YOUTH CONFERENCE IN BANDUNG

 This past week we went to a city called Bandung to visit with some of the youth ages 14-17 from our church who were having a youth conference.  Bandung is a beautiful city up in the mountains. As we approached the site of conference the air became cooler and fruit stands were plentiful.  We saw many stands on the side of the road with pineapple hanging by strings upside down.  The pineapples are so delicious they almost taste like candy.  Of course we bought some to take home for ourselves to eat on our return.

The youth of our stakes (about 8-10 large congregations) meet once a year to be spiritually uplifted, receive guidance, have fun, and usually have some kind of service project together.  Indeed the youth of the Jakarta stake did all those things.  We attended for just a couple of hours as we had other commitments, but as we looked at their schedule their days were full.  Wake up time was at 5 a.m., followed by group exercise. One morning they went to do a service project of picking up trash. They also went to a crocodile farm, received guidance on avoiding temptation, staying strong with their faith, the importance of reading scriptures, had a campfire with roasting corn and lots of good Indonesian food.

Russell was asked to do a presentation on avoiding pornography and the evils it brings.  We will enclose a link to his presentation on another page.  After his powerpoint presentation he mentioned the heartache that can come to those that get ensnared in the pitfalls of pornography.  He then played a game with the youth.   He blindfolded one person, had them listen to one person's voice and then had them walk through a "minefield" of obstacles.  Several "evil" voices were trying to lead the person astray while the "one" main voice was trying to lead the person to their final destination.  The point of the exercise was to teach the youth that Satan will try in many ways to lead them astray, but if they listen to the their parents, the prophet and the Holy Ghost they can be lead safely through trials.

While Russell was teaching the young men,  Eileen took the young women and taught them about First Aid.  She had a true or false quiz on First Aid, many with old wives tales on first aid.  It was amazing how many youth and leaders got the answers wrong. We then discussed what the correct answers were and why.    Eileen had asked for a doll  to teach the Heimlich maneuver on for babies.  She was brought a very large doll that she named Yanti.  Yanti was way too big for a baby but the kids seemed to enjoy learning how to do Heimlich none the less.  Eileen related many stories from when she was a nurse at Primary Children's Hospital in SLC to help the youth understand the relevance of the comments she was making.

Click on the link below if you want to see part of the presentation Russell made to the youth on     antipornography.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0hXdIR5-C4&feature=youtu.be

Test your First Aid Knowledge (Answers at end-Don't Cheat) as taught by Eileen

True or False

1.    You should try to wake up an unconscious person by giving them food or water.

2.    The best way to treat a bleeding wound is to put it under tap water.

3.    If someone has swallowed a poison you should make them throw up.

4.    Nosebleeds are best treated by putting the head back.

5.    Do not move an injured person until medical aid arrives unless the victim is in 
       further danger  where he or she is.

6.    If you can’t move a limb it must be broken.

7.    A cold compress applied to a bruise lessens the chance of swelling and bleeding under 
      the tissues.

8.    You need lots of training to do first aid.

9.    To prevent an injured person from going into shock, the person should be kept lying
 down and covered with a blanket if he or she is cool.

10.      A first-aider’s calm, reassuring attitude comforts the victim and calms fears that 
might increase his or her chance of shock.

11.      A person who receives a severe blow to the head should be given medical 
attention, even if he or she is conscious, and should be carefully watched for twenty-four 
to forty-eight hours after.

12.      You need lots of equipment to do first aid.

13.      The best way to put out a fire on someone’s clothing is to roll the victim up in a 
carpet  or blanket or roll him or her on the ground.

14.      You should put butter or cream on a burn.

15.      Everyone should learn to protect himself or herself from excessive heat or cold.

16.      A minor abrasion caused by rubbing or scraping the skin should be washed with 
soap and water to prevent infection.

17.      An older person with a heavy feeling in their chest should be taken to the 
emergency room right away.

18.      A respiratory emergency occurs when breathing stops and the choking victim 
cannot speak.  Use the Heimlich maneuver.

Answer guide to test:

1) False-if you give an unconscious person food or water, they might choke

2) False-Give direct pressure for 10 minutes.  By putting a wound under water you inhibit 
the clotting factors

3) False-Many poisons burn. If they burn on the way down, they will burn on the way back 
up. DO NOT induce vomiting. If very much was taken of toxin poisons, most will have to 
be taken out by a medical professional in the hospital by inserting a naso gastric tube.

4) False-Lean forward and pinch the bridge of the nose for 10 minutes. By leaning back 
the blood runs down the back of the patient's throat into their stomach.

5) True

6) False-Only an X-ray can determine if a limb is broken

7) True-For an injury we use the acronym RICE; R-Rest, I-Ice, C-Compression, 
E-Elevation  All of these will promote healing and decrease swelling.

8) False, First aid consists of the things a person does that first comes on to the scene 
when  someone is injured or sick.  Usually that person does not have extensive medical 
training or supplies.

9) True

10) True-It is a necessity to avoid sharing any anxiety you might have as a first aid
 provider with the person you are trying to help. A calm attitude is important!

11) True-Watch for nausea, vomiting, lethargy (inability to wake up) pupils unequal in size, 
any problem in coordination, slurring of speech. If any of these occur get them to a 
doctor immediately as they could have a serious head injury.

12)-False-See answer to number 8

13)-True-Fire needs oxygen. You need to deprive the fire of it's oxygen source as quickly
 as possible

14)-False-Hold skin under water for 10 minutes. By putting butter on the burn it only fries
 the skin.

15)-True-Especially in Indonesia the Bules (white people) need to watch for heat 
stroke. Nausea, headaches, dry mouth, confusion, rapid heartbeat, seizures, all are a 
medical emergency.  Make sure to drink plenty of water when it is hot, and if you  
notice someone that looks like they are in trouble put something cold behind their neck and 
try and get them into some shade or a cool place.

16)- True

17)-True-Could be a heart attack, Chest compressions and a defibrillator ASAP are the 
best thing for someone having a heart attack.

18)- True-Now go learn the Heimlich maneuver-It COULD save a loved one's life!!!

PICTURES COURTESY OF STAKE YOUNG MEN LEADERS

BEAUTIFUL BANDUNG

BASKETBALL POPULAR EVERYWHERE

CHOIR FROM BEKASI 1 & 2

WHERE ARE WE GOING?

READING FROM THE SCRIPTURES

BANDUNG IN THE MORNING

FIRESIDE-LITERALLY

WHO IS HAPPY IN THE MORNING-BISHOP HANDSON, RAMA, OR SUPARMIN?

SERVICE PROJECT OF COLLECTING TRASH

JAKARTA 2 HAVING FUN AT TALENT SHOW 

COMBATTING PORNOGRAPHY PRESENTATION

TAKING NOTES

NAME CARDS FOR EVERYBODY-HEY WHERE IS BR. HANDY?

AISCHA TRANSLATING FOR EILEEN

PRACTICING HEIMLICH

DON'T MESS WITH ME!

WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THAT FACE?

MAKING AND KEEPING FRIENDS

MORNING EXERCISE IN THE COLD AIR-SAY WHAT?  IT ISN''T EVER COLD HERE

BOYS, WHAT HAPPENED TO GIRLS GOING FIRST?

YOUTH CHOIR FROM TANGERANG 1 & 2

ALWAYS A SMILE

INDONESIAN BONFIRE

BOYS ARE ALWAYS HUNGRY

IS IT REALLY MORNING

SISTER AISCHA MAKING HER POINT

SAVING BABIES LIVES

This week I (Eileen) had the opportunity to participate in some neonatal training. There were two full days of training taught by an experienced team of doctors consisting of an OB-GYN, and multiple pediatricians.   This group, Perinasia, is very well organized and has been doing this type of training  since 1996. They meet international standards for neonatal resuscitation and utilize training materials developed by the American Academy of Pediatrics. We were introduced to this group by our mission president who is a pediatrician and who worked with this group on neonatal resuscitation projects prior to becoming a mission president.  Our church has provided training materials to this group over the years.  Neonatal resuscitation is a major/worldwide initiative for our church humanitarian efforts and we are looking into the possibility of doing a project here in Indonesia.

I attended to learn more about the program. I have attended many educational seminars over the years and this was as well run as any I have attended. I was extremely impressed with the faculty, the students and the organizational level of the program. The students were attentive and focused on learning, the teachers were good about being repetitive enough that the students could remember the information. I could even understand what was going on, and I don't speak Bahasa Indonesia!  The hands on training was excellent.  The amazing thing about this program is that it is not set up just to teach the people attending the program.  There were 25 students attending this weekend.  Each student that succeeds at passing the class is then qualified to go out and teach others the material they have learned. It is the basic concept of "training the trainer".  To date, the Perinasia group has trained over 10,000 people.  That is potentially a lot of babies lives that have been saved.

Statistics show that 10% of all babies born need some kind of help to survive.  About 1% need extensive resuscitation measures to survive.  I guess my family doesn't fit the normal statistics very well because of my three biological children one needed extensive resuscitation, of my eleven grandchildren, two needed extensive resuscitation.  There is so much pain that is associated with a mother that loses a baby, or even a mother who doesn't know whether her baby will survive.  What a great work Perinasia is doing.  Each medical provider they train means perhaps one less mother that has to suffer because  of a baby dying in Indonesia.

There is a graveyard that is close to our apartment. This past week I spent several mornings walking through the paths of the graveyard. I enjoyed the peace and solitude that was afforded there. I was also surprised at the number of infant graves, some freshly dug.  One morning I was especially emotional as it was the day of my daughter's birthday. She was the daughter that I had such a difficult pregnancy with. After birth she was in the newborn intensive care unit for 10 days.  It was an emotional roller coaster not knowing whether  she would live or die. On her birthday, with quiet contemplation,  I stopped by a flower vendor and bought myself and a friend a bouquet of pink roses. I was grateful to God for my sweet daughter and the blessing she has been in our  lives.

I would like to share a story about one of my grandchildren. Bree was born 3 months early at 27 weeks gestation.  We were fortunate that my daughter was in the hospital at the time Bree's heart stopped beating. The doctors knew the moment there was no longer a heartbeat and rushed my daughter to the delivery room and did an emergency c-section.  My granddaughter was born at 880 gms, or 1 lb 15 oz.  Thanks to the fact that my daughter was being monitored carefully and there was a skilled team close by to resuscitate the baby we have a beautiful active granddaughter today that is perfectly healthy in every way.  The consequences would have been very different had we not had the medical care we did.  My hope is that other mothers and grandmothers can have the blessing I have had of having my child and my grandchildren saved through the miracles of modern medicine. I am grateful for the wonderful program I was able to observe and for the good work that Perinasia does.

 Not all have the miracles hoped they desire.  For those that have lost loved ones, especially children, the heartache can be devastating. Do not despair.  God has not left us without hope.  I encourage you to watch the short video by clicking on the link below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wy41VCbdt0I

Of the heartache caused by the separation of death, none surpasses the grief endured due to the death of a little child. Mormon prophet Joseph F. Smith lost nine of his own children, and the Lord revealed to him much detail regarding their blessings in the afterlife. Among the wonderful doctrines revealed by the prophet:

• Young children who have passed on are welcomed into the arms of those ancestors who have predeceased them—“O my soul! I see my own sweet mother’s arms extended welcoming to her embrace the ransomed glorious spirit of my own sweet babe"!
• Little children who die before the age of accountability are redeemed through the atoning blood of Christ— "With little children who are taken away in infancy and innocence before they have reached the years of accountability, and are not capable of committing sin, the gospel reveals to us the fact that they are redeemed, and Satan has no power over them. Neither has death any power over them. They are redeemed by the blood of Christ, and they are saved just as surely as death has come into the world through the fall of our first parents."
• After the resurrection, a child’s body will grow to match the stature of the spirit. "...in the resurrection of the dead the child that was buried in its infancy will come up in the form of the child that it was when it was laid down; then it will begin to develop. From the day of the resurrection, the body will develop until it reaches the full measure of the stature of its spirit, whether it be male or female."
• Righteous parents will have the opportunity to raise in the heavenly realm the child lost to death—"...when the mother is deprived of the pleasure and joy of rearing her babe to manhood or to womanhood in this life, through the hand of death, that privilege will be renewed to her hereafter, and she will enjoy it to a fuller fruition than it would be possible for her to do here." This wonderful blessing is guaranteed to parents who have been sealed to their children through eternal temple ordinances (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph F. Smith, 128 [1]).

• 

  DR.ANKY WITH STUDENTS

DR DWI  GETTING READY TO RESUSCITATE

DR. FERDY TRAINING DR. EISTIANAH TO INTUBATE

EILEEN AND PERINASIA DOCTORS

EILEEN INTUBATING BABY, AGUS STANDING BY TO HELP

BREE-BORN 880 GMS

BREES FOOTPRINT

RUSSELL AND BREE

BREE TODAY

 RESUSCITATION SUPPLIES PROVIDED BY OUR CHURCH

THE ENEMY OF MY ENEMY IS MY FRIEND

The Arab adage of "the enemy of my enemy is my friend" seems particularly relevant to the events this week.  When we focus on a common challenge or goal rather than our individual desires, it causes us to grow closer together.  Whether those challenges are temporal or spiritual, once we join together in a common cause, our individual differences which previously seemed so glaring seem to fade as we work together to overcome the obstacle.

Our time in Manado has been complicated and occasionally frustrating.  The project, perhaps due to its size, has been beset by communication, logistical, political and other issues.  Maybe the best way to describe it is organizationally challenged.  However, there have been several good things which have come to us from our time spent here.  First and foremost, Eileen and I have begun working better with each other.  Second, through our association with others on this project we have found new potential partners for future vision related and other humanitarian projects.  And we have also grown to care deeply for a number of Indonesians whom we have served or who have worked with us on this project.

LDS Charities donated over 25,000 supplies to a variety of organizations. Eileen describes below three of her favorite charities.

First was a Christian school for the blind.  This school dealt with visually impaired students, some also had other physical challenges also.  A few of the students had learned English through Braille.  It was interesting to see their school books in Braille.  Although they were very  shy to talk with us they were in no way hesitant to sing. They had the voices of angels. They sang several Christian songs for us in English. It  was very moving to hear how they harmonized.

The second group is an NGO that is run by two gentlemen. They take care of the needs of over 2,600 elderly people so that the elderly can stay with their families rather than have need for hospital care.  The older founder of this group is a 70 year old man who received his master's in public health from a university in San Diego.  The younger co-director is about our age and was truly a saint in helping us.   A partial pallet of goods meant for the Philippines and Vietnam was accidentally dropped off by the Navy and mixed with our supplie.   Those good  were then accidentally  transferred from our storage facility to his.  This good man readily went through well over a hundred boxes of goods looking for the three missing boxes and then brought the boxes the 90 minutes drive back to Manado.  These are two saintly men doing a great work.

The third group that is close to my heart is a group that we met while in the hotel.  We happened to meet some volunteers in scrubs one morning.  It turned out they were volunteers from the U.S. doing some dental hygiene for an NGO that deals with girls ages 13-17 that have been victims of human trafficking.  I met  with one of the co-directors and offered some extra supplies that we had to their organization.   I think the director  was wondering what the catch was.  The group was very appreciative and amazed when their van was filled up and we waved goodbye to them with no strings attached.  Some of the goods they left with were personal hygiene kits.  I know many friends back home that have been involved with assembling kits like these.   It will be good for each girl that comes off of the street to have something she can call her own.

Through the grace of God, two young doctors were able to serve on board the Mercy ship and one branch member was operated on.  Dr Rendy is a 26 year-old Muslim doctor that had flown to Manado from Jakarta. He works with one of our NGOs in Jakarta. I believe it was a great experience for Dr. Rendy to be able to not only see so many things on the ship but also to interact with all of the people that he had the opportunity to associate with.  The other doctor, Dr. Elias is a 25 year-old resident and a member of our church.  He is currently on the ship as a patient escort. Hopefully, he is having a positive experience.  He worked hard in helping us in Manado despite having worked the night shift in his residency and then coming to help us two days straight from work. ( I am not sure he ever slept). A 21 year old young man from our church named Adi has been living at a school for the blind. He has a severe cataract in one eye and Peter's syndrome in the other.  Two days ago he was operated on by Dr. John Jarstad. Hopefully with time he will have good visual acuity.

One great pleasure for Eileen was the opportunity to see a friend she had worked with for years at Primary Children's Hospital named Heather Harper.  Heather was working on the Mercy ship and they let her come off one afternoon. It was a delight to see her. We had been roommates while in Madagascar doing Operation Smile last September.

At one of the ceremonies the Navy band played "The Stars and Stripes Forever".  They sounded wonderful and it was very moving to me.  Maybe it was because I was sitting next to my friend listening to a band playing familiar music but I also realized how proud I was to be an American.  I am grateful for the new friends we have made here in Indonesia and the many kindnesses which have been shown to us.  For now, we will grow where we have been planted.

Some photos courtesy of Elder Kent and LInda Smith public affairs missionaries for southeast asia.

HELICOPTER DROPPING OFF SUPPLIES - VISIBILITY IMPAIRED BY DUST

NOT AN ALIEN-PERHAPS ALLERGIC TO THE DUST?

ELDER SMITH,  ELDER AND SISTER RASBAND BASED IN MANADO-A HUGE HELP IN THIS PROJECT

UNLOADING SUPPLIES INTO WAREHOUSE

THIS TRUCK WAS FULL TO THE BACK!!!!

THE "SAINT" WITH HIS FULL TRUCK

WHEN I ASKED THESE LADIES TO SHOW ME THEIR GUNS THEY SHOWED ME THEIR BICEPS

DR. RENDY ON BOARD

DR. ELIAS ON THE RIGHT

ADI AND FATHER PREPARING TO BOARD FOR SURGERY

STUDENTS FROM THE BLIND SCHOOL PERFORMING

NAVY BAND PLAYING "STARS AND STRIPES"

CHOIR FROM THE BLIND SCHOOL WITH CHURCH REPRESENTATIVES

EILEEN AND FRIEND HEATHER HARPER

DR RENDY WITH US AT AIRPORT

WHEN OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS . . . ON A SUNDAY

This week we have been on the island of Sulawesi in a city called Manado to help with a project called the Pacific Partnership 2012.  Manado is beautiful with lush green jungle, tall mountains and a beautiful harbor with lovely sunsets and friendly people.  On our flight up here we sat on the second row of the plane.  It was fun to watch people board and notice our missionary name tags.  They would see the church's name with "Jesus Christ" emphasized and then give us a huge smile.  Unlike where we have been previously, Manado is definitely Christian. As our plane landed we could see Christian churches everywhere, definitely a change from Java where mosques abound.  Foreigners are not as common here. Everywhere we go, people stop us and ask for a picture with us.  English isn’t spoken much here, but if we try and speak Indonesian it is easy to get asked why we are here, which has been delightful.

We have been here in association with the arrival of the USS Mercy. The Mercy is a hospital ship that carries close to 1,000 medical personnel.  This year there are approximately 100 members of our church on board participating in one capacity or another.  The ship make stops in Indonesia, the Philippines, Cambodia and Vietnam delivering supplies for NGOs, and performing surgeries on locals.

Today, Sunday, we went to church in the Manado branch.  Church attendance was twice the size it usually is due to an announcement the previous week of an eye clinic that would be held after today's meetings.  The clinic was conducted by medical personnel from the Mercy ship on their one day off.  We brought 350 pair of glasses from the U.S. which had been primarily collected by the Lions Club and scripted by Shopko.  These glasses in addition to what were brought off the ship were used to fit those found needing them.  Approximately 200 people were screened and 180 received glasses.  Eileen was especially touched by one lady in the branch who was very well educated who refers to herself as being “66 years young” and is almost blind.  She was so happy  to find some glasses that would help her. 

NEIGHBORHOOD NEAR MANADO DURING RAINSTORM

USS MERCY IN MANADO HARBOR

MADISON BURR MARCHING IN PARADE-RETURNED MISSIONARY FROM MANADO-INTERPRETOR FOR COMMANDER-WAS IN OUR DAUGHTER'S PRESCHOOL CLASS YEARS AGO

STANDING AT ATTENTION DURING OPENING CEREMONIES IN 98 DEGREE HEAT

MEMBER OF THE BRANCH SELECTED TO HAVE EYE SURGERY ABOARD MERCY SHIP

DR. JARSTAD EXAMINING PATIENT

LOADS OF GLASSSES TO GIVE OUT

66 YEARS YOUNG, AND HAPPY TO HAVE GLASSES

LOVE ONE ANOTHER

MEMBER OF THE BRANCH

BROTHER AND SISTER MONGAN ( HE SERVED AS BRANCH PRESIDENT FOR 26 YEARS)

SISTER WITH NEW GLASSEs AND BRACELET MADE BY OUR FAMILY AT RENUNION