A year speeds by & another is here...2009: Passions restored. 2010: Passions lived.Happy New Year!! It is my hope that this letter finds you well and that you had a joyful Christmas holiday! I enjoyed my fourth Christmas here in Townsville, Australia, despite the lack of the cold white stuff and I am gearing up for a fun-filled 2010! Last year was an eventful year for me here at YWAM Reef to Outback. Let me tell you a little about it.Lessons in Leadership

2009 for me, was a year of great growth in the area of leadership. It was my first year on the leadership team here on base and I learned so much about how to inspire and care for people. I realized at one point, that I am the only member on the team that has been on staff for less than 4

years (and the only Canadian). This is an encouragement to me since I have sometimes wondered if my previous skills/experience have been transferable. I can see now that they have, since I have been given a place of leadership so early on in my time here at YWAM RTO. Great White North

It is hard to believe that it has already been more than 6 months since I was in Canada! My four weeks of Canadian summer flew by far too quickly, but was ever so special. It is always a challenge to try to catch up with everyone, but I was able to see most close friends and family at least once.

It was a real blessing to me to be home for a ‘family’ wedding (Anthony & Sally Lohan), for

Maya’s 4th birthday (my gorgeous Goddaughter) and to just be a part of everyday life (dishes and all) with my family in Guelph and Sault Ste. Marie. My friends here in Australia continually tease me about my love for senior citizens, but I won’t lie that visiting my Grammy and having tea with ‘old’ pals at Riverside Glen are always extra special times. (Hi Jim, Dorothy, Murray & Gene)!Needles & Intestinal Worms

Seriously, these are the two things that made me giddy with excitement once I headed back to Townsville in July! As a student and staff member of the Primary Health Care school, I taught (anatomy & physiology) and learned all about health care in developing nations. This was truly a time of passions being

“Behold, the former things have come to pass, now I declare new things;Before they spring forth I proclaim them to you.”

Isaiah 42:9

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restored for me, since I have such a love for health care and have been waiting for the day when I would get to jump back into it in the context of missions. This was once again proof to me that God truly hears the desires of our hearts, and answers our prayers!PNG: Can this be real life? In October and November, I spent 8 weeks in the Gulf Province of Papua New Guinea. I regularly had moments where I had to ask if this was my real life...because it was so hard to believe that I could be chosen to do such incredible things!

Our team of 8 girls, six of us recently trained in primary health care skills, set out to experience the Gulf Province of PNG to its fullest, visiting over 40 villages by boat, since there are no roads in the Gulf (due to the winding rivers throughout the province). We focused on supporting the existing health care system, supplementing what was missing and assessing the needs of the province. One main goal was to see where the YWAM medical ship could go and how it could assist in the province in 2010 during the Australia & PNG Ship Tour (www.ywamships.org).

We were warmly welcomed everywhere we went, sometimes with song and cultural dance and always with plenty of food! Sago (the local staple food) was always on the menu along with fresh pineapple, sweet potatoes, bananas, pumpkin, and fresh seafood such as shrimp and crab. My pants were definitely tighter upon my return to Australia!

We did health care clinics and health education in almost every location we stayed in and were able to treat many common illnesses such as malaria, pneumonia, ear infections, scabies, wounds, intestinal worms, diarrhea, malnutrition and more. We were also able to do many antenatal checks (check-ups for pregnant mums) and took part in an immunization clinic also. (The fourth photo down is me listening to the heart beat of that pregnant mum’s baby).

We were blown away by the incredible health care workers that are working in the Gulf Province, yet also incredibly impacted by the massive need

there in the area of health care. If villages have any sort of health care, it often consists of an Aid Post only, which is staffed by one Community Health Worker (less education than a nurse). Many times they have patients that are beyond their care and they have to refer them to the nearest hospital, which can easily be a days paddle away by canoe (the most common form of transportation). We heard many stories of woman having their babies in canoes on the way to get help and even losing their newborn over the side of the canoe or not getting there in time resulting in the death of the mother or child. In fact, seven in ten women in PNG die during pregnancy. Imagine the fear that becomes associated with something that is to be celebrated with joy.

I was particularly touched during and experience when I was able to help a young woman named Alice when in labour having her first baby. We weren’t able to stay long enough to see the baby born, since she ended up having a C-section at the local hospital (the first one ever performed there), but I considered it an honour to fan her, rub her back and pray for her in the process. I was reminded that it is the way we love people that makes a difference, not our expertise or skills. The Journey Continues

Upon completing the Primary Health Care school, I have jumped into a few new roles once again here at YWAM Reef to Outback. My primary role will be in the Ships Ministry with a focus on Medical Outreaches. I am currently working on setting up the first medical outreach with the medical ship to PNG in August-October of this year.

In addition, I am overseeing the area of Community Life (property, venue management, staff & student housing etc). As some of you may know, I have worked in this area off and on for sometime, yet this round I am in more of an oversight role, therefore managing the staff in that area and making sure we stick to our budget! It is once again an exciting and challenging step forward in leadership here at YWAM RTO.

Oodles of blessings for 2010! May it be a year of joy & laughter!

Look for me on our website:www.ywamrto.org

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Contact me!PO Box 6221

Townsville QLD 4810AUSTRALIA

+61 434 103 055jenncperry@gmail.comskpe name: jenncperry

Jenn :)