From Dr. Chris...

Thank you, Dr. Christina Deluca, for giving me permission to "steal" your blog from facebook for reposting here! You are such a blessing.

"Guatemala Day 2-3":

Good morning everyone! So up this morning preparing for what I expect to be a busy day... the operating room gets going this morning in about an hour and we'll be doing consultas most of the day today so I am mentally preparing for the crazyness with prayer and Scripture and physically preparing with large amounts of Pepsi Lite. :-)

Yesterday was actually pretty reasonable... we did 13 consultas, scheduled 3 very sweet ladies for surgery today, and were back in the apt by 7pm. We started off our day on a pretty sobering note with a patient with advanced cervical cancer... if you feel led please pray for her and her family as they knew their diagnosis and were very much hoping for a cure that our science cannot offer. She does know Christ so praise God for that, but it will be long road for them all and they will need people agreeing on their behalf. We also got a chance to see the second half of the SuperBowl with some other American missionaries here which was a nice break, although the "responsible" physician of the group (oops) may have left the keys to our apt IN our apt... allowing us to see the hoodlum skills of our group when we had to break in to my bedroom window and squeeze Brandi through when we got home... *lol*

Also got to enjoy a wonderful church service over at the "gringo church" as Matt calls it... God always has a good message in time for me and led me yesterday to Philippians 2:1-8 which reads, " If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like‑minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death– even death on a cross!" I find myself way too often writing myself as the central character in whatever story I am in... as if His plan revolves around myself, my growth, MY glory... the pastor spoke about all of our need for a life of significance, the desire for a glory that nothing in this world can provide... sometimes my desire to serve on missions becomes just that... its only about me! It is one of the ways I try to prove that my life is somehow worthwhile and of value! But the truth is, the only reason I have value is because I am a beloved of God! It is only through Christ's death and resurrection and my subsequent ability to come back to that intended relationship with my Creator that I truly can find any real fulfillment and self worth! So this morning, I am personally praying for God to help me see past ME today...to help me to "in humility consider others better than myself". Thought I would share...

Looking for a busy and challenging day... if you are walking with us in prayer, continue to pray for our patients and their physical and spiritual well-being. Continue to pray for Brandi's health as she is still feeling pretty rough. Pray for our surgical team today and the women we will be operating on. And anything else that the good Lord leads you to pray about... we LOVE and NEED the prayer support for this trip to be successful! Want to give a quick shot out to Ashley Schwering who is SIXTEEN today!!! Everyone in Greenville give her lots of love for me today! Happy birthday Ash! God bless all!

Chris