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Greetings from the Philippines once again! Wow! What a week it has been!

Monday morning we departed for the province of Abucay. Our travels there were blessed with beautiful green lands and mountainous views. This is important to mention because it is much different than the city life that we spent our first week in. Much more peaceful (no constant car honking).

At Abucay Rural Health Unit, we had the opportunity to work with professionals and student interns in the areas of physical therapy, occupational therapy, and sports science. Watching the girls dive into the experience was something very great to see. Janea and Mariah made great connections with the interns within the physical therapy sector. The hands on experience that they received and the connections with the patients and interns allowed them to become comfortable with patient interaction (bedside manners) as well as get a true feel for what occurs at Abucay Rural Health Unit. The interns within the PT sector really embraced the girls and allowed them to really experience working with the patients while giving them opportunities to ask questions and observe.

Aliah and Megan had the opportunity to work with the sports science interns. The patients that the students worked with were atypical to what they would normally work with. Many patients had suffered from strokes but had advanced from the physical therapy sector into the sports science sector. The girls had opportunities to go off site and see different athletes trained in personal gyms also.

Myself, Aliah, and Mariah had the opportunity to do some training clinics with high school basketball players. We taught them different offensive and defensive drills. Its amazing how the locals don’t sweat much but us Americans are definitely taking in the humidity the best we can.

I had the opportunity to run a volleyball clinic with high school volleyball players, while the girls entertained the crowd of students in many different ways. The Filipino students love to take pictures with the Americans.

Things to be noted: Janea is doing so well with diving into interacting with patients. She has ventured out and tried some new foods, and even rode on the backside of a tricycle. Megan is stepping out of her comfort zone so well. She has been interacting with the professionals we get to engage with and soaking in so many great lessons. I am so proud of how she has pushed her limits in different areas. She also made it through a ride on the back of a tricycle. We definitely applauded her for that. Mariah is also doing so well with interacting with patients. I think she really shined at Abucay Rural Health Unit by seizing every opportunity to be hands on with patients. Aliah has really been learning from these different opportunities we have had as they are all different than what she hopes to go into. Shes been so proactive in asking questions and seeking to learn new things. She has also tried quite a few different foods.

We were sad to leave Abucay, but the girls seemed so refreshed after a long first week of not sleeping well. They really bonded with the student interns, whom were so hospitable to us all. As we prepare to make the final stretch here are some things you can be praying for.

1)    Joy, as we are missing our families back home

2)    Physical health, as weve had some minor health issues

3)    Focus, as we prepare to step into another health unit

4)    Our hearts as God is teaching all of us different lessons through serving the people here.

Here are a few pictures to sum up our time at Abucay Rural Health Unit

Greetings from Manilla!

In three days the team has managed to have some amazing experiences. After a long flight and arriving at 4:30 in the morning, the team immediately hit the ground running. We had the opportunity to drop off our belongings and then meet with many of the faculty members at University of San Tomas. Sleep was something that some of the girls did not get much of while on the plane so our first day in country was a rather long one. After orientation, and touring the campus we finally got to rest.

The last two days have been spent working alongside of the R.E.A.C.H Foundation (Rehabilitation and Empowerment of Adults and Children with Handicaps). This is a community based rehabilitation program that offers free therapy services to lower income based families. They believe in catering to the most underprivileged sectors of the city. We’ve had the opportunity to observe and work with patients that are diagnosed with down syndrome and cerebral palsy. It has been a challenge as this is new territory for myself and the girls. The girls have been interacting with the student interns and patients very well. Yet at the same time they have been moved by the adjustments they’ve had to make in order to serve the people here. Its been quite an adjustment being the “people to watch”, working in the underprivileged sectors, and running on very limited sleep.

We have finished our time at the R.E.A.C.H Foundation and have been very moved by the workers and the patients. We are understanding the importance of serving others and how that can truthfully impact them and us.

The humidity is taking some getting used to, but the rain and thunderstorms are offering some sense of relief. We have experienced many different foods as well as unique transportation styles. We are troopers in trying new foods, and are quickly finding our favorites. We have rightfully earned a few days to rest before we head off to our next rehabilitation center.

Prayer Requests:

1) Team dynamics both on and off the field

2) Emotional, spiritual, and physical strength

3) Physical rest as we are yet trying to conquer jet lag.

Enjoy some pictures

Arriving at nightfall, my first impression of Guangzhou was that of a heavy, humid evening in South Carolina lit up by the bright lights of New York City. The early morning sunlight then revealed a greenery filled, large city with a modern infrastructure.  Progressive ideas pertaining to senior care and the population of those with disabilities reflect this city’s openness to everyone’s potential in life.  My life’s purpose was reaffirmed in Guangzhou and has pushed me to relearn Chinese so that I may return one day and help further the communication skills of those in need.

Goodbye China, I will miss you. Gen, China Team 2017.

Guangzhou has opened its arms to the China Team and the students have made such a wonderful impact on the children and adults with special needs. We were able to visit a workshop for adults with special needs and see the products they were making and selling in China as well as Europe.  The artwork and needle crafts being made were so beautiful.  We all could not resist buying a few of the beadwork animals they had made to take home as souvenirs.  While in Guangzhou we have had the opportunity to meet with many government officials. During our conversations with the government officials we spoke of our curiosity as to why we are here. The answer… to “help the children with special needs because we are Christians.”   Please continue praying God will open the hearts of the official here in Guangzhou to the needs of the children and adults with special needs but more importantly to God.  It is bittersweet to be leaving China but I know the Team has helped many children and adults with hands-on training and seminars .  Seeing the hope in the eyes of the parents and the smiles on the children’s faces confirms God’s calling in my life. Looking forward to next year’s trip!

Blessings from Professor Appenzeller and GHE China Team, 2017

We were fortunate enough to have the opportunity to tour an elderly care facility. My world lit up when I made the elderly women smile. The facility that we toured was one of the most advanced in the area and has a waitlist with over 300 people wanting to live there. It was great to see some of the women playing card games together and they bet real money! The staff treats their patients very well but is asking to have training on methods of healt care. Guangzhou is doing very much to help the elderly get around the city and facilities like the one we visited will benefit many in the future.

Thank you from Jenna Larson and the GHE team.

We got to do a lot of shopping in Guangzhou and we also got to visit a couple of traditional Chinese gardens. It was so green and beautiful, and there were mountains of Koi fish! You would not believe how many Koi fish they had in these gardens. Guangzhou is in southern China, so it was quite humid and tropical. Seeing all of this beauty was a neat experience.

Being in China has made us realize how big God is because we have seen him working here just as much, if not more, as we see daily back home. He is teaching us to fully rely on Him in every situation without worrying about the outcome. We should trust Him immediately. Josh and his family are perfect testimonies in this area because they dropped everything to move to China. It was clear to them what God was telling them to do. They did not question it and they had total faith. Because of this, we have seen first hand the fruits of their obedience. This is what each of us will now strive to mimic in our own lives. Before we left, Nathan’s friend told him “I hope you experience God in ways that you never have before.” We can confidently say that we did.

-Nathan, Alyssa and Sarah

We just landed in LA safe and sound. Thank you for reading and for your prayers!

More tidbits:

• -We left Sarah in China. But it’s ok because she’s headed to the Philippines to meet her family and friends for a wedding.
• -We saw some snake sushi, but we didn’t get to try it.
• -Nathan is still salty because he really wanted a shirt, but even a Chinese XL was too small.
• -One time they put a bowl of beetles on our table, but Vicky took care of business and told them to take them away.
• -Most of the shirts with English on them don’t make sense. One said Smee.
• -One time there was a cockroach in the car the size of Texas, but Nathan killed it in 2 seconds flat. Unfortunately a banana got smashed in the process.
• -There were two girls our age who asked us to give them English names. They are now Jessica and Haley.

Since we arrived in China the trip has been flying by. We’ve had such a productive time and we have been able to connect with so many caring individuals. We have been in Qinhuangdao for four days already and we have had many opportunities to learn and share our knowledge with others.

We had dinner with the mayor of Qinhuangdao on our first night here. We were able to share what we are doing in China. Paul and Vicky were also able to talk to him about the work that they do here. That way, the government is more aware and can possibly help support future projects that help disabled children and adults. It was our first meal here in this city, so we tried to copy everything the mayor did so that we didn’t mess up. We tried our best to not look ridiculous using chopsticks.  We ended up dropping our food anyway. It was an interesting experience and it went pretty well.

Each day we start with lectures. We’ve all presented in our area of study to a large group of teachers. These teachers work at a local rehab school that serves special needs children. The lectures last about 3 hours, then after lunch we go to the school and do various activities with some of the kids with autism. The teachers watched us for the first few days and now we are watching them take over. We got to watch the teachers interact with their students and make suggestions on how to improve.

Some activities that we would do involved testing the kid’s sensory, motor and lanuage development as well as problem solving skills. We used toys, clay, beads and made obstacle courses to make the activities fun. We have already learned souch about autism and we are grateful to have the chance to help.

We have also been invited to visit the Qinhuangdao Women and Children Healthcare Center, which is the best in the city. We all got to tour the hospital and the NICU. Here in China, as soon as the babies are born they put them in tiny pools to swim with a floaty around their neck. We got to play with the little ones in the water, so cute! We are headed back to the hospital on Friday to play with the children with autism that are there. They mentioned that they have 70 kids with autism there and they are at maximum capacity. They are hoping to get more funding by the government to be able to open new facilities to help these children and their families.

Fun little tidbits:

-The duck tacos are making us miss Taco Bell.

-When it’s hot out, the men here create crop tops out of their shirts and embrace the dad bod.

-“Toilets” are basically a hole in the ground that flush, and toilet paper is a rare commodity.

-Pizza hut is a 5 star dining experience.

-Chopsticks are hard, but we’re killing it.

-The lines on the road don’t mean anything to the Chinese people. They make their own lanes and have little regard for motor cycle riders and pedestrians. We haven’t seen any accidents yet! *Knock on wood*

We finished up our work in the clinic with great success. We had patients where we were able to completely resolve their issue in just one visit and we have had patients where we realized the enormity of the pain and suffering that is in the world. Many patients returned to thank us for help, say goodbye, and ask us to return. We have bonded as a team both in and out of the clinic. We have had a lot of fun, some serious conversations, and been able to help each other grow and process some of the harder things that we have seen.

We came expecting to give to the people of Tanzania and were pleasantly surprised to find out that we received just as much back in return. It was really nice to see that our limited skills could do so much to help people. We were surprised at the impact of human touch and prayer as we were able to overcome the language barrier to show people that we cared. Not only were we able to help decrease their pain, but we were able to connect with many of them on a more personal level and gain their friendship.

We will miss our time at chapel, church services, and Bible study in the village. We loved experiencing the simplicity and joy of our fellow believers in the presence of God. Even though we did not understand the words to all of the songs, the joy that exuded from the faces and souls of those worshipping with us was contagious. It was so neat to see that the Bible study and church services were based in Acts and God’s growing of the early church. It seemed so appropriate and we really feel that God was with us during this trip. From promises we received before the trip through our final day in the clinic, it has been evident that God has gone before us and has been present with us.

We have learned two new phrases: “This is Africa” and “Africa Wins Again.” Below are some examples:

–We had a coconut tree in our back yard fall over unexpectedly and for no apparent reason. (We later learned that it had been eaten by ants from the inside.)

–Our water was off for several days (to the plumbing incident mentioned in the previous post) and we washed dishes “camping-style” as a team.

–We left our house for two hours and came back to an ant infestation.

–We terrified multiple little children who had never seen white people before.

–Our ladies received multiple offers of marriage. Don’t worry parents, the would-be-husbands are happy to move to America.

We are leaving tomorrow morning to begin our long journey home. Please pray for safe travels and time for us to fully process all that we have experienced. Also, snacks and fast food would be welcomed upon our return. =)

We are at the end of our first full week in Tanzania. The first half of the week was spent traveling to get here, but once here we have had full days. On Thursday we began treating patients in the clinic and traveled to a small village to attend Bible study. Friday we treated more patients and did a diabetes seminar at the hospital. Saturday, we returned to the village to do a health seminar and do home visits to check on water filter usage. During the seminar we talked about what it means to be physically and spiritually healthy. After the seminar we divided into groups and visited individual homes where we had the opportunity to read Scripture, pray for people, share pieces of our testimony, and share the Gospel. While this was an exciting opportunity, each group felt the spiritual darkness that was present; today we are much more aware of the spiritual battle that is being fought all around us.

In just three, short days, we feel like we have done so much, had important spiritual conversations internally and externally, and seen God work in mighty ways. Tomorrow we will return to the village for church and begin preparing for next week. We ask that you would pray for favor in the village, wisdom in the clinic, and peace in our hearts and minds.

Sunday was a marvelous experience that included worshipping in song, dance and Scripture with fellow Tanzanian believers at Nyantole Baptist Church.  Lina brought a message of faith, health, hope and perseverance in Christ.  All were encouraged and challenged to continue sharing the truth and hope of Jesus.  We spent the afternoon enjoying a lovely meal prepared by our hosts followed by swimming, kayaking and games in lake Tanganyika.  It was truly refreshing.

Hello from GHE team Kigoma!

It has been an absolutely incredible experience thus far, and we are joyful to share a brief summary of our time here over the last couple of days. To start, the flights were long, but seeing Kigoma as the end result was entirely rewarding. Our first flight was from LAX to Istanbul (Turkey), and that took roughly 14 hours. The next flight was from Istanbul to Dar Es Salaam, which is a city on the east coast of Tanzania. From the airport in Dar Es Salaam, we were flying to Kigoma airport when the pilot announced that there was a minor technical issue with the plane, which resulted in the team landing back in Dar Es Salaam. Although this gave us a bit of a scare, we found confidence in the fact that God has brought us here for the purpose of spreading His name, and that He was going to get us there to do just that.

Today was our first day at Kigoma Baptist Hospital. We had the opportunity to see, treat, and pray with various patients. We got the opportunity to talk about nutrition, culture, and health concerns with some of the ladies waiting outside. We also had the opportunity to visit a village and participate in a small Bible study. We have been enjoying learning about the culture, meeting the people, and practicing our Swahili.

We have included a picture of Lake Tanganyika (which is the view from where we are staying) Please pray for us this week as we have the opportunity to return the hospital, treat more patients, and give health seminars. We are healthy and just a little tired. We will post again in a few days. Asante sana! Amani iwe nanyi. (Thank you very much! Peace be with you.)

Reading the bible and spending one on one time with God consistently is one of the hardest things. Most people struggle with remembering, staying focused, and getting interested or inspired. But its okay, that happens.

Remembering and staying focused while spending time with God can get tough. But instead of forcing yourself to do what you have probably been told to do, find a way to connect with God that you enjoy! For example, if you love music, take some time by yourself to listen to worship songs. Focus on the words and what they are saying. If a song was inspired by a certain passage, figure out what it is and focus on that verse. Pray and talk with God about it. Or if you love to write, read your bible and then journal about what you read and what it meant to you.

Now even if you try something new, don’t neglect reading the bible. We are called to learn the Word and in that is when we will grow to know more about the Lord and His plan for us. If you struggle to remember to read your bible try setting an alarm on your phone for when you know you will have time to read. Or pick a time in the day that you can commit to reading. It could be right when you wake up, while you’re eating breakfast/lunch, or maybe even in between classes. If you want to read in the morning when you wake up, put a sticky note on your phone reminding you to. That way when you reach for your phone in the morning you can be reminded to pick up your bible instead. Just find what works for you and set reminders for yourself, whether through alarm, sticky notes, etc..

I know it can be difficult to remember and find time in a busy day to read your bible. But just find the ways in which you enjoy connecting with God and really embrace them. The reality is, as Christians, reading our bible and spending time with God daily is something that we need to make a routine. After a few weeks it becomes a natural thing to pick up your bible and spend 20 minutes studying His word. And looking back months and even years from now you will be so happy you created a routine for your daily devotions. At the College of Health Science we are committed to teaching and equipping you with the tools to become the best of yourself that you can be and that does not mean just physically but spiritually, as well.

Makayla Crowley

Student Worker

College of Health Science

There are several health benefits of volunteering. Not only are you helping others by giving back but you are also improving your health. Several studies have shown that volunteering helps people donate their time to a cause they care about, feel socially connected, which can help with loneliness and depression. Not only does volunteering help out with mental health, but also with physical health.

In a study published in the journal Psychology and Aging, adults over age 50 who volunteered on a regular basis were less likely to develop high blood pressure than non-volunteers. While, it is impossible for the study to prove that it was the volunteering that was directly responsible for the lower blood pressure, researchers are trying to identify the specific characteristics of volunteering that provide the greatest benefit. In the Carnegie Mellon study, 200 hours of volunteering per year correlated to lower blood pressure.

Another study published in the study Health Psychology, found that participants who volunteered with some regularity lived longer, but only if their intentions were truly altruistic. Meaning that they actually had to be invested in helping other, not just to make themselves feel better.

So, if any of these studies are any indication, serving others is essence of good mental and physical health. Find something you enjoy doing and go out and serve others – it’s good for you and your community!

Maria Perez

Student Blogger

College of Health Science

Lets face it, eating healthy in college is a struggle. You’re always on the go, grabbing whatever is the closest to eat because you woke up late and are rushing to class. The life of a college student is busy. Monday-Friday you have class, work, and any other school events and clubs you’re involved in. Its so easy to grab the food that is most convenient and fight there. And then when studying, all you want to do is snack to help keep you awake. So we naturally gravitate towards the candy, cookies, ice cream, and whatever we want. We go into the cafeteria and there is an endless amount of all different kinds of foods ranging from pizza to sushi to burgers to pasta. I mean how are we suppose to keep our diet structured when we feel like we can’t even do that with our day to day living? So is it even possible to eat healthy while in college?

My answer to that question is absolutely. All it takes is a little planning, self control, and research. Here are a few different ways that I have found it easy to eat healthy while in school.

The first thing is: You MUST research. Before you do anything you need to get on the computer and figure out what foods your body needs and what are the best options of those foods to eat. If you don’t have the basic information of what is good for you and things to be aware of then there is no way that you will be able to supply your body with the nutrients in needs for day to day life. Also, make sure you are getting your information from reliable sources. Make sure they are doctors, nutritionists etc and not just people who wrote on article on buzz feed. Now this also means doing research on the foods at your school. So for example, for us at CBU look up the health and macro nutrient facts for Chick-fil-a, El Monte, and Briscos. Find out which foods have a lot of sodium and fats that you don’t want and stay away.

My next suggestion would be to meal prep. Look at your whole week on Sunday and figure out what days you will be limited for time for meals or maybe have a class during lunch or dinner time. Make meals ahead of time and bring them with you. Do you have an early morning class that you always roll out of bed a couple minutes before it starts, therefore you miss breakfast or sit in class starving? Make your breakfast the night before. Hard boil and peel some eggs the night before and have them in a baggy in the fridge so that you can grab and eat them on your way to class. Or make oatmeal and warm it up in the morning with a little bit more liquid. This way you don’t end up grabbing the quick greasy breakfast burrito or have to sit in the cafeteria while you eat, therefore making you late to class.

Okay, come on Lancers, confession time. We all take advantage of the desserts that come with a meal swipe. I mean, how do you not? Sometimes it feels life if I don’t take the dessert from Chick-fil-a that I am losing money since it comes with my meal swipe. And we tell ourselves, “well its just on cooke/ice cream/ brownie/soda.” But reality is that its just one dessert almost everyday. That adds up! So my next tip; say NO to dessert. When that really nice chick-fil-a lady asks you if you want an ice cream or a cookie with your meal, just say no dessert. Don’t grab one to have a bite or two an then throw it away because we almost always end up eating the whole thing. Now don’t get me wrong, its okay to have those things every now and then. But its all about moderation. Pick your times ahead of time and pick wisely.

The last thing I have on how to make eating healthy easier in college is control the stress snacking. You know what I’m talking about. Those late nights studying at the library. Those are the nights where we pig out on junk food. And personally, I am someone who loves to snack while I do homework. Snacking while doing homework is not bad but its all about choosing the right foods to snack on and the right amount. Instead of chips and cookies, grab a handful of almonds or some fruit. It all comes back to doing your research and finding foods that you like that are good for your body.

I know sometimes it feels like it is impossible to eat healthy while in college, but it is possible! And don’t worry if you aren’t always able to do it right. If you forgot to make breakfast the night before, it is better to eat that breakfast burrito from the CX than nothing at all. Treat your body well and make sure you are listening to it and paying attention to what works and what doesn’t work for you.

Here are some ways to figure out what is in your Chick-fil-a and El Monte

www.chick-fil-a.com/food/meal

www.calbaptist.edu/files/5414/2023/9983/Nutritional

Makayla Crowley

Student Worker

College of Health Science