In Switzerland

Yes, I arrived well in Switzerland. It's not because there are no interesting things happening here that I haven't been writing for five weeks.

The proof of this picture, I already had the opportunity to convey my knowledge about injections to my nephew.

Another exciting news is that Louise has just spent her last night as a single in Perth. Indeed, she will land tomorrow in Geneva and then we'll be back to Perth in six weeks, but married! :-)

Two weeks ago, was the marriage of Stephen and Anne-Gabrielle and in three weeks is ours!

Maybe some have already seen, but here are some photos from my time in Switzerland. I've added a few more here.

It's great to be here and spend time with my family and friends. And now I'll be able to show to Louise where I spent the first year of my life.

IPHC outreach week 10

In less than a week, I'm on the plane back to Perth and I shall see my beloved Louise! I can hardly wait. I see her for a week and then I will fly to Switzerland for my brother's wedding and she will join three weeks later and then we shouldn't separate for a while.
But back to the past week. It has been quite active. Between other things, we did three different clinics and gave primary medical care to 191 people (I'm in charge of the statistics). And since the beginning of our outreach, we have provided care to 1174 people. In the last clinic, we have given out a lot of reading glasses.
We also continued to say goodbye. Almost every evening we were invited to eat dinner at a different location. And Sunday, we hosted the two cults of our church, the church in which we live. I preached in the morning and in the evening we showed pictures of each church with whom we work and the different place we went to. And for each place, we gave testimonies. Then, we gave a gift to the church, which is pictured here:

And I also added some pictures here.

I am so grateful for the internet, it enables us to be in regular contact, with Louise. This morning, we Skyped for 4 hours. Time flies when you talk to those you love!

The days are never the same here. Saturday, walking along the road we saw a guy who tried to revive an unconscious man. When we approached, we saw that both were under the influence of alcohol or drugs. So I put the unconscious guy in the safety position and tried to wake him, but he did not move. We prayed for him and then stopped a police car passing by. After a brief discussing in Spanish, they stopped a taxi, loaded the still unconscious man inside, with the other man and they left. I hope he wake up well.

We are beginning to say goodbye to various people with whom we work during our time here. At one place, I still made two vaccinations and each one received a chocolate medal as a sign of thanks. I added some pictures here.

In 10 days, the first part of the team will leave Mexico City and I will follow two days later.

Last week, we finished all the lessons planed on our schedule, we'll see if more will be added. But we still have a few clinics on the agenda for next week.

The view from our room on Sundays, with the market. (Click on the picture to see a bit bigger)

IPHC outreach week 8

Yes, week 8 of our outreach is behind us, it mean that in three weeks I will be back with Louise (and I'm looking forward to it!) and in four weeks I'll be in Switzerland!

But back to the past week. It was pretty hectic because someone who speaks Spanish had to be almost all the time with the one who is in the hospital (she is much better, but still in the hospital). Then Sunday morning to decompress a bit and be together, we went to Starbucks and then we took a group picture. Here is an exemplar.

Wednesday, all the teams that are here with Megacities (about twenty), gathered to share what they are experiencing and then went into the streets to share the good news. Thursday I was sick (fever), so I didn't go out (now I'm fine). Friday night I give my fourth teaching. So I only have one left to do for my school. I'm going to do many more in the future, but we are marked on five teachings. I will give my last one on Wednesday. Yesterday afternoon, set up a tent at the market which is on the other side of the street of the church where we sleep and we offered to take the blood pressure and check the ears and clean them if necessary. 37 people have benefited from our care.

Oh yes, Saturday morning, I gave a testimony during another teaching and on Sunday night I gave another one in our church.

IPHC outreach week 7

This week, beside the teachings (I taught how to treat coughs and colds), doing clinics, eating with people (Mexicans are very generous!), doing vaccination (I did again 2), and share the good news, we also did a game. We were divided into three teams and the goal was to get as quickly as possible pictures of items we had on a list (about twenty photos). For example, with five Mexicans, with a donkey with a red door, with at least eight different flavor of ice, with someone taller than Joel ... I put some pictures here

And Sunday we also celebrate the 20th anniversary of the pastor's daughter.

Someone from the base who joined us this week (for a little over two weeks), is currently in the hospital for pneumonia. Could you pray for her to be healed quickly?

IPHC outreach week 6

Today, during the weekly day off, I advanced a lot in the preparation of the wedding (which takes place in 82 days, 31th of July 2010). The invitations are soon ready to be printed. A big thank you to all those involved in the preparation. This week we also received positive response for a place for our wedding in Morges!

Ministry wise, we did more clinics (treated people for free) and shared the gospel. And during three evenings, we also gave healthcare teachings in a church. Personally, I taught about nutrition. And a first for me, I did injections in other people. 4 were immunizations and 3 were antibiotics. One of my teammate has had a tooth infection, so after the treatment, he needed some injections. I added some pictures here (me in action! :-)).

My health is much better, I think I got used to my new environment :-)

Good day to all mothers (it's Mother's Day is here). You do a great job!

IPHC outreach week 5

This is the first message I sent you from Mexico City. It's been five days now that I arrived here. And as I was the last to get here, things have already been rolling. Thursday we went to a prison, took blood pressure of people and talk with them. It's hard to see that some women give birth in prison and that their child have to be raised in such an environment. Friday we had a meeting with all the teams that are currently in Mexico City (about twenty). It's good to hear what is happening in another part of the city. There are already 1400 people who gave their lives to Jesus!

Saturday we did a clinic on a basketball court where 28 people came. Then we had time to prepare the different teachings that we will give and we also went to buy food for the following week.

Sunday morning we went to church and one of our teammate preached. In the afternoon they were again running a clinic at the Sunday market which is just on the other side of the road. I did not go because I had diarrhea since the night and I felt weak. At night, one speaker from Chile came to speak to the church where you sleep. In fact, I've not said where I am for these seven weeks. We are in the north-east of Mexico City, a municipality called Ecatepec. This is the most densely populated municipality of the city. We live on the second floor of a church, the first is the meeting room and the third is where the pastor's family lives.

Mondays are our day off, so you'll probably only see the updates on Tuesday. For the European, now I'm not ahead of your time anymore, but behind :-)

IPHC outreach week 4

Hey there, I'm back again after a time of outreach in India. I just spent 4 amazing days with Louise here in Sydney. We had to sign some papers for the preparation of our wedding, thing which couldn't be done in Perth. So after signing these papers, we had some time to reconnect, go to the blue mountains (see pictures in IPHC outreach album), visit a friend from our DTS and do some more preparation for our wedding, which will be the 31th of July 2010 in Switzerland.

Coming back to my time in India, we had a great time there. We gave simple heath care teaching in the morning and then, most of the afternoons, we went out to teach in the community what we learnt. They really go the vision and will keep teaching what they learnt. In 6 months a team will go back to give more teaching and also get feedbacks on how their teachings are doing. And the leader there, challenged them to train somebody else and bring him along to that second seminar. I'm looking forward to hear from some of the results.

Tomorrow, I'm flying out to Mexico City for the second part of my outreach. I will stay there 7 weeks before coming back to Perth for a week and then going to Switzerland where Louise will join me three weeks before our wedding.

I will do my best to keep you updated on what's happening in Mexico City, but can't promise that it will be very often. Keep checking the pictures, I hope they will be updated more often then the English version of the blog.

IPHC outreach week 1

Here I am again on the english version. Sorry for not translating the last messages. It has been a very busy time, with getting ready for outreach, the death of my Grandmother, and now being on outreach. But here, I'm back.It's been a week since we left Perth. After a flight to Bangkok , a night in very comfortable chairs in the airport, a second flight to Culcatta, one night over there and a 10-hour overnight journey in a train, we arrived in Siliguri in north-east India. This is where we started a seminar for simple health care. The aim being to know health and make health known. So that participants of this seminar will then teach what they have learned. The teaching, which is happening in a big tent (I hope I can show you pictures), began Friday with an introduction and the different ways to learn, so they can then teach in a more effective way. And Saturday, the topic was food and nutrition and weening food.
I can not tell you how many participants there are, because it changes all the time. But I would say there are about 10 to 15 consistent ones and and we can reach the 25.
Today we went to church for the Easter service and now we have some free time.
Someone asked how the train ride went. I have to tell, it went surprisingly well. He did not seem 10 hours because I slept most of the time on the middle of three levels bunks.
Thursday was the funeral of my Grandmother. I heard that it went well.
You will find some pictures of my outreach here: http://picasaweb.google.com.au/joel.wyss/OutreachIPHC2010

IPHC week 9

I just spent my first week being engaged. :-) It was good. We spent a lot of time talking, phoning, searching, ... for our wedding which will July 31th 2010 in Switzerland. We want to have our wedding in open-air, but we don't have a spot yet. So if you know in pretty place along the Geneva lake, a place where you could imagine getting married (if you want to get married in open-air :-)), let me know on jwyssblog@gmail.com
I already thought about "la dent de Jamen", but I think we woould have some difficulties with parking! :-)

We are grateful for all your prayers for the organization of this marriage. For example we have to go to Sydney to sign some papers.
About the lectures, we learned, in theory, to build different types of toilet. Thing we will put into practice in India. I am looking forward to this project. And on Friday we made soap! In a few weeks we will test if it works well.
Besides the lectures and the wedding preparations, Friday morning, the whole base met from 5am to 7am for a time of worship connected per video with 8 other abases in the world. Each base played a song in turn and everything was run by the Lausanne base! :-)
And yesterday morning, with the class and Louise, we ate breakfast at Kings Park for my leader's birthday.

I'm getting married

That's right, Sunday, February 28 she said yes! :-)
Do you want more details?
On this lovely Sunday, I prepared a surprise for Louise. I told her to be ready to practice sports. I drove her to a friend from church who has a tandem. We rolled along the river up to the pier, without forgetting to have a break for an ice cream.

(At the time of this photo, she had no idea at all that I would ask for her :-))
We sat down at the end of the pier. After having refreshed feet in the water, I offered a contest. I prepared two balls of twine. One with 24 knots for her and the other with 28 for me. The first to unravel the ball was the winner. Big was her surprise when she discovered the ring hidden inside her ball! :-) That's when I asked her if she wanted to marry me.
After enjoying this unique moment (and missing out on the sunset :-)) we announced it to different people. Only good reactions.
We plan to wed in late July in Switzerland. More details will follow as they become available, but like that you have an already a notice.
On the financial side for the practical part of my school, I soon will soon have all the money, there is only a little more to go. If you want to contribute, contact me via email jwyssblog@gmail.com

IPHC week 7

Here's the 200th post that I wrote. Did anyone read them all? :-)
Saturday, I went to my first wedding in Australia. The ceremony is open area in the morning. It was very short, but good. Then the bride and groom, family and wedding party spent time together (meals, pictures and games). In the evening,the guests gathered on a boat on the River. It was on this boat that the party happend.
For the lectures, we went over disease related to water (diarrhea, malaria, yellow fever, worms...).There is a lot to learn, but when you know how a disease spreads, we can also come with some strategies to stop it. Therefore fight for life.
One topic of gratefulness is that I've seen a big chunk of my finances for my outreach coming in. Thank you for keeping this in your prayers, that the last bit will also come in before the March 10th.

IPHC week 6

That means that we are halfway through the lecture phase! Only 6 more weeks and we are off to India, then to Mexico City.

This week Shirley, the base director, taught on unity. And like every time she teaches, it encouraging and challenging.

The days are busy. Sunday afternoon, with Louise, we went to the beach and then we went to an open-air movie. It was very a good time! :-)

And tonight, for Terrence's birthday, a classmate, each of us brought a dish of our country and then we watched a movie. For my part, I made Roesti with cheese and fried eggs and Aromat! :-)

Louise is sweet :-)

IPHC week 5

The topic for this week was skin infections, STDs and tuberculosis. A doctor from India who has worked for 19 years with people affected by leprosy and 10 years with people with AIDS, was our teacher. It was again very interesting.
Outside the classroom, other things happened :-)
Monday, we plaid golf to raise money.

We were in teams of 4, and for those who know golf, we finished at 5 over the par.

We didn't finish first, but all participants took part in a draw and Louise won a voucher for a cruise on the river for two people! :-)

So that's what we did Saturday night. At 6:30pm we boarded the boat. Our journey up the river was agremented with an aperitif. At 8pm we arrived at the destination of our meal, a buffet with good desserts and piano background music.

And at 9:30pm we went back down river.

It was a beautiful evening with a beautiful compagon :-)

IPHC week 4

The celebrations came to an end. We had a good week of laughter, memories, encouragement, vision, food... Many things have happened during the first 50 years of YWAM International and the first 25 of YWAM Perth. It was good to hear the various battles they have faced and how they wan them. During one evening we where about twenty to read a verse from the Bible in our first language. For the occasion, I wore my Swiss T-shirt and then we took this photo.

This second photo was taken on Australia Day. We spent the late afternoon at the riverside watching the planes, a huge banner towed by a helicopter, playing beach volleyball ... and finally we admired half hour of fireworks with thousands of people massed on the banks of the river.

Tomorrow I will play my first game of golf. Indeed, to raise money for our property we have asked people to sponsor us per hole. Maybe I will be able to show you pictures.

IPHC week 2

This week, Jan, one of our staff (who was a teacher before joining YWAM), has taught anatomy and physiology of a healthy body and we also learned to take vitals (pulse, temperature, respiration and blood pressure).

It is very interesting and we are a good team. We are 10 students (7 women and 3 men) and yesterday evening we discovered that we can sing pretty well! :-) As a school trip, we went dinner at Kings Park and while we admired the view over the city, someone began to sing and other joined and it sounded good! I must also say that before it, we played volleyball, but the result was not as good as for the song :-)

Currently, it is 42C! It's hot! And tomorrow it should be the same temperature. But I hope it will decrease for the celebrations which will start in 1 week. Indeed we will celebrate the 50 years of YWAM (Youth With A Mission) International and then the 25 years of YWAM Perth. For the first part Loren Cunningham, founder of YWAM, and his wife will come. Everything will last 1 week and we should be about 700 people. So the preparations are well underway.

I think I have not yet written it. Each student has a work duty every day for 2 hours. During my DTS, I was doing the dinner dishes, but now I'm working in accounts. I like to do it.

I played for the first time golf! Or more precisely, I trained to play golf. It was on a golf course and we hit balls (I sent one or two in the lake ...)

The reason we were training, is that February 1 we organize a Golf Classic to raise money for our property.

Click here for more details.

IPHC week 1

It's the end of the first week of my IPHC (Introduction to primary health care). The first two days were dedicated to the presentation of the vision and history of the base and also to deal with some administrative things and then we all (the whole base) went to the beach for a good time together and getting to know each other. This semester there are 3 students from Switzerland on the DTS.The rest of the week, we had lessons on the nature and character of God, the 8 keys to primary health care and God's heart for the poor and the needy.
This Saturday we already begun to raise money for our outreach to Mexico City. Thank you for carrying also this project in your prayers.
Today is our 1 month anniversary of our special relationship with Louise. It's always a pleasure to get to know her more. I hope that my Swiss friends will also enjoy it this summer. We are currently seeing if she could spend her holidays in Switzerland. I will keep you informed.

Happy new year!

At the time I writing this message, it is 46C difference between Lausanne and Perth (-6 and 40C)! So it's really hot in this first day of school. Indeed in the late afternoon we will meet officially for the first time. I say officially because we had already begun getting to know each other over the last few the days.
Do not worry, you'll read much more about the IPHC (introduction to primary health care) and our outreach in Mexico City.
It's cool, since we have been dating with Louise, we have been able to use the car of friends who were on holiday and now we can use the scooter of other friends who are also on holiday. It's cool to be able to drive around and to discover a little bit more of the area. And you can go to the beach in less than half an hour. :-)
I also thank all those who contributed to the purchase of the laptop with which I'm writing you now. It's my birthday and Christmas gift. THANK YOU!
Finally, I wish a wonderful year 2010 to all my readers. I wish that it will be memorable (in a good way) to everyone!