November 2006

"Prayer allows a place for me to bring my doubts and complaints — in sum, my ignorance — and subject them to the blinding light of reality I cannot comprehend but can haltingly learn to trust. Prayer is personal, and my doubts take on a different cast as I get to know the Person to Whom I bring them." — From Prayer: Does It Make Any Difference?, by Philip Yancey, Zondervan, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, p. 40

Dear Face the Challenge Friends and Supporters:

Included here are four pictures of some of our patients in 2006:

The first is of an 11 ½-year-old boy, Craciun (means "Christmas") who was attacked with an axe by his mother. His left scarred cheek and lips and fractured teeth he will not show in his smile are the result of this violence. He remains misplaced and "unadoptable" at an orphanage intended for toddlers in Marghita, Romania, all because of these injuries.

His advocates have been Dr. Fred and Karleen Dewey, Directors of Mercy Ministries headquartered in Denver, while they live and serve in Romania. We are thankful for their efforts and that the US Embassy in Bucharest favorably granted our request to bring Craciun here for his free reconstructive surgery on November 8. It will be done by Dr. Randy Robinson at Park Meadows Cosmetic Surgery Center (PMCS). Prior to his surgery, pediatric dentist Dr. John Sexton of Lakewood volunteered to repair Craciun's damaged teeth.

The second is of a Kyrgyz infant girl, Feruza, born November 15, 2005. Her picture was taken by Betty Adams, a Denver-area woman serving in orphanages in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan (northwest of China) and forwarded to us by Denver-area resident, Tami Snowden, adoptive mother of Tabihat or now "Tabi". Both girls were born with rare, severe facial clefts. FTC arranged for Tabi to travel with Tami to Denver and receive her initial facial surgery by Dr. Robinson and Dr. JerryPopham, oculoplastic surgeon, in November 2003. The surgeries have continued with one more set for January 2007.

In the meantime, we have sought permission by the US Embassy in Bishkek for a medical visa for Feruza to travel with her birth mother to Denver. Feruza's reconstructive surgery for her Tessier classification system "#4 cleft" is scheduled for December 8 at PMCS as well. Drs. Robinson and Popham will operate together on Feruza's initial phase of surgery.

The third picture is of a young Vietnamese man soon after he arrived in the recovery room in Ho Chi Minh City while the FTC team was there in April 2006. He initially had difficulty waking up after his ortho-gnathic (jaw) surgery, but with the attentive, skilled care of the FTC team and Vietnamese staff he did well.

The fourth is of a young Vietnamese husband tenderly enfolding his wife's hand with both of his hands. Her face is wrapped with an ice pack. She, too, recovered well from jaw surgery. The pictures of both of these patients were taken by Brad Houston, photojournalist and FTC Board member, of Tampa, Florida.

More pictures will follow. . . .On November 24 - December 3 we plan to send a surgical team back to the Odonto-Maxillo-Facial Hospital (OMFH) in Ho Chi Minh City. The team of six from the Denver area include:

• Randy Robinson, MD, DDS, Cranio-Maxillo-Facial Surgeon, Team Leader
• Steven Pugh, MD, Pediatric Anesthesiologist
• T. Michael Clark, Surgical Technologist
• Patsy King, RN, Peri-Operative Nurse
• June Wehmhoefer, BSN, RN, Post-Anesthesia Care (PACU) Nurse
• Ginger Robinson, BSN, RN, Liaison, PACU Assistant

Dr. Le Thi Viet, Department Director at the OMFH, wrote to say several complicated cases await this team. They include many patients with unrepaired facial fractures, many presenting with dish-shaped faces as a result. Others have large facial tumors. And then, still more children recently born with deformities need surgery.

These pictures and our next planned trip (16th to Vietnam since 1994) represent the results of the prayers of many advocates. We are thankful for each of these advocates, known and unknown to us, but certainly known by God. We are thankful for their persistence — even lamenting — before our God Who hears and acts according to His will.

Thankfully, we all can ask the God of the Universe to help us. While not knowing His ways sometimes, especially when faced with injustices, we can still trust Him Who knows us and holds us in His palms.

When Face the Challenge comes to mind, please turn those thoughts into persistent prayers for the many lives we have opportunities to touch. Make your prayers like the entreaties of the unrelenting Canaanite mother who asked on her afflicted daughter's behalf. At first she appeared to be ignored by Christ and His disciples. But then she was made the model of faith by Christ Himself. Because of her continual requests, she prevailed in a manner that got the Lord's attention.

Our righteous Father is the One Who gives the best gifts of all. He asks that we ask! Thank you that you have asked, and whenever you do, . . for Craciun, Feruza, "Vietnam", "possibly China", and the months ahead in 2007.

In Him, Our Health and Hope, Ginger, along with Randy Robinson
Randolph C. Robinson, MD, DDS, Founder
Ginger H. Robinson, BSN, RN, President

* Face the Challenge remains a recipient of funds from Mile High United Way (Denver) when designated.

* Donations can now be made securely through Pay Pal at our website: www.facethechallenge.org

* FTC has established a Merrill Lynch Endowment Management Account , which may be used 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.

Any gifts to Face the Challenge (FTC) will be credited to the support of designated team members or projects. All gifts become the property of FTC and will be distributed in accordance with IRS guidelines in furtherance of the mission of FTC. Your gift is tax-deductible as permitted by the Internal Revenue Code.