Version 3 Vol. #4 October 16th, 2009
Greeting from the Unique City of San Ming, China,
San Ming Times
A most humbling experience
            I am a proud person who hates the feeling of helplessness. My pride was humbled when I was flat on my back being wheeled into a Chinese operating room with tubes and needles inserted into my body. Sunday morning October 9th Dorcas convinced me to go to the hospital. This was after several days of pain in my abdominal area. I went to two different hospitals and saw four different doctors; three of four doctors said get surgery do ASAP. The doctors thought it was my appendix. With some consideration and phone call home I signed my life away (first to the doctor and then to my heavenly Father). The surgery seemed brief I was put to sleep and woke up seemingly minutes later minus a body part. For the next several days I was connected to an IV. After several nights of trying to sleep in the hospital the doctor agreed I could go home to sleep, if I am back bright and early the next morning for more IV and doctor check up. I was discharged from the hospital on Thursday October 15th, 2009. I must go back on Saturday for a check up, and on Monday to remove the stitches.
            I have a lot of negative complaining I can write about hospitals etc.., but instead I decided I am going to give thanks.
Thanksgivings:
    Thank You God for the gift of pain. For without pain I would never know something was wrong with my body.
    Thanks for God for give the doctors wisdom and the right tools for the operation.
    Thanks for the many people around the world who were praying for me during this time. I could feel the prays.
    Thanks for Dorcas who first convinced me to see a doctor and took very good care of me, and for supplying the good health meals.
    Thanks for Jason who got very little sleep and stayed with me in the hospital the first night after surgery.
    Thanks for the hospital for giving me a bed and not letting me sleep in the hallway.
    Thanks for the nurses who were more than willing to help a helpless, white, foreigner SINGLE foreigner cope with Chinese hospitals and medicine.
    Thanks that Chinese hospitals only cost 5,500 RMB and not like an American hospital maybe costing $10,000 USA
    Thanks also that I am everyday getting more strength and improving.
    Thanks that I still have a body and am alive today! Thank You Jesus!!!

 
Thanks for the prayers and support,
Stephen Burkholder
PS: I must take it easy for the next several days and cannot lift anything heavy for several weeks. For those that know me this is going to be torture.
Jer 33:3  Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.