DrChamberlain Jean

10/24/2024

NOT SEEING THE RAINBOW on the RAINBOW BRIDGE

For some of you, the Rainbow bridge sounds like a nice place to be—a place of future promises and hope. However those of you who live within a few hours of me, will inevitably recognize the name and a shrill of pain may go up and down your spine.

The ‘Rainbow Bridge’ is one of the bridges that connects the Niagara region of Canada with the Niagara region/Buffalo of the United States. There are three bridges which one can take: the Lewiston, Rainbow or Peace bridges. The Rainbow bridge specifically connects Niagara Falls Canada with Niagara Falls New York (USA). This past Saturday, I had a very tough lesson that I picked the wrong bridge!

We were driving south to attend Thom’s nephew’s wedding in Watkins Glen, New York. Thom and Jon were in the other car and I was with the girls, Hannah and Liz. After the wedding on Sunday, Thom had planned to travel on to Massachusetts so he had taken the second car. The girls’ car was delighted to be a few minutes ahead of the boys. The google map direction guided us girls to the Rainbow bridge. SHOULD HAVE TRUSTED MY INSTINCT—wrong choice!

By the time the boys got closer to the turnoff to the bridges, it was guiding them to the PEACE bridge. There was lots of peace for them but no rainbows for the girls’ car.

We sat for 3 hours to crawl 800 metres. I should have turned off earlier and headed to Lewiston but you know the voice inside that assures you, ‘oh it will get better soon!’. What I didn’t know is that 100s of cars were getting ahead of us (either by using the wrong lane and ‘budding in’ or simply taking another accessory road). We in the ‘correct lane’ were suffering.

So here I have to admit, my spirit of thanksgiving and happiness were not at their ‘level best’ (as my Ugandan friends would say). It’s a good thing that the wedding was the next day but this turtle pace line was messing up our afternoon. The girls were sleeping through most of it. I was trying not to get too irritated by the people who were obviously skipping the line (and they didn’t pay any extra fee for their ‘skip the line pass’).

Closer to the end of the 800 m voyage, I was reminded however that I actually had lots to be thankful for—I wasn’t relishing the poor coordination of car lanes but I paused to think about the 2 beautiful daughters that I had in my car, my husband and son (waiting patiently for 2 hours on the other side of the border for us), the opportunity to celebrate with extended family (and what a wedding it was!) and the simple privilege of being alive. Refocusing our hearts and minds on the good things around us, certainly helps us to move through the pain of the issues/circumstances that we wish we could change.

I was listening to a brief story of an unfortunate mother that I had never met before: Stefanie Rouse. She was sharing on an app (1) about her recent pregnancy loss-she and her husband lost their little twin boys as stillbirths. She recounted how that after they had received the terrible news and returned home to prepare for what would happen next. After many initial tears were shed, she recounted how they then reset their minds and began to sing songs of thanks to God. They weren’t words of thanks for what had happened but rather an acknowledgement of God’s presence in their tremendous suffering. She shared how those few songs helped her to re-centre her mind (and her grief) on the bigger perspective of her life and world.

I was reminded of the power of thanks. We recently enjoyed THANKSGIVING here in Canada (Oct 14) and our American friends will soon celebrate in November. In other places around the world, families have individual thanksgivings for specific times of celebration or reflection. The Chamberlain clan got together at my sister Cathy’s home. So amazing to see all of the nieces and nephews (except poor Matt and Yen—trying to miss a hurricane in Florida!)

I wonder how we continue to cultivate a spirit of thanksgiving, regardless of our circumstances or geography. It no doubt takes practise. Like anything we excel at, it simply takes practise.

Can we intentionally offer words/songs of thanks every morning, lunch and evening? In many places, the practise of ‘giving thanks’ before meals has been lost. Maybe meal time is a natural time or rhythm to bow our head in thanks.

I’d encourage you to practise this for the next couple of weeks. You might find that it becomes a lifelong habit—simply but genuinely thanking God for the people around us, the provision of our daily bread and work. And even in the darker and more chaotic times of our lives, we can then be grateful for the peace and purpose in life that He gives to anyone who asks.

Have a great rest of your week. I look forward to returning to the Pearl of Africa (Uganda) on the weekend as Save the Mothers participates in the Uganda Ministry of Health’s Annual Safe Motherhood Conference next week.

Dr Jean

REFERENCES:
(1) https://www.youversion.com/the-bible-app/

PHOTO CREDITS:

Photo of Chamberlain clan at Cathy and Mike Eeuwes’ home – (missing David, Teresa, Matt and Yen) L to R Makinley (in arms), Mike, Cathy, Jean, Jon, Jake, Chris, Jake, James, Aaron, Thom, 2nd row (L to R) Liz, Heidi, Michelle with Riyka, Maggi, front row: Hannah Abby

Photo at David Woosley and Jamie Kelly’s wedding—David is Thom’s nephew. Watkins Glen, New York state. (Left to Right: Jean, Liz, Thom, David Woosley (groom), Jamie Kelly (bride), Heidi (Thom’s sister), Jon and Hannah

Photos of the bride and groom. Genuine love pours through their expressions and enthusiasm. (Watkins Glen, New York)

10/08/2024

“GOING HOME!”

It’s definitely one of the most privileged (but stressful) jobs in the world—being part of a birth story, helping bring new lives into the world. As an obstetrician, sharing that role with midwives nurses and family physicians, there is a joyful sense of relief and happiness when the wet and often wrinkled little babe is placed on its mother’s chest after delivery. I can never stop loving that scene.

But I recently had a postscript to my delivery high when, in the hallway of the postpartum ward, I met the father of a baby that I had delivered the day before. He had the baby’s empty car seat and was swinging it high in the air with a smile from ear to ear. He exclaimed “going home now!” The circle was soon to be complete. The baby would soon be in his chariot, on his way home. Birth in the hospital wasn’t the final destination. (Ask any parent whose baby had a long stay in the NICU). The goal is home with the baby’s parents.

It made me think a little about our lives in general. We are born, then pause a moment to catch our breath. With a rousing cry, we let the world know that we have arrived (it’s hard to miss the squeal of a newborn baby). After some time of activity including both laughter and tears, we head home—home to where we belong.

In this broken world, it is sometimes difficult to see our final destination. The clouds and rain appear and obscure our vision. At times it is tear gas or even smoking bombs that completely cover our ability to see both the now and the future.

It is in that very dark place that we can confidently open our hand to take hold of the One who really understands our future. He knows both the immediate and the long-term plans for each of us. He has been working on preparing that home forever where sadness, sickness and conflict will all be behind us.

Many of us here in the Hamilton community have been thinking about the family of Sharon Garden who suddenly died on September 24 of a presumed massive heart attack(1). I knew Sharon from my church family and only after her death, did I know of her important roles of president of the Hamilton Sports Hall of Fame.
The flags were at half-mast in her memory and honour at McMaster University where she worked as an executive assistant in the Faculty of Health Sciences. Even in her short life, Sharon had clearly left a mark. Her voice was felt and heard by many. Her voice lives on in hearts and minds. But in the mean time, she is now home. She’s home in her eternal home—the one that will far outlast the short time that she (and any of us) will live on this spinning globe.

“Going home”. I won’t easily forget the joy of the young father, taking his baby ‘home’.

I won’t quickly forget the ‘homegoing’ of Sharon. Much sorrow in her death but a firm assurance of her ultimate home—a place where she most certainly has heard ‘well done!’

Let’s live this week with the lens of ‘going home’. It will definitely focus the picture around us.

Dr Jean

Want to know more about the journey of faith? Have a look here https://finds.life.church/explanation-gospel/

PHOTOS:
1) Sharon Garden. Donald Brown Funeral home
2) Photo of unnamed baby in car seat (Not one of my deliverees!) photo courtesy of UNSPLASH https://unsplash.com/s/photos/baby-car-seat
3) Jean with baby in Yemen 2004. Still love delivering them over 20 years later!

REFERENCES:
1. https://donaldvbrown.ca/tribute/details/8489/Sharon-Garden/obituary.html

2. https://finds.life.church/explanation-gospel/

09/23/2024

THIS IS THE DAY

This is the day that 87 years ago, a little baby was born. An insensitive friend once told the mother that it was “too bad that the baby survived”. (It’s amazing how cruel people can be!). The baby’s feet were both turned in. At that time, it was a life sentence of never walking normally. For a poor boy born on a rural Canadian farm, it was not a hopeful situation.

But thanks to the ingenuity of a physician in London Ontario and the guts and grit of his faithful mother who prayed daily for him, the little boy received some of the earliest treatments for club feet –simple casts and months of painful exercises (carried out by his mother as directed by the doctor) to straighten out his twisted ankles. The boy was eventually cured and went on to play football in high school and had a lifetime passion for long distant running.

The baby was my dad, our dad – my brother and sisters, David, Cathy and Laura, we all celebrate his life today. He recently walked into eternity so although he is not here to blow out his candles, but we know he is celebrating with mom who also recently left us on this side of heaven.

The anniversary of his birthday reminds us of that timeless call for thanksgiving, regardless of the circumstance. “This is the day that the Lord has made, we will rejoice and be glad in it”(1). This is the day that dad entered this human life, nearly 9 decades ago. He left an amazing legacy and example for all of his children, grandkids and “great grands” as well as a huge audience of close family and friends. We rejoice and are glad though we miss him so much.

I guess that is the real legacy of someone who leaves a mark on their world: those who are left behind are different because of them.

One thing that dad taught us was to recognize each day as a gift of God, an opportunity to bring positive change for those who need our help and live with a thankful heart for the chance to do it.

Dear Facebook friends: I pray that each day you might be able to give thanks for just one thing, to take a moment and offer up a word of thanks to our Father who today has gifted us with life and all that we have.

Dr Jean

One of dad’s favourite hymns, “Great is Thy Faithfulness” was sung today at church. I have to admit, there were a few tears in my eyes.

1. Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father;
there is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not;
as Thou hast been, Thou forever wilt be.

Refrain:
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see;
all I have needed Thy hand hath provided:
great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

2. Summer and winter, and springtime and harvest;
sun, moon, and stars in their courses above
join with all nature in manifold witness
to Thy great faithfulness, mercy, and love.

3. Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow:
blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!

(hymn by Thomas O. Chisholm)

References:
(1) Psalm 118:24 King James Version www.biblegateway.com

Photos:

Dad (Gerald Chamberlain Sept 22 1937- May 12 2024) as a baby with curled in feet (or ‘club feet’). You will see his right foot is curled in. The photographer (unknown) really tried to hide this in these photos.

Caricature of Gerald Chamberlain (done by my brother David Chamberlain) for a previous birthday of dad.

Dad surrounded by family

Dad surrounded by some of his grandchildren—he had boundless love for each of them.

Dad and Mom—married for 62 years.

02/19/2022

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