Malaysia to Taipei

Sitting in the airport in Kuala Lumpur waiting for my flight to Taipei. It is hot out side but very comfortable inside. A bit of excitement this morning when I went to the wrong airport and had to taxi about 20 miles to the other on short order. Very lucky that it was Saturday and there was not much traffic. Then when I got to the right airport after using my credit card to pay for the taxi, my credit card would no longer work for checking my luggage! I had not changed much money, dont get to Malaysia very often. Fortunately I carry a back up debit card for larger transactions and getting cash from my account at home, which did work. Luckily I am headed to Taipei where there are friends and it is easy to do the business of setting things straight. Malaysia is very modern, clean, efficient and friendly. Would love to come back and spend more than one day. Over all the trip has been great. Timor is always great because Sierra and Sean are there, they are such a joy to visit. I am a proud father every minute of my time there. I know that Sierra does not see the impacts of all that she does but it is wonderful to see the lives that she has touched and changed. Mostly the staff that work with her. They are transformed and will be the people that carry forward the work of human rights and peace in that nation. They are strong and firm in there resolve and it has been through the constant support that she has provided. Not just the person that comes for a few months but for a substantial part of her life. She too will forever be changed by what she is doing and has done. She is clear and strong and sure of herself... as I said a proud father indeed. I wish that I could have stayed until Matthias arrived everyone there loves him, his energy, his willingness to try to fix anything.

Jhamtse Gatsal was a challenge and joy. It was hard being so sick there and loosing 3 or 4 days. It was a short visit so it had to do double time to get all that I had planned done but the dental clinic is set up and ready to go. All the staff and children got examined and some management plans put in place for the most urgent. Jason, stayed on for a few more days to continue the treatment plans. He was a great help. The kids were healthier than last year and though progress is slow it is wonderful to see the new buildings taking shape and the program growing with new students and staff. Watching the kids get a year older was amazing too. Such a positive place. The new vehicle was what got me the last leg of the trip from Tawang to the school when I was coming down with dengue and took me to the hospital in Tawang a few days later to get tested for malaria, so I appreciate that capacity and am thankful for it being there and being able to take sick folks where they need to go!

Well time to board the plane to Taipei...

one more leg, an easy one! Taipei is always a joy to visit. Everything from the States is there and all of Asia as well.

Frank

Last full day at Jhamtse Gatsal

Today is a sad day for me in two ways. One of the people I admire and love the most in life is about to die. Tutu Iverson is an amazing person that retired from being a children's librarian and then took on a full time job to keep Interfaith Clinic running for many, many years. Over those years she did everything from cleaning the bathrooms to running the front desk to medical records to doing patient care her self when needed. She was always a joy to have around and far too often she had to pick the lock of my office door when I did not have the keys. You learn a lot as a children's librarian. She spent 40 hours at our home when TaiMing was trying to get out and into the world and was a wonderful support in the fun times and also with the crash C-section. She has a magical way of disappearing and reappearing when ever she is really needed. I sent her a note and said to get out of bed get a plane ticket and get over here to the Himalaya because I needed her help but I expect her family will talk sense into her and keep her home. She is on oxygen and in renal failure but I can feel here presence here with me now, yes really. She was one of those people that was always there when you needed her, always got the job done no mater what it was and did it all with an impish smile and warm heart. I brought that part of her with me and will leave it here with these Mopa People from Tibet that I am caring for so that they have some of her to live on here too. I feel like she handed out love to anyone that needed it and that is the most powerful medicine of all.

The second sadness is that I leave tomorrow. This is a special place, the kids are so happy here and they have literally nothing, well nothing other than happiness that is. They play with one another, new kids come and the others just hug them and hold their hand and ask them to come and play. Often the most common game is like hopscotch with lines drawn in the hard ground and a rock tossed to the place that you skip to. Fairly low tech, eveyone has what it takes to play and they all seem very happy to share what ever else they do have. When they walk by they say 'good morning sir' or 'how are you?'. Since English is the 3ed or 4th lanugage for most of these kids I always try to take the time to talk with them out of respect for their efforts. I have finished what work I can get done and now have to do the work back home so I can return again.

love you all, life is so precsious and we have so little of it. Be happy and love one another as best you can.

Frank

Internet and I are both up and working

For the first time in many days both myself and the internet are up and working! I had the last rash from Dengue yesterday and am back to full speed. The new internet here is wireless and works amazingly fast and efficiently. Very knowledgeable young man from Assam has been working on it with Nawang to put in the antennae and getting the software in place. As always the Mac was a bit harder to network with the PCs but it is all very happy working together now. Held clinic outside in the sun today. Kids are much healthier than last year. One eye infection, one ear infection (yes just one!), one child with worms and some skin infections are the little stuff. A few more serious problems, untreated or even fully evaluated seizure disorder, heart murmurs that I am unsure of the significance of, and a couple of others. Some of the staff have much more complex medical issues advanced Graves disease in a fairly young person, lots of what must be H. pylorie infections and a surprising number of staff with increased BP (I keep checking both mine and Jason's to be sure that the cuff is working properly).

Off to get back to it now.

Frank