A WOR(L)D of THANKS

LANGUAGE :: TRANSLATION

AFRIKAANS :: dankie
ALBANIAN :: faleminderit
ALSATIAN :: merci
ARABIC :: chokrane
ARABIC (ALGERIAN) :: sahite
ARABIC (TUNISIAN) :: Barak Allahu fiik
ARMENIAN :: chnorakaloutioun
ASANTE TWI :: meda wo ase
AZERI :: çox sag olun / tesekkur edirem
BAMBARA :: a ni kié
BAMOUN :: ayùe
BASQUE :: eskerrik asko (southern basque) / milesker (northern basque)
BELARUSIAN :: Дзякую (dziakuju)
BENGALI :: dhanyabaad
BISHLAMAR :: tangio tumas
BOBO :: a ni kié
BOSNIAN :: hvala
BRETON :: trugéré / trugaré / trugarez
BULGARIAN :: мерси (merci) / благодаря (blagodaria)
BURMESE :: (thint ko) kyay tzu tin pa te
CATALAN :: gràcies
CEBUANO :: salamat
CHECHEN :: Баркал (barkal)
CHEROKEE :: wado
CHICHEWA :: zikomo
CHINESE :: (MANDARIN) xièxie (simplified: 谢谢 - écriture traditional: 謝謝)
CORSICAN :: grazie
CROATIAN :: hvala
CZECH :: děkuji / díky
DANISH :: tak
DARI :: tashakor
DARIJA :: choukran
DOGON :: gha-ana / birepo
DUALA :: na som
DUTCH :: dank u wel (formal) / dank je (informal)
ENGLISH :: thank you
ESPERANTO :: dankon
ESTONIAN :: tänan / tänan väga (thank you very much)
EWÉ :: akpé
FANG :: akiba
FAROESE :: takk fyri
FIDJIAN :: vinaka
FINNISH :: kiitos
FRENCH :: merci
FRISIAN :: dankewol
FRIULAN :: gracie
GALICIAN :: gracias / graciñas
GALLO :: merkzi
GEORGIAN :: დიდი მადლობა (didi madloba)
GERMAN :: danke
GREEK :: ευχαριστώ (efharisto)
GUARANÍ :: aguyjé
GUJARATI :: aabhar
HAITIAN CREOLE :: mèsi
HAUSA :: nagode
HAWAIIAN :: mahalo
HEBREW :: toda
HINDI :: dhanyavad
HUNGARIAN :: köszönöm
ICELANDIC :: takk
IGBO :: imela / daalu
INDONESIAN :: terima kasih
INUPIAT taiku
IRISH GAELIC :: go raibh maith agat (to 1 person) / go raibh maith agaibh (to several people)
ITALIAN :: grazie
JAPANESE :: arigatô
KABYLIAN :: tanemmirt
KANNADA :: dhanyavadagalu
KAZAKH :: rahmet
KHMER :: អគុណ (orkun)
KIKONGO :: matondo
KINYARWANDA :: murakoze
KIRUNDI :: murakoze
KOREAN :: 감사합니다 (gamsa hamnida)
KOTOKOLI :: sobodi
KRIO :: tenki
KURDISH :: spas
KYRGYZ :: Рахмат (rahmat)
LAKOTA :: wopila / pilamaya
LAO :: khob chai (deu)
LARI :: matondo
LATIN :: gratias ago (from 1 pers.)
gratias agimus (from X pers.)
LATVIAN :: paldies
LIGURIAN :: gràçie
LINGALA :: matondi
LITHUANIAN :: ačiū
LOW SAXON :: bedankt / dank ju wel
LUXEMBOURGEOIS :: merci
MACEDONIAN :: благодарам (blagodaram, thank you) / фала (fala, thanks)
MALAGASY :: misaotra
MALAY :: terima kasih
MALAYALAM :: nanni
MALTESE :: niżżik ħajr / grazzi / nirringrazzjak
MANGUISSA :: abouï ngan
MAORI :: kia ora
MARATHI :: aabhari aahe / aabhar / dhanyavaad
MICMAC :: welalin
MONGOLIAN :: bayarlalaa (Баярлалаа)
MORÉ :: barka
NORWEGIAN :: takk
OCCITAN :: mercé / grandmercé
OJIBWE :: miigwetch
OSSETIAN :: бузныг [buznyg]
PAPIAMENTU :: danki
PASCUAN :: mauruuru
PASHTO :: manana
PERSIAN :: motashakkeram, mamnun (formal) / mochchakkeram, mamnun, mersi (informal)
POLISH :: dziękuję
PORTUGUESE :: obrigado (M speaking) / obrigada (F speaking)
PUNJABI :: sukriya
QUECHUA :: sulpáy
ROMANI :: najis tuke
ROMANIAN :: mulţumesc
RUSSIAN::  спасибо (spacibo)
SAMOAN :: faafetai lava
SANGO :: singuila
SARDINIAN :: gratzias
SCOTTISH GAELIC :: tapadh leat (singular, familiar)
tapadh leibh (plural, respectful)
SERBIAN :: хвала (hvala)
SESOTHO :: ke ya leboha
SHIMAORE ::marahaba
SHONA :: waita (plural: maita)
SINDHI :: meharbani
SINHALA :: stuutiyi
SLOVAK :: ďakujem
SLOVENIAN :: hvala
SOBOTA :: hvala
SOMALI :: waad mahadsantahay
SONGHAI :: fofo
SONINKÉ :: nouari
SPANISH :: gracias
SWAHILI :: asante / asante sana
SWEDISH :: tack
TAGALOG :: salamat (po)
TAHITIAN :: mauruuru
TAJIK:: rahmat
TAMAZIGHT :: tanemmirt
TAMIL :: nandri
TATAR :: rahmat
TELUGU :: dhanyavadalu
THAI :: ขอบคุณค่ะ (kop khun kha) - woman speaking
ขอบคุณครับ (kop khun krap) - man speaking
TIGRINYA :: yekeniele
TOHONO O'ODHAM :: m-sapo
TONGA :: tualumba
TORAJA :: kurre sumanga
TURKISH :: teşekkür ederim / sagolun
UDMURT :: tau
UKRAINIAN :: Дякую (d'akuju)
URDU :: shukriya
UYGHUR :: rahmat
UZBEK :: rahmat
VIETNAMESE :: cám ơn
WALLISIAN :: malo te ofa
WALOON :: ("betchfessîs" spelling) gråces / merci
thank you very much : gråces (merci) traze côps, gråces (merci) beacôp
WELSH :: diolch
WEST INDIAN CREOLE :: mèsi
WOLOF :: djiere dieuf
XHOSA :: enkosi
YAQUI :: kettu'i
YIDDISH :: a dank
YORUBA :: o sheun
ZULU :: ngiyabonga (literally means : I give thanks)
siyabonga (= we give thanks)
ngiyabonga kakhulu (thanks very much)

"Thank You" -no matter how, when or where, it should not be a go unsaid. 

Please forgive any errors.  Thank You (Smile).

Thankfulness sown allows one to reap the beauty if contentment.  

1 Thessalonians 5:18

Sow What?

Sow What? Nicaragua -Part 1

Mission log:

Did a shift in the Emergency Department at the hospital. We actually take too much for granted in the US.  Aspirin and nitroglycerine for chest pain.  Oxygen tanks, and nebulizers for asthma.  Basic labs, CT scans (neither are available), and EKGs.  Stray animals and refuse in and on the hospital grounds. Sterile techniques. And, this was a marked improvement from 9 years ago.  So much need, so few resources!  It's a different standard or care but not for the lack of caring individuals.  Oh by the way, the patients in Nicaragua also complain about long ER wait times for things that do not require medical attention.  They too exaggerate their wait times -"I've been here for 3 hours!" when the check-in times reveal only 30 minutes.  In a lot of ways, people are the same wherever you go. 

The Hospital

The first patient I saw was an American (unbeknownst to me at first -She stated that my English was perfect.  I guess I looked local). She had been seen there days before as well as in a clinic earlier. The patient was overall well and just concerned that something worse was wrong despite receiving good care in my humble opinion.  Ironic, it was like I hadn't left home in some ways.

Lecture to residents

Gave a lecture to the hospital residents and staff alongside fellow physicians from our team.  

Performed a consult on a paciente (wow -thinking in Spanish now. Only been here 3 days).

Saw patients in our makeshift clinic at the orphanage. We saw children that likely were malnourished from intestinal parasites. Diagnosed one mother with advanced stage oral cancer. She had never seen a doctor for it. Her baby who we also saw likely had pneumonia. Sent them both to the referral hospital -although there was no OMFS (Oral maxillary facial surgery) there to help her. 

My daughters helped feed other children at the feeding station.  This was set up by the local mission, Casa Bernabe/Verbo Church, to feed the children than scrounge around at the trash dump for food and things to sell. 

The dump where kids feed and scavenge.  

My wife prayed for us, the river mission team (I see her growth in faith every day). The 4 hour drive to the river was hair raising to say the least. All dirt. Giant ditches and mud holes.  Pitch black most of the way (we left at dusk). No street lights. Rickety bridges. Wild fires in the forests lining the road. Armed soldiers (read AK-47s) at check points along the way. I kid you not, it looked like the end of the world.  Just add zombies.  The clip below shows the road conditions in daylight.  Note:  Image stabilization was active on the camera.

Along the way we were delightfully entertained by a fellow missionary named Tom (that's a story unto itself).

Tom Keogh

9:15 PM

Street festival (celebrating Miskito Culture) and kids jumping on the back of our vehicle while it was moving. Our hotel was blocked by hordes of people at the street festival. A drunk who kept saying in Spanish that his was Fidel Castro kept harassing one of the members in our car while we were blocked by the crowd. It got a little harried when his friend approached the other side of the vehicle. I prayed (smiles). I think I could have taken the drunk and his friend just not the mob that would ensue (smiles again). Nevertheless, Jesus handled them. He used an officer to part the crowd like Red Sea to lead us to the promise land, our hotel!

The party outside the hotel. Ended 2:00 AM Friday! 

Oh yeah, the block party doesn't end until 2:00 AM.  There are only 12,000 people in this town -I believe that they are all here tonight.  I can hear everything in tune and out of tune in my room.  It must be open mic. I'm trying to play music in my headphones to drown out the sounds, to no avail.  The guy on the mic just announced that on Saturday Night the street party will be traveling to Puerto Cabeza, where we will be staying when we return.  This is obviously the work of Satan (laughs).

3:00 AM! Finally asleep...  Knock, Knock, Knock!!!  "John."  "John."

So, I arise open the door to see a group of men standing at my door asking for me.  I told them to wait while I put a shirt on.  I exit my room still dazed to see the same group of guys (now obviously drunk) knocking on the door next to mine, "John... John... John."  Obviously, I was not the only John in Waspan, Nicaragua staying at the Hotelito El Piloto on August 6th at 3:00 AM.

4:00 AM another knock at the door (you can't make this stuff up)!  "John... John...  John Lewis."

It was Jose, our Mission Pastor, waking me to begin our river trip.

"Nicaragua" must translate to "Land of little sleep."

Day 3 - A Journey of faith... To Be Continued.

Things grow wherever you go... You just need to sow.

A little more than a week ago I had an opportunity to participate in a good friend's wedding in Houston. While this was definitely an honor reuniting and celebrating with friends that I consider family, what made me most proud and at the same time humbled was an opportunity I received while there. Specifically, I was asked to do something after the wedding that I believe is truly a lasting testament of love. 

As with many weddings, there were gorgeous floral arrangements painstakingly crafted to commemorate this special day.  And of course, none of that beauty was lost on this special occasion.  Only the bride and groom appeared more radiant. However, I believe the full beauty of those magnificent flowers was not fully achieved until the day after the wedding. While the celebration was winding down, I was asked by the bride and groom to find a way to make sure the flowers did not go to waste  -Give them away to guest or whoever would like them. 

Sow.... (Pun intended)

This is what we planted in Houston. 

Special Delivery

Fertile ground  

Constant gardeners  

Helping hands

The morning after the wedding I delivered the flowers to the Houston Hospice. The staff and residents appeared pleasantly surprised almost incredulous.  They ask where the roses had come from. I told them of the bride and groom's request.  They asked why...

I told them about Christ.  

1 Peter 3:15

Matthew 25: 44-45

So, where ever you go Sow! 

Procrastination

A function of 1 or 2 phenomena:

The illusion of having more time than actually exists to complete a task. 

The delusion that one has the ability to complete a task in less time than actually allotted.  

A letter...

To whom it may concern, 

To our fathers: teach your children to respect you by living respectably. For in doing so, you will ultimately teach them to respect themselves. Respect their mothers because if they only respect you, they will only halfway respect themselves and others.  Teach them to respect those who came before and made sacrifices yesterday in hope of a better tomorrow.  Show them how to value what is theirs and that which does not belong to them, for one day they might inherit it.  Lead them to freedom, for if misled, they will certainly follow you into bondage. 

To our mothers: teach your children to respect by respecting yourself. Teach them to love by loving yourself. Then, teach them to love and respect others like their fathers by you doing the same. Teach them to answer to the name given them and none lesser. For in doing so, you will impart value and worth.  Value yourself. -Your mind, your body and your spirit -All that you are, but not all that you do. There is a difference. If you do not know the difference, learn it so that you may impart it upon them. 

To our sons: Learn to respect your father and mother for it is one of the keys to longevity. Obtain knowledge while garnering wisdom. Learn to discern between the two. It is a key to understanding and being understood. Follow those who lead selflessly and righteously for soon enough it will be your time to do the same. Learn that while you will always be someone's son, you are also someone's brother and will likely become someone's father. Live your life in full knowledge of this, in order to make the transition that will inevitably come. 

To our daughters: you are precious and powerful. Embrace this early because the world into which you were born will seek to rob you of this and invalidate it most of your lives. Learn what it truly means to love and respect. Then, learn to love and respect -your mother, father, and yourselves. By doing this, loving others will not necessarily become easier but worthwhile. 

To our brothers: much is expected of you. Much will be taken from you -The respect you desire, the love your require. Don't stop living; Don't stop giving -the love and respect the world denies you. Don't get caught doing the same -Denying your father, your mother, your son, your daughter, your sister or your brother.  For by doing so, you rob them and yourselves in a world already filled with robbers and thieves. For many, you will be the only source of love and respect that your brother will know, the only source that your sister will know, the first example for your son and daughter and the only recipient for a mother or father.  Give before you get. Build before you destroy. Love before hate. Brothers unite!

To to our sisters: teachers, students, comforters, nurturers, pillars, jewels, mothers,  daughters. You are all of these and more. Then why settle for anything less? Why respond to any lesser name? Why limit yourself to anything less?  Learn your self worth. Love yourself in order to love others. Respect yourself in order to respect and be respected by others. Give don't take. Learn your full value before you negotiate or compromise. Value what you offer in order to avoid regret and waste.  You are our inspiration. Sisters ignite! 

"What I say to you is for me 'cause it passes my ears first". -Dante Smith

Exodus 20:12 "Honor your mother and your father that your days may be long..."

Matthew 12:48-50  "Who is my mother..."