Hi Everyone,

Sorry I haven't blog in a few weeks. I have been taking care of my mission partner and best friend, Chris, while she has been recovering from her hysterectomy. God has brought her through with flying colors!

As I mentioned briefly in my last blog, we were without clothes, supplies, meds ect...for over 3 days. there is nothing like having to wear the same outfit, bra and underwear for three days, however, it also taught us a lesson. God didnt need our material things, He wanted us and our hearts to be willing servants for what we went to do. I was very humbled because even though I didn;t pack my "designer" clothes; what I did pack was still more than what the population of Nicaragua had to claim as thier own.

Since we didnt have my teaching materials and we didnt even get into our camp until almost 3am and we had to be at the burn unit at 8 am, we called and explained to Dr. Icaza all that had transpired and agreed to start teaching on Tuesday. We were able to settle in and become familiar with our surroundings and later that day, we accompanied Ronnie and Angie hopkins (American missionaries in Tipitapa, Nicaragua) and a Nicaraguan family to the Hospital Metropolitano de Vivian Pellas for a doctors appointment for thier son. The burn unit is also housed at the Vivian Pellas Hospital.

While there Chris, Susan and I met with Socorro Valldares, who is the director of the physical therapy department of the burn unit. We were without our translator, Rodolpho, that day so that made the tour much more interesting! However I was able to figure out the gist of what Socorro was telling us. We met the mother's of three little burn survivors who were in different stages of recovery. During the tour, I began to silently panic because there were only three kids in the hospital (Praise God) but I didnt know who I was suppose to work on for three days! (More about that in the next blog). The hospital was surprisingly modern and the staff was incredible. We never felt out of place or like misplaced tourists.

We then went back to Campamento MEFEL and had dinner with Ronnie and Angi and got to meet, Peanut, for the first time. Ada Nelle or Peanut as she was affectionately called is a 15 month old orphan that we were able to take clothes, baby formula, toys and other things to. She was found in a mountain villiage, weighing only 1.5 pounds at 4 weeks old. She was born to a 13 year old mother and a 15 year old father. She was bought back to Tipitapa where she was loved and nursed back to health while her young parents underwent parent training classes. When we were there, Peanut weighed in a 20 pounds at 5 months old. She is a beautiful healthy baby. Chris ans I are now working to raise money for the hospital bill from Peanuts two week intensive care stay.

After and wonderful meal, speasding time with Peanut and with Loco, our pet spider monkey, singing and playing music for the camp-we settled in to work on our video diaries and to take a cold shower (no hot water) and get a good nights sleep. Hate to leave you hanging (no I dont this is fun!-but there will be more to come). To see more pictures go to www.myspace.com/burnsurvivor and click on the pictures link and open the Nicaragua photo album.

Here is a pic of Chris with Lil Peanut-Ada Nelle

WOW, What an amazing trip! Aside from the fact that we will NEVER fly Delta airlines again-It was incredible. I taught for three days as the children's burn unit-APROQUEN and we ran a rehab burn scar massage clinic all three days. I was interviewed for the Nicaraguan news-here is the youtube link.

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

The staff was genuinely receptive to us, the languag barrier was not a problem and the KIDS!!!! What a true blessing. To see these little survivors, all with great big smiles on their faces, push past pain, insecurities and shyness to allow us to work on them, love on them and be inspired by them. We have been asked to return next year and Chris and I are already counting down the days. I will be posting more details every few days with pictures. Please let me know your comments or any interest you may have in what we are doing. Thanks and God Bless you all. Love, Jen

Wow, I can't believe that in two weeks my two best friends and myself will be leaving for Managua, Nicaragua. God has truely blessed this trip. For those who don't know, I am a burn survivor and a massage therapist and I have been asked to come teach "Burn Scar massage Therapy" at the children's burn unit in Nicaragua. We will be there from July 13th-19th. I can not wait to get back and share our trip with you all or (y'all where I am from)

I've always wanted to be able to give back to the burn survivor community and to help burn survivor children on their road to recovery-I just never imagined that my dream would take me to other countries. Please keep us in your prayers for our health, safety and most important to be able to show God to others. The names of the other team members are Christina (Chris) and Susan. This is the first international mission trip for all of us.

In the picture attched from left to right is Susan, myself and Chris. Please pray for peace for our family members as well. Thanks!!!!!!Jen

Hello y'all,

Greetings from the south. I hope everyone was blessed with a Merry Christmas and pray you each have an amazing New Year. Here is a pic from this years World Burn Congress in Vancouver,BC. It was an amazing trip and I met some truly inspiration burn survivors. The one ting I love about World Burn Congress is that it enables other burn survivors to inact with one another and to see that we are all beautiful, not despite our scars but with our scars.

Jen

Hello everyone,

As promised I am writing this blog upon my return from Vancouver, BC and World Burn Congress. The trip out there from Atlanta was an adventure in itself. I was "lucky" enough to be one of the ones chosen for a more thorough search at the airport. Nothing like being frisked at 4am. We arrived in Vancouver at noon. There were 5 of us total from the Atlanta-Augusta area. I was scalded by hot water, Dennis was burned in a house fire and Kyle was struck by lightening. Dana is a social worker and Vennessa is the office manager of the Georgia Firefighters Burn Foundation. We stayed at the Westin Bayshore Hotel-it was gorgeous. There were over 700 attendees with 235 being first time attendees. We had three main speakers. Vivian Pellas who, along with her husband Carlos were burned in a plane crash in Nicaragua in 1989. She went on to raise money to build the first burn hospital for children in Nicaragua. The Asociacion Pro ninos Quemados de Nicaragua. George Pessotti, who was burned in a house fire and was one of the executive directors for the Phoenix Society www.phoenix-society.org and Kim Phuc. Kim was the little girl from the famous Tme Magazine photo of children running from a villiage that had been hit with napalm. There were all inspirational. Mrs. pellas has asked me to come to Nicaragua to teach burn scar massage therapy to her staff. I am very excited about this unique opportuinity to help burn survivors in other countries. Next years World Burn Congress will be held in Raleigh, NC. I cant wait. It is always an exciting time. While in Vanouver I did cross the Capilano Suspension Bridge, which was a feat for me considering I am terrified of heights. You can view the amazing site at www.capbridge.com. If you know any burn survivor please pass on the Phoenix-Society information to them. Jen