Frazier Blog

I really don’t know what I am going to write for this post yet so we’ll see what happens. I am a little bit in shock that I only have 18 days left. Not that I am counting, but people keep asking me how much longer I am here for, almost on a daily basis so I know. I really have enjoyed my time here and am excited to see what God does with my next 18 days.

Being here for a longer period of time has given me a much greater perspective on what life looks like here. Really I only got a glimpse of it while I was here on a Short Term Team. The amount of work and planning that goes on behind the scenes is amazing. I have great respect for all of the full time staff here. It has been great getting knowing each of them during my time here. They are all unique which makes it so much more fun, all of them have a great personality.

I have really enjoyed getting to know the people on the island. I have a hard time remembering all the names, but there is defiantly a growing group of people that I have a relationship with. I have been able to go out and lead groups for visitations. I have really enjoyed this as it has given me a chance to meet people who do not come by the clinic often.

I am starting to see how living here can be such a drain on your body. I got a good full 9 hours of sleep last night, but I still feel like I could use 9 more.

I really love the island of Helene and the people here I hope God calls me back here again.

God Bless,
Paul

To read my daily updates head on over to www.ilovehelene.com

I have been here a month. I really have enjoyed my time here. Something that I have been learning is that not everyday here always goes super well. Some-days you feel sick, other days tired or things just don’t work out the way you want them to. Such is life. But I have found running to God and praying alot really helps get me through that. Something that I really want to keep up when I go home is constant prayer. I found that I prayed a lot when i was here last year and have found myself doing that again this year. But I do not see why I should stop doing that when I go home.

This is not to say that I am not having an awesome time here. But Christ never said serving Him would be an easy thing. The word serving has that in its very meaning, serving others and putting them before you. However, when doing this for God’s glory the rewards are tremendous.
God Bless,
Paul

Again to read my daily entries please check out www.ilovehelene.com

As promised I will post summaries here on Frazierblog.com if you want day to day highlights check out www.ilovehelene.com.

Wow. I have been in Helene for three weeks. It feels like I just arrived a couple of days ago.  My time so far has been very enjoyable but it has also been a lot of work. There are so many projects going on around the clinic. Some involve adding on to existing facilities but many are regular maintenance that are very labor intensive and require a lot of time. Many do not require skilled labor but just the manpower to do it. The amount of things that need maintenance around here amazes me. The heat and humidity really put a toll on the buildings.

In the past I have always felt like I am serving the most when I am talking to people about God or building relationships. But over the last few weeks my view of what serving really is, has grown.  I have been doing a lot more building projects then I thought I would be doing. By doing these time consuming tasks I have helped to enable other team Helene staff to work on the big projects, such as, Joe working on the battery bank. I have also assisted in those projects such as helping Joe hang the new inverter for the second battery bank and moving 12 batteries from temporary storage to the bank. While these activities may not require talking about God, they are helping to further His glory.

While I have been here I have realized that I involve God so much more in my daily life when I am here in Helene than I do at home. That is not the way it should be. I should involve God just as much at home as I am forced to do here. And there lays the key, NEED, when you are in a third world country life presents itself as much more uncertain then back in the states. We need God just as much in the States or Honduras, the key is letting him in our life wherever we are. Admitting our weaknesses at letting Christ be strong though them. Instead of us trying, and ultimately failing to help ourselves. God has offered us complete assistance, and left it up to us if we will take it. My goal for when I return home is to use that assistance and not try and do it on my own.

Being here on staff is much different than on a team. I think I am just starting to get used to that. I need to create opportunities for fellowship that were created for me when I was on a short term team. I have been hanging out a lot with Ewings and getting to know him.

He is a really cool guy and you can see God’s love pouring out through him. He constantly pushes against the overwhelming negative culture on the island and strives for Christ.

Everyday I see another way in which God blesses this island. I feel honored to be a part of His love pouring out through Alternative Missions.  The school is such a great example of His love.  These kids yearn for someone to love them and to teach them. And even though they can be very disruptive it is very evident that they really enjoy being there. Because of what God is doing though the clinic and what he is doing though people who donate their, time, money and materials these children have access to books, puzzles, games and people who love them.

Praise God,
Paul Frazier

I have a mac. I use iPhoto. But I am getting sick of it. I find iPhoto to be very limited. I am trying out adobe lightroom. It definitely has a way more advanced feature set. I think I will end up migrating my photo library there. What do you guys use to manage photos?

Later,

Paul

I plan on using auto posting when I am in Helene. And I also think it is just a cool idea in general. So in theory this post will post 10 mintues after I press publish. It is kinda like traveling in time I guess.

I am gearing up to go to Helene. God has been opening my Heart and I am getting MORE and more excited. Please keep me in your prayers and check out www.iloveHelene.com . Hope everyone is enjoying their weekends.

Later,
Paul

As I write this I am quickly packing up my things so that I can check out and go home. I leave for Helene on the 23rd which is QUICKLY approaching. I am very excited for my trip and cannot wait to see what God has in-store for me.

The dorms have been fun. Many weird late nights and loud noises.

As I was packing today the fire alarm went off. Of course one last fire alarm to leave bye.

Later,
Paul

I am sorry it has been so long since I have posted last. However I have just been so busy blowing my nose I have not gotten a chance. The pollen here in Eugene is HORRIBLE. I found out reccently that Eugene has one of the highest pollen counts in the nation. I agree 110%. I am taking allegra and am looking into using flonase again. My nose is clogged 24/7 and my eyes are red. Well enough whining for one day.

I am so excited to be returning to Helene in less than one month. I am very close to having my trip fully funded which is a HUGE answer to prayer. Thanks to everyone who has contributed. And a big thanks to Sunset Pres. I hope everyone is enjoying this nice weather and is not have as bad of allegry problems as I am.

Later,

Paul

I read this article last week and meant to post it on Friday and than on Monday. But well…things happen.

I like this article because it is happy and uses technology. What a great combination.

Basically a boy needed a heart transplant. His name came up on the list but him and his mother were nowhere to be found. Time was on the essence and the authorities kept calling his mothers cell phone but it was on silent because they were at a concert. The state police then called up the cell company and asked them to locate the phone using GPS. They found the boy and mother at a concert, the state police walked on stage and stopped the show and called out the mothers name. She came forward, they left, and the boy got the new heart he needed.

What I love about this story is well first off the boy got a new heart. But that would have not been possible without bending some rules. The cellphone company helped locate the mom and the police stopped a concert. They realized that smashing through some red tape was well worth the result of helping to save a boys life. I think sometimes we try and live life too much by the rules, sometimes we have to step outside of the norm to make amazing things happen.

Later,

Paul

Does your faith have an afterlife? If so where is it found and explained in your faith and can it be guaranteed?

I plan to post my answer on this later. Please leave your answer in the comments section. I would love to hear from all different faiths.

I asked this question last night at a community forum to a Jewish Rabbi, a Christian author and former Imam from Saudi Arabia.

Thanks for all your comments,

Paul

I am sick of articles that tell me nothing. Take this New York Times article on Obama criticizing the auto industry. All the article tells us is that he

“proposed stricter fuel economy standards, wading into a debate under way in Washington on increasing the corporate average fuel economy, now at 27.5 miles a gallon for cars and 24 miles a gallon for light trucks.”

It does not mention that how much he want to see efficiency go up or by when. For all we know it could be that he wants 5 more mpg by 2020.

This is not news. Every political candidate is going to say we need to be more efficient. Give me some details. It’s basic 3rd grade writing. Who? What? Where? When? Why?. Who is going to do it, how are we going to do it and when are we going to do it by. We get some of these out of the article. Obama claims that

“his proposals would save the United States 2.5 million barrels of oil a day, which he said would be the equivalent of halting oil imports from the Middle East and would remove 50 million cars’ worth of pollution from the road.”

If this is really true that would be amazing as that is lot of saved oil and takes funding away from terrorist states. But I want to know how you are going to do it. And when, while at any date these results would be great to be honest I care alot less if the result is 30 years down the road. Where is the money going to come from? He does say he’ll give the auto industry tax credits but I still would like more detail.

Later,

Paul