Malaria for the First Time!

I wanted to write you all with another update! I was asked earlier what the Palawan people are like. They are smaller most are probably not much over 5 feet, especially the women. They also look quite a bit younger so it was hard to gauge ages at first. They are very shy but also very friendly. They enjoy singing and are very musical. A lot of them however are stuck in tradition and fear of evil spirits. They have a hard time to stand up for their beliefs especially if it goes against the elders.

So I had my first encounter with malaria! I felt I was coming down with malaria for a little while, it started with feeling tired and getting a cold and occasional headache. Then last week when I hiked up to Nyug (means coconut) I was so exhausted when I got there I knew something for sure was up. I also got a headache again in the later afternoon for no reason as I was drinking lots of water. On Friday I started feeling nauseas after doing day 3 of this homeopathic malaria medicine I got through AFM before coming here (Demal-200). Late that afternoon my fever started, I went up to 38.9 celsius and stayed there with nausea and pounding headache. I stayed in bed almost all afternoon and evening. If I layed still It wasn't so bad. I got to rest on Sabbath and told I wasn't allowed to work on Sunday as well, so just rested taking the time to listen to sermons on my ipod and enjoy quite time with God. I started Chloroquine and Fansidar on Sabbath evening because my headache was not going away. The fever had finally stopped at 0130 in the morning on Sabbath with the Demal only. So i felt pretty good on most of Sabbath and really good on Sunday just tired but no headache or any other symptoms. I went back to work Monday afternoon. I am doing very well, had no side effects from the malaria meds and feel fine just a little tired. We go to bed early here, usually 9pm but sometimes 8pm. We get up at about 5:30 to 6 am. Lately we have started morning group prayer at the rock by the clinic at 5:45 am. It has been very good for me to be on a regular schedule here. At this point, I don't see myself staying here a second year, although I am enjoying it here and feel fulfilled, but I am trying to remain open to God's leading.

We also had our first encounter (us new missionaries anyways) with demonization a couple of weeks ago. One of our patients that we had just given meds for malaria was showing signs of demon possession the next day, which interestly enough was Sabbath evening but also Halloween. Praise God he was able to listen to Bubit tell him about Jesus and when asked, made a decision for Christ! He seemed better after prayer but his fevers and malaria seems to be haning on, however it seems unusual for malaria to be that bad. He is getting stronger medications but I wonder if he isn't being bothered by the demon(s) still. Please pray for Dyunie(pronounced like Junie), that God can continue to work in his life and that him and his mother can continue to go to church and learn more about Jesus! Pray also that Dyunie gets better if its God's will.