What is Gastroschisis?

by Tina | Oct 4, 2016 | Devotional

Gastroschisis (pronounced gas-troh-skee-sis) is a birth defect of the abdominal wall. The baby’s intestines stick outside of the baby’s body, through a hole beside the belly button.

This week I wanted to inform you of something I have learned about recently because of this little patient that was brought to us at a day old.  We sent the baby and her parents to Jalingo to the best hospital to care for the baby in our area ( 4-6 hours away) and chances are she did not survive.

Gastroschisis is a birth defect of the abdominal (belly) wall. The baby’s intestines stick outside of the baby’s body, through a hole beside the belly button. The hole can be small or large and sometimes other organs, such as the stomach and liver, can also stick outside of the baby’s body.

Gastroschisis occurs early during pregnancy when the muscles that make up the baby’s abdominal wall do not form correctly. A hole occurs which allows the intestines and other organs to extend outside of the body, usually to the right side of belly button. Because the intestines are not covered in a protective sac and are exposed to the amniotic fluid, the bowel can become irritated, causing it to shorten, twist, or swell.

Soon after the baby is born, surgery will be needed to place the abdominal organs inside the baby’s body and repair the abdominal wall. Even after the repair, infants with gastroschisis can have problems with feeding, digestion of food, and absorption of nutrients.

Causes and Risk Factors

The causes of gastroschisis among most infants are unknown. Some babies have gastroschisis because of a change in their genes or chromosomes. Gastroschisis might also be caused by a combination of genes and other factors, such as the things the mother comes in contact with in the environment or what the mother eats or drinks, or certain medicines she uses during pregnancy.

Recently through some studies done by CDC (Centers for Disease Control) some common factors have been found such as; Younger age: teenage mothers were more likely to have a baby with gastroschisis than older mothers and Alcohol and tobacco: women who consumed alcohol or were a smoker were more likely to have a baby with gastroschisis.

Gastroschisis can be diagnosed during pregnancy or after the baby is born.

During pregnancy, there are screening tests (prenatal tests) to check for birth defects and other conditions. Gastroschisis might result in an abnormal result on a blood or serum screening test or it might be seen during an ultrasound.  Typically in our area of Nigeria where 85% of mothers still birth their babies at home with limited to no pre-natal care this is not typically known until the baby is born.

Gastroschisis is immediately seen at birth.  Then treatment can start, if the hospital has adequate equipment and surgical department.

Soon after the baby is born, surgery will be needed to place the abdominal organs inside the baby’s body and repair the defect.

If the gastroschisis defect is small (only some of the intestine is outside of the belly), it is usually treated with surgery soon after birth to put the organs back into the belly and close the opening. If the gastroschisis defect is large (many organs outside of the belly), the repair might done slowly, in stages. The exposed organs might be covered with a special material and slowly moved back into the belly. After all of the organs have been put back in the belly, the opening is closed.

Babies with gastroschisis often need other treatments as well, including receiving nutrients through an IV line, antibiotics to prevent infection, and careful attention to control their body temperature.

Unfortunately, in Nigeria because of medical resources the death rate is over 80%.  In developed countries, the death rate is around 10%.

This is just one of the reasons we are here in Nigeria.

My point for today is this:  Please pray as we move forward with our surgical and hospital here in Gembu.

Days For Girls

by Tina | Sep 26, 2016 | Devotional

I haven’t really told you how much I LOVE talking to women and girls!  When I go to schools, churches, womans’ Quranic schools I am so excited and energized!  Of course it is much easier when there is not a language barrier as I can speak so much more freely with women and girls one on one.  But, this is an awesome way to affect the most marginalized populations in our area.  Because we are all women, we have so many things in common!

Here in our part of Nigeria most people can speak a little English, even if they do not really understand when someone is speaking English to them.  Well, this picture is from one of the last churches I visited.  I needed to bring someone to translate for me that spoke Fulfolde. I always make sure everyone can understand and comprehend what we are talking about.  Magdaline, our Pharmacy Lead came to help me and she did an awesome job!

We talked about how our womanly bodies work, we talked about menopause, puberty, menstration and much more.  We talked about mothering, hygiene, germs, so much!  You see, through Days for Girls I have a wonderful flip chart as well as the format and education to assist me in helping them visualize what is going on inside their bodies.  This opens up wonderful discussions on being a woman of any age!  All of the women thanked me heartily after we were done with all of the questions, and asked if I would come back to talk to them again about other things pertaining to women that they could learn.

Women of my age (50’s and older) I have a challenge for you!  You have a gift of years and hopefully wisdom learned through those years.  As women living in developed countries, also education.  So many times young women experience judgement, or “my children never did that” from women they may look up to and try to emulate.  I have been guilty of this sooo many times and I regret those actions and words as well as the discouragement I may have caused those searching for some understanding and comfort that they too can survive this stage of life and even thrive in it.

Are you the type of woman who encourages other women?  Have you made it a lifestyle to constantly look for something positive to say to people you don’t even know or barely know?  If you aren’t, I would like you to remember this.  YOU can be a voice of hope, of life, of living water to a younger persons’ life.  You can make a difference, perhaps an eternal difference in someone’s life.

Now I am not talking about giving unsolicited advice.  I am talking about encouraging, and when you are asked for advice, give it honestly, tactfully, and lovingly with prayer.  Think of what a growing place our churches would be and the confidence our young mothers would gain through mentoring.

My point for this week is this:  Are you a life-giver or a joy-stealer?  In my opinion, if you aren’t the first then you are the latter.

This World is Not my Home

by Tina | Sep 12, 2016 | Devotional

This past month has been a weird one in my little world.  Friends and loved ones dealing with biopsies, cancer, death, family dealing with mental health issues,  divorce, grief.  Financial issues all over this world.  Death and sickness here in Nigeria as well as the enormity of the task before us. After 27 years of searching and advocating for missing and exploited children the Wetterling family and the rest of Minnesota knows what happened to Jacob Wetterling.  This lively, lovely 11 year old was kidnapped at gunpoint by a masked man, handcuffed,  molested, shot and buried. This lovely family finally knows where Jacob is, their hope for a live son is gone.  Then I didn’t even mention our choices for President in the United States.  Really?

I was thinking last week, what is this world coming to?  Why the pain, the hurt, the ick!  My little world has always felt very cheery, the good will win, bad guys lose, people truly have goodness deep down inside.  After all, I have worked with pre-schoolers for over 30 years.  My world has crashed, reality has hit, and at 52 years of age I now know that this is not REAL.  My world has not been real.  God reminded me with this song this week why I am having these growing pains.

Home Assignment 2016

by Tina | Aug 31, 2016 | Devotional

Well it is past time to let you know what happened over our home assignment this year.

We arrived in the States May 1 and left on July 27.  Here is what we did while in the United States this year.

We met with the Bethel staff and volunteers that are working on computerizing the Hospital.

We visited all of our Minnesota and our Galesburg, IL partnering churches as well as many, many small groups, businesses, and individuals updating them on the past years progress and what this upcoming year is anticipated to bring with our new buildings and the container status.

We went to Chicago, IL to meet Jon and Melissa Camiola and a group of volunteers and de-palletized all of our container items and hand-stacked our 40 foot Railroad Container.  It was taken to the port in Chicago.  It is now safely here in Gembu!

We attended a 3 day mission conference at Riverview Church and enjoyed getting to know some more of our Pine River prayer warriors and meet a young couple and their two children that are working on their partnership development to get to the field.

I attended a wonderful baby shower given by the United Methodist Missions Group in Emily, MN (See picture above) and got to talk to about 50 women about what God is doing in Nigeria and brought home wonderful baby items for our Gembu babies.  We also received many wonderful donations from so many caring women in the Pine River area as well as Canada!

My friend, Kim and her husband visited from Canada and brought some items to put on the container for our ministry and for one of the schools in Gembu.  We had a wonderful visit and shared our visions for future projects.

We moved Dan’s mother from the large hobby farm house into a wonderful apartment right on Norway Brook in Pine River.  We sorted through the house, garages, barn, and chicken coop and boxed up items to auction next year as we were too late to get a good company this year. We fixed, painted, carpeted, tiled, and cleaned the house and property and put it on the market on July 26.

Dan also continued communicating with Nigeria and doing financials and questions on building projects that were being worked on in Nigeria and other items needing his attention.

We got to visit briefly with friends and family and enjoy some reminiscing and catching up.

We took Dan’s mom to appointments and took care of taxes and other paperwork and items getting her caught up –to- date and settled.

We had a wonderful new set of family pictures and missionary pictures done!

We actually hung up pictures (after 2 years) in our Pine River house.  Our friend, Jane, came and helped us do a family word wall that turned out beautifully!

It was wonderful to be in the States and see loved ones, but we were excited to get back to Gembu and move forward!

My point for today is this:  God is Good!

Corruption!

by Tina | Aug 16, 2016 | Devotional

Friends, this is a picture Dan took for me this week with a young lady that works with an NGO here in Nigeria providing free family planning services and training.  In an area where mother and infant mortality are so high and knowledge is so limited on these subjects I thought it was awesome that they were offering this service of IUD’s and Implants as well as education all at no cost to the client.

Well, I guess that some people in power in our local health care facilities saw this as a means to financial gain for themselves.  There were a few facilities that said, “pay us money and we will let you use our facility to treat clients”.  There were some that said, pay us or we will call the police and have you removed.

This young woman and the other 3 members of her team went back 4 days early because no facilities would allow them to distribute free education and resources for family planning as well as the Birth Control needed.

Friends, corruption is everywhere, I am not  that naïve!  Unfortunately it is very alive and well here in Nigeria and permeates all aspects of life here.  Corruption is hurting the average Nigerian trying to support their family and live.  The programs meant to help those most needy frequently end up with the biggest bulk of finances being pilfered by those that are not needy.

Please pray for Dan and I as we daily move forward here in Gembu.  Pray that God will works in hearts and lives of people here in Nigeria and that Dan and I do exactly what God wants us to be doing.

My Point for today is this:  We need prayer and so do our staff and the people we serve.  Please pray.