystocia that was over 6 minutes, and then had a Skype call with Gail the next evening to ask any questions. It was such a great learning experiences and we were all thankful that Gail was so willing to share her wisdom with us.

Shock, awe, and nervous laughter while watching a VERY long dystocia.

Life continues to be filled with amazing moms, adorable babies, and jamming my brain full of as much information as possible. I honestly feel like the more I learn, the less I know. My great friend and now certified midwife, Aisling, says that's a great place to be - that it keeps us humble as midwives. I sure hope she's right ;) I do find though, that the more I see and learn, the more hungry I am to continue learning. I'm pretty thankful for that fact.

Besides all the learning, I'd have to be honest and say that I've been struggling quite a bit. I don't say that to evoke pity from anyone, instead I just ask for your prayers. I LOVE my life here and have nothing to complain about, at all! However, that hasn't changed the fact that I have been feeling so emotionally exhausted. I'm sure you can all relate to that feeling. I've come to the place more than a few times where I feel like I have nothing to give, no words to say, and no energy to put into anyone or anything. I've felt empty and unable to refill. Thankfully, I serve and am loved by a great God who does that refilling for me and is right there in the midst of any struggle. I am in a place where I want to be able to pour God's love into the awesome women I am around, and your prayers that I would continually be able to do that would be so appreciated!

And to add something really important to that prayer list...
Meet MJ!

My amazing continuity patient delivered this adorable little guy last week. Before I tell you more about him, let me just brag for a minute about his mom. MJ decided to make is appearance a little bit "late" so we were in the position of needing to try a bunch of techniques to get labor progressing. His mom was amazing! Her and I had quite the fun time walking up and down stairs, and up and down again, and again... Not gonna lie - my legs were sore!
In the wee hours of the morning, we welcomed MJ to the world. He was born with a complete cleft lip and palate. As you can imagine, this poses some breast feeding challenges. While he is able to breastfeed a little bit, he is not able to get as much milk as he needs from the breast on his own. Amazingly, Georgia had a connection to a clinic in Manila who had just received some donations. Included in those donations was a special bottle made for babies with clefts. This clinic sent up the bottle as well as a breast pump for MJs mom to keep. The picture is MJ trying the bottle for the first time. He did so well!! His mom and I were very proud. I'm so thrilled to report that MJ is now gaining weight and so far has been a very healthy little guy. I'd love it if you could keep him and his mom in your prayers. Please pray that she would feel loved and supported as she faces these special challenges, and that MJ would continue to gain weight and remain healthy!

The past week has blessed me with two other adorable babies born to awesome Momma's! :)
It's hard not to love what you do when you are surrounded by these little ones...



RJ



Chad Beau

That's all for tonight! Thanks for reading :)
Oh, and to my American friends, Happy Thanksgiving!!

Much love,
A


Letting go...

Happy Belated Thanksgiving to my Canadian Peeps!

I hope you all had a great weekend celebrating with family and/or friends and were able to indulge in some pumpkin pie. Maybe even with vanilla ice cream. Mmmm.

Life has been pretty great over here on the other side of the world. Us few Canadians (plus the other Americanos!)cooked up some traditional-ish food and we enjoyed a meal together with the Abundant family. It's hard to be away from home during holidays, but I am so thankful for the laughter and hilarity that fills my home here. It makes everything much easier.

A constant theme in my life over the past 6 weeks has been this idea of letting go. And let me tell you... I'm not very good at it. I am a champ at clinging to things that I have no control over, mulling over situations in my head for days, letting my mind wander to all the possible scenarios that could happen if things don't go exactly how I would like them too, etc... You would think that I would have learned this lesson over the years of always having to LET GO, but nope. My thick skull takes work, but God keeps on going with the lessons. Let go and Let God, right?

Yesterday was one of those lessons. I was on morning shift, as per usual on Wednesday's, and was excited when a labor came in around 7:30am. She was such a gem and was working through contractions really well. Unfortunately, her blood pressure was quite high. Over the next few hours we tried everything we could to stabilize the BP. It would stabilize for a while, and then jump right back up. Through this all, she labored beautifully and was such a joy to work with. Eventually, we had to make the decision to transport her to the hospital. I hugely dislike transporting. I think all midwives do. But there are some cases where labor jumps outside the realm of normal, and we have to let go. Whether we want to or not, we have to make these decisions. I don't want to let go. I don't want those patients to have to go somewhere else. I want to be able to change the circumstance. I want to have more control. But I don't, and I can't. So I must let go. I have to trust that God is taking care of the situation better than I ever could and that He will continue to do so whether at Abundant or at the hospital. And he did. This morning I was able to go visit a beautiful little 3.4kg baby girl, born to my patient about three hours after we transported her. Mom and baby are doing very well!

The lessons of letting go don't stop with clinic work, but roll over into so many areas of my life it seems. But that's ok. I know that God is in control and that I can do very little by clinging to things with my little (but strong!) fists.

Next week I am heading up to the clinic in Bugnay... and I am so excited! I get to hang out with the awesome folks up there, hike up into some other villages, do well-woman appointments, and enjoy the mountain air. I will bring back some stories and pictures to share.

In the meantime, I'd love to share some prayer requests with you!

• For the clinic, as always. I am SO blessed to be a part of this amazing ministry here and love to see it prosper.
• For our patients - health for moms and babies.
• It is almost time to begin fundraising for my LAST semester. Yes, LAST. Crazy, eh? I will need to raise another $8,000 to finish out my time here. It will be due Feb 1st. Prayer for provision would be amazing!

Love you all!! Thanks for reading!

A