All People That on Earth Do Dwell

First, we just want to say thank you for your continued prayers regarding Kim’s licensing here in Ecuador.  We just have to say, GOD IS SO GOOD!  After a bit of a hectic week and three visits to the Medical Federation here in Ecuador, we were able to talk with the president of the Federation today!  He was about ready to stand up and give a presentation, but Olga worked her magic and a lady asked us what we needed (we must have looked a little out of place).  This lady ended up going up to the front of the auditorium and asking him to come talk with us.  He talked with us and then brought another friend in who spoke English very well to talk with us too.  Olga told him the situation and also that I am a missionary and working with the Evangelical Covenant Church of Ecuador (IPEE).  We talked a little about being a nurse practitioner and he stressed the NURSE part which made me explain that I was more than a nurse, especially a nurse defined here in Ecuador.  He quickly brought the conversation back around, asking how long I had been in school etc.  (I think I surprised him when I said 8-9 years!)

He then said that after completing the “rural medicine” requirement that all doctor’s do here in Ecuador, he thought I would be able to be certified.  He said up until the completion of this, I will be considered a nurse; there is no question in that.  However, after I complete the rural requirement, I can be licensed to practice (as a doctor) here by the Ministerio de Salud (the Ministry of Health)!  Praise the Lord!!!

I almost started crying!  I can’t believe all of this is coming together.  He gave me his personal cell phone number and email address and told us to keep in contact with him about this.  It is not a guarantee that I will be able to do the rural medicine time in Otavalo or Cayambe, but he said they can work on getting me there.  Basically, you are assigned a place to go.  Joel was talking with me and said, “remember how difficult your time at Rush was and remember when you said, why do I have to go through this?’  Well, had I not had the diploma from Rush, things just may not have worked out because it is the fact that Rush is such a well known university that it is recognized as a certified medical university here in Ecuador.

This is such exciting news and we really want to thank you all for your prayers.  When we were leaving I told Olga that so many people had been praying for this, and it showed because the way it happened was such a God thing!

Hallelujah!  Thanks be to God!