Week Three - Barefoot Doctors

Proverbs 16:1 " We can make our plans, but the final outcome is in God's hands."

Yesterday the students began their final five weeks of medical training.  Their plan is to graduate on February 26, 2016 and return to Myanmar with a certificate designating them as a trained health care worker. They are working hard toward that purpose.  This year we have 18 students.  Three years ago 21 students began the program.  For different reasons, three have not been able to return.
God apparently has a different plan.

Today, as class began, we were all bundled up in coats and hats and were still shivering.  The problem?  Chiang Mai has decided to have Winter.  It is 52 degrees and pouring down rain.  Those of us from the United States planned on leaving that weather behind and enjoying sunny days near 90 degrees.  Our suitcases are packed with Summer clothes and we have discovered quickly how to layer up.  God obviously has a different plan.(Although the weatherman says God does plan for warm weather to return this weekend).

This week we started classes missing a really key member of our team.  Dr. Bjorn, our Medical Director, was delayed with a medical emergency and his plans to arrive last week -well, they were "his plans". God seemed to have a different one.  And God's provision has been great.  This year we are joined by Dr. Charles Steinberg, an internationally experienced physician who has worked in many different countries, including Myanmar.  He jumped in with both feet and began organizing our week.  Dr. Jove Graham, an ER Resident and Fellow in Global Medicine has added a younger face to our medical team which also includes Dr. Jim Buie and Gayle Buie, a Registered Nurse.  We are certainly grateful that God has a plan and it is good.  And Dr. Bjorn, though a little later than he planned, is currently on his way to Thailand.

In James 4:14 (NLT) we read, "How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow?"  How true!
We are all now just trusting and looking forward to what God has planned for the next five weeks.