For so much, I am thankful.
John,
As we discussed, I wanted to share some of your words with my family and friends.
When your last e-mail came I was in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico enjoying the sun and time away from responsibilities for awhile. I'll tell you more of that in the next post, but for now wanted to dwell a little more on what you said in your last e-mail. So, without dancing around it any longer, I'll just throw it out there.
From Major John Bruun:
Dear Family and Friends,
There is much to be seen here. We have been very blessed in the US. The lives of the people and children here are very difficult. They are poor, uneducated, and have few prospects for the future. Child abuse is widespread here. We routinely take care of children with questionable stories of their injuries. There are no methods of investigation or protective services. This week I told a Dad not to come back as he refused a second time to follow my advice and took his son out of the hospital after we had to cut out his kidney and colon for "falling" on a giant knife. The people live with the constant threat of the Taliban, thieves, explosions, and gunfire. The women here are treated as second class citizens and married off as early teens, often as a second or third wife - not allowed even to show their face. We have a teenage girl who reports she "shot herself" in the leg. The trajectory is impossible for her to have done it. She will never walk the same and nearly lost her leg. The houses they live in are nothing compared to the homes we have. Most of the locals rarely shower and have a thin coat of dirt over their bodies when they come in for surgery that we have to wash off. It is a smell that I will not forget. Many do not have shoes - especially the children. They leave here with shoes thanks to the efforts of many of you. Some people are well off and live better, but most of the people we treat are the poorest and have nowhere else to go. This is just a small amount - there are many other atrocities and horrific injuries that I should not mention.
Despite these things, I am ever convinced that these are children of Heavenly Father and he loves them just as he loves us. We do our best to take care of these people just as we would anyone else. I do not mean to elaborate too much on these these things, but it is important for me to share a small bit. We have been very blessed to be US citizens and to be born in a wealthy nation.
Again, I thank you for the support that you give to our family and for all the American troops around the world.
Love,
John
I want to thank you for taking the time to share with me some of the things you see on a daily basis. I know that on a certain level it is somewhat cathartic for you, but it is also beneficial for me to remember just how blessed I am. I thank you for that. That is not to say that I am completely ignorant of how harsh the world can be. I have traveled to lands with poor and needy, but I get to come home after a short time and put it behind me. With your current deployment you are not so lucky in that aspect. However, there are few people in the world more qualified or better equipped to handle such an emotional drain than you. At times I know it is a burden, but it also a gift that you have. It makes you a better doctor, a better person, and a better servant of our Heavenly Father. It makes you more empathetic whereas others can only be sympathetic at best. That may not make you feel any better about being so far away from your loved ones in such a harsh environment, but know that I admire you for it.
I pray for you every day. I always keep the most recent e-mail you send so that whenever I am doing business via e-mail I always see your name and pray for your health, safety, and happiness. I am very proud of the work you do.
Hang in there brother. Less than three months to go!
Tom
PS to family and friends: Should you wish to say "hi" to Major John Bruun and possibly thank him for his service, please feel free to contact me directly (ie not through the blog site) and I can get you his e-mail information. Already some have desired to send him a little care package. Not that I am suggesting that, but I do have his base information as well. Thank you.
With that in mind, good night.
As we discussed, I wanted to share some of your words with my family and friends.
When your last e-mail came I was in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico enjoying the sun and time away from responsibilities for awhile. I'll tell you more of that in the next post, but for now wanted to dwell a little more on what you said in your last e-mail. So, without dancing around it any longer, I'll just throw it out there.
From Major John Bruun:
Dear Family and Friends,
There is much to be seen here. We have been very blessed in the US. The lives of the people and children here are very difficult. They are poor, uneducated, and have few prospects for the future. Child abuse is widespread here. We routinely take care of children with questionable stories of their injuries. There are no methods of investigation or protective services. This week I told a Dad not to come back as he refused a second time to follow my advice and took his son out of the hospital after we had to cut out his kidney and colon for "falling" on a giant knife. The people live with the constant threat of the Taliban, thieves, explosions, and gunfire. The women here are treated as second class citizens and married off as early teens, often as a second or third wife - not allowed even to show their face. We have a teenage girl who reports she "shot herself" in the leg. The trajectory is impossible for her to have done it. She will never walk the same and nearly lost her leg. The houses they live in are nothing compared to the homes we have. Most of the locals rarely shower and have a thin coat of dirt over their bodies when they come in for surgery that we have to wash off. It is a smell that I will not forget. Many do not have shoes - especially the children. They leave here with shoes thanks to the efforts of many of you. Some people are well off and live better, but most of the people we treat are the poorest and have nowhere else to go. This is just a small amount - there are many other atrocities and horrific injuries that I should not mention.
Despite these things, I am ever convinced that these are children of Heavenly Father and he loves them just as he loves us. We do our best to take care of these people just as we would anyone else. I do not mean to elaborate too much on these these things, but it is important for me to share a small bit. We have been very blessed to be US citizens and to be born in a wealthy nation.
Again, I thank you for the support that you give to our family and for all the American troops around the world.
Love,
John
I want to thank you for taking the time to share with me some of the things you see on a daily basis. I know that on a certain level it is somewhat cathartic for you, but it is also beneficial for me to remember just how blessed I am. I thank you for that. That is not to say that I am completely ignorant of how harsh the world can be. I have traveled to lands with poor and needy, but I get to come home after a short time and put it behind me. With your current deployment you are not so lucky in that aspect. However, there are few people in the world more qualified or better equipped to handle such an emotional drain than you. At times I know it is a burden, but it also a gift that you have. It makes you a better doctor, a better person, and a better servant of our Heavenly Father. It makes you more empathetic whereas others can only be sympathetic at best. That may not make you feel any better about being so far away from your loved ones in such a harsh environment, but know that I admire you for it.
I pray for you every day. I always keep the most recent e-mail you send so that whenever I am doing business via e-mail I always see your name and pray for your health, safety, and happiness. I am very proud of the work you do.
Hang in there brother. Less than three months to go!
Tom
PS to family and friends: Should you wish to say "hi" to Major John Bruun and possibly thank him for his service, please feel free to contact me directly (ie not through the blog site) and I can get you his e-mail information. Already some have desired to send him a little care package. Not that I am suggesting that, but I do have his base information as well. Thank you.
With that in mind, good night.
Thanks for the reminder of all that we are blessed with. My minor annoyances and frustrations are nothing compared with the true poverty and need around the world...
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