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July 2007
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"Show The Wonder Of Your Great Love."
— Psalm 17:7 (NIV)
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In Their Own Words, 2007
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"I gained a golden chance when we flew to Colorado. . .Then we flew back happy and healed. I have the deepest respect for those who made it all happen, saving my life. I really remember the things I got from Denver, their good, still-giving service....It is amazing grace....I am wishing you all the strong protective hand of God in all your life He rewards to you."
— Joel Musee Mwongela, 4 lb. jaw tumor patient who had a 19 1/2 hr. surgery by an FTC team in Denver, January 2003, writing from Kitui, Kenya, April 22, 2007
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"It will be my 10-year anniversary of my accident, September 15, 1997. I want to go back home to Vietnam around that time to surprise my parents...to bring a new 'me' to them so my mother does not have to cry anymore! In the last 10 years I have worked so hard in order to have 'today'. I have been so patient with life!!!" -- Thu Ha Ngo, new US citizen in Denver after recovering from burns suffered in Vietnam, July 10, 2007
"I hope that sharing my story of hope, courage, and faith would help those who receive help and those who also give help. For those who give help, I hope that my 'happy ending' would give them satisfaction after all the hard work and also realize that God did use them to make some wonderful things happen."
— Thu Ha Ngo, July 11, 2007
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"Could you please send my special thanks to Dr. Jim Curry, who was very hard-working and skillful to make the 'new me' and Ms. Gabi Stevens, who cared so much for us after the surgery with all her enthusiasm and heart? ...My parents made a joke that now I'm really my father's son since I look like him."
— Mowgli Pham, jaw surgery patient at the Odonto-Maxillo-Facial Hospital (OMFH), shared in an e-mail May 29, 2007
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"Don't ever stop coming to Vietnam! We need you here."
— Dr. Le Thi Viet, Oral & Maxillo-Facial Surgery Director, OMFH, HCM City, May 9, 2007
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"Do you want to hold my baby?"
— Young mother of infant daughter with a cleft lip, National Hospital of Odonto- Stomatology (NHOS),
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"She brought her neighbors' son to have his cleft repaired and paid the hospital fee when the parents had to work and could not afford the cost."
— OMFH nurse, May 9, 2007 This elderly woman, missing her right eye, quietly cared for this toddler after his surgery.
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To The Face The Challenge , Colorado, USA
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In the legend story world of the old days
When I was still a child
There were . . . [good] fairies
Manifested to help good-natured persons,
Who met dangers in very reduced circumstances.
In the flat and digitalized world of today,
It seems like the old legend stories are illusory.
But the [good] fairies are still true stories.
I met today . . . fairies,
With skilled, refined, talented hands
And great humane hearts.
From very distant places,
Flying over oceans and continents
Coming to handicapped children
And unhappy persons of Vietnam
Bringing smiles and joys and happiness to many.
Thanks to the today [good] fairies,
With skilled, talented hands, and great humane hearts
Lighting up in this dull world,
With the flame of COMPASSION & HUMANENESS.
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LIMIT/LIMITLESS
Say loving words every time you say.
Touch softly every time you should touch.
Smile affectionately to someone you just met.
Every time in our so short life
[Is] precious time in this immense universe.
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— Both by Dr. "Lemon", Oral & Maxillo-Facial Surgeon, NHOS, written at dinner, May 10, 2007
"GOD, OUR GOD SHALL BLESS US"
— Psalm 67:6
This verse was on our minds as we departed for Vietnam on May 2. We most wanted to draw from His resources to bless others with His good. Repeatedly the question, "Who do you serve?" came to mind. We wanted to "give well" of His love through these surgeries. We are thankful for how our expressions of His compassion were received by the patients, families, and surgical staffs.
The account of our trip to Vietnam and 150 new pictures are posted on our web site: www.facethechallenge.org . Our team of nine traveled May 4-13. They taught a half-day seminar on facial surgeries and operated at two hospitals, the "OMFH" and "NHOS". They did 22 surgeries for pediatric and adult patients. The adult cases were lengthy reconstructions of serious facial fractures and jaw growth deformities. Some included donated Christensen total jaw joint implants. Others included use of Ethicon Endo Surgery's donated Harmonic (ultrasonic scalpel). Such surgeries lasted 6-10 hours.
On May 9 we celebrated when we did our 1,000th free facial surgery since FTC was founded in 1993. [Photo enclosed, Dr. Hai, OMFH Director, Ginger Robinson, FTC President, and Dr. Viet, Department Director, after this surgery was done.] FTC teams on 20 international trips and their associates have now provided 1,007 surgeries.
On September 10-16, Randy and I will return to Ho Chi Minh City so he can present at a conference on facial surgeries. We will also bring $6,000.00-worth of surgical texts, anatomy atlases, diagnostic manuals, medical dictionaries, and care guides to be donated to the libraries of the two hospitals....Our next surgical mission to Vietnam will be April 4-12, 2008.... In the meantime, we continue to help individuals in the US, including a woman with a facial gunshot wound in need of many surgeries.
Thank you for your own generous outpourings of love, service, and prayers. FTC is blessed.
In His Wondrous Love,
Randolph C. Robinson, MD, DDS, Cranio-Maxillo-Facial Surgeon, Founder
Ginger H. Robinson, BSN, RN, Cardiac/Critical Care Nurse, President
* Donations can now be made securely through Pay Pal at our website: www.facethechallenge.org
* When designated, Face the Challenge remains a recipient of funds from Mile High United Way (Denver), www.milehighunitedway.org , (303)-433-8383.
* FTC has a charitable Merrill Lynch Endowment Management Account to purchase, sell, and hold securities and other investments available from or through MLPF&S. Our financial advisor is Colin B. Murphy, (303)-446-5684. * FTC's Federal Tax-Exempt ID: # 84-1251098
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