Hello, I hope things are going well for everyone. Thanks for the emails and Facebook messages. I am getting on a train tomorrow morning, and if everything goes as planned, I should be in Kolkata about 31 hours later. We will be joining up with other YWAM Perth teams in Kolkata as part of the Megacities Ministry that runs every other year. Here is a link to the ministry website: www.ywamperth.org.au/missions/megacities/ It is a one year focus on a city where they send outreach teams from all of their schools, and work in concert with other ministry organizations and the local church to bring positive change to the city. I am excited to be a part of it! We found out we will be staying on the floor in a Catholic girls school. We know there will be fans, which is awesome, because it is going to be the hottest part of the year there. It is pretty warm here, if you consider 90 degrees Fahrenheit (at night) warm. :) Hello! In other news, I have now delivered 9 babies total. It was a bit difficult to get the staff here to let us deliver, but they warmed up a lot in the last two weeks. Bummer it couldn't have happened sooner, but oh well. I was able to suture and learn other skills, so the time was definitely not wasted. If you are still wanting to send baby hats/blankets, we now have an address. Here it is. Susan Ludwig c/o Morag Paton (Megacities) Seva Kendra Calcutta 52B Radhanath Chowdhury Road Kolkata 700-015 West Bengal India Thanks so much to all of you that have sent and are sending them! I have been taking pictures even though I have not been successful at sending them. I would give the hats/blankets at least a month to arrive, so keep in mind we will be leaving Kolkata at the end of May. If you want to send hats/blankets and don't think you can send them soon enough, feel free to send them to Perth for the Birth Attendant School next year. Most of the blankets and hats we used were donated by people from the previous year. If you want to do this let me know and I can send you the Perth address again. Please pray for our time in Kolkata. They are trying to get us into a hospital, but we haven't heard yet if we will be able to. Also, please pray for our health. Some of the girls on my school have been sick many times, including me, and some haven't been able to get over it. I have faired pretty well, but it would be nice not to get sick again. Also, with the heat, please pray that we would be patient with each other, and those we work with, as it can be difficult when the temperatures are in the 100's. Thanks! I better wrap up this update. Shortest one ever.....Oh, one more thing. Passion came to Hyderabad! If you are not familiar with the Passion conferences, here is a website. passiontours.268generation.com/I had never been to one, and this one was just one night, but the music was great, (Chris Tomlin and Kristian Stanfill) and Louie Giglio's message was just as good. Fun times. Okay. Love you all....Just about two more months. God bless you, Susan
Hello,
Happy February! I hope the new year is treating you all well.
Things are going well here in India. Only about one month left in Hyderabad, and three months left in India. The time is flying!
I celebrated my birthday at a place called Golcanda Fort here in Hyderabad. Our whole team went there and spent the day. It is above the rest of the city, not high enough to be above the pollution, but it was away from the constant honking and noise of the city. Each month we all give about $1.00 toward each person's birthday. We all turn in a list of items we would like for our birthday and then the birthday team, yes, we have two girls devoted to getting birthday presents, go and get what they can. The money they collected for my birthday, got me a birth kit and suture supplies. Yay!
A few weeks ago my school leader and I met with the director of a private hospital near to where we are staying and she told us about the midwifery school she started in 2011 that enrolls many village girls; and how she had been granted permission by the government to start a model hospital with midwives. It was exciting to hear her talk about her goals for the future. She is an obstetrician, but has a vision for midwives to do all low risk births and only have physicians at high risk deliveries. It was good to hear that there are Indians that are disgusted by the way women are treated in the government hospitals, and that there are people doing something about it. We are going to have dinner with her and the midwife students in her school and she is hoping we can work together to improve the midwifery services and treatment of pregnant women in Hyderabad. Exciting!
We have changed our schedule at the government hospital, and added two more hospitals to try to get more opportunities. The main hospital has not been keen on letting us do deliveries and other things we were very free to do in Zambia. It seems a foreign group of students came in and did a poor job prior to our arrival, and we are reaping the consequences of their actions. Please pray that they will see us as students, just like their students, and not competition, and that we would be allowed more freedom in the labor room. Even with this going on, I was able to do my first delivery in India a few weeks ago. I delivered a little girl! It went great and I am looking forward to the next one!
As far as class goes, we have finished studying post partum hemorrhage (PPH) and obstructed labor, and are looking at eclampsia now. I have done case studies on all three of these topics. We actually find patients in the hospital with these conditions and then research their cases. The eclampsia case study I did happened to be a woman that I watched deliver a breech baby and then have an eclamptic fit a few weeks ago. Some days in the labor room are tougher than others. That day there were three babies that needed resuscitated, two were breech, and one didn't make it. A woman fell off of a gurney, and the staff wouldn't let us do much. All in one day! Thankfully, I was able to labor with a woman, monitor her and make sure she was cleaned up and taken care of. With all of the chaos that goes on in the labor room, to be able to sit with a woman and comfort her in the fray is so rewarding and special, even when the staff won't let you deliver. This happens more often than I'd like, but I try to assist the doctor that takes the delivery in any way they will allow me to.
Another story, when I was in the antenatal ward last week doing abdominal exams on women I found a woman pregnant with twins that had all of the signs of pre-eclampsia and was able to relay it to one of the doctors. This is a reminder that the palpations and checks that we do in the antenatal wards are not only learning experience for us, but can make a real difference to the patients. I say that because sometimes when you are just taking vital signs it feels like you aren't doing much, but these women may only see the doctor once a week, I haven't quite figured out their schedule, but it is not very often.
I have had the opportunity to visit two slums and a clinic for sex workers. In both cases I participated in teachings. In the slums I taught on anemia and hand washing, and at the clinic we taught on sexually transmitted infections and how to protect yourself. I had a great time at all of them and met some really great people. I have some pictures to attach finally, but will have to send them in a future email, hopefully next weekend.
Thank you again to all of you that have made or are making hats for the babies here in India! I am supposed to have an address for Kolkata in the next week or so. Once I get it, I will pass it on to you and you can start shipping! The folks in Kolkata receiving the packages will hold them for us if they get there before we do. :)
We have had some really great worship and intercession times lately, and I am really blessed by the three ladies I am rooming with. We frequently pray for each other and spend many hours talking about our faith and our coursework. It's really nice. We are planning on attending the Passion conference here on March 22nd and I am looking forward to it!
I have purchased my airline tickets home and will be back in Colorado on June 21st. I actually leave Australia on the 8th, but am taking a few weeks to visit some friends on the way home, and am looking forward to those stops!
Thank you again for all of your financial and prayer support! I literally wouldn't be here without you.
I love reading your emails and am grateful for them. Keep them coming. :) They remind me how much I miss you, as well as reminding me to pray for you all.
Love,
Susan
P.S.
I have found encouragement in 2 Timothy 4:1-8 this past week. I hope it blesses you too. You'll have to look it up though. :)
In early August I shared an update and prayer request for Ms. Crystal "Swarovski." She has shared the following update which I would like to pass along to you all! Thanks for keeping her in your prayers!
LOVE ADX and while being in SD I just want to say ADX has been a constant reminder and support even this way with other chapters/sisters!
I just wanted to offer a praise report! (and updated photos of some of the girls and friendships I've made out here ;) The Lord has so much answered the prayer requests for a ministry based job while in school! I am working with both a middle school and young adults ministry for two different churches part time and LOVING IT! I feel blessed beyond belief and can't help but emphasize the faithfulness of God's hand. Please thank the sisters for me and thank you for the continual update!
Much love and prayers,
xoxo
Crystal Swarovski Lutton
Hi Ladies! Here
Hello, I hope all is well for everyone. Thank you for your emails. I really enjoy hearing how life is going with you. You are all in my thoughts and prayers. There has been a lot going on here and I am on my last week in Perth! We only have three days of class this week,... and then three days to pack and clean our houses in preparation for our flight at 4:45pm on Sunday (2:45am on Saturday in North America)!! Here are some of the topics we have covered in class since my last email: - Newborn exams
- Physiological changes when the baby takes their first breath...amazing! (Now I understand the foramen ovale)
- Breastfeeding and milk production
- Partograph (labor documentation)
- Postpartum exam for Mom
- Neonatal Resuscitation
- Evangelism
- Unity and Personalities (Myers-Briggs)
Each week has been great and I feel ready to put my skills into practice! I have also come to a new realization of how each person is not only different, which is obvious, but how each of us represent a different aspect of God and His character. Good stuff. We had the opportunity to do our neonatal resuscitation classes at St. John of God Hospital here in Perth, and tour their Labor & Delivery floor. It is a private hospital and was very similar to hospitals where I have worked. After the tour we went to Scarborough Beach and had dinner. It was raining most of the time, but still nice to watch the surfers and the waves coming in. In the past two weeks we have had some changes in our school. Two students were sent home, and we are no longer going to Ethiopia. The Ethiopian gentleman who was processing our Visas had a bad experience with someone from Switzerland and refused to process a Visa for the one Swiss student in our class. Since he was our contact in Ethiopia and at the hospital, and we didn't want to just go around him and have potential issues later, our leaders decided we are not going to Ethiopia anymore. Our itinerary is now: October – November (Lusaka, Zambia for 2 months) December – March (Hyderabad, India for 4 months) April – May (Kolkata, India for 2 months) The Birth Attendant School has gone to Hyderabad several years in the past, so it was easy for them to get us into the hospital on short notice. I am really excited to be in India for six months! It is one of the places I think of when I think of extreme poverty and feel privileged to be able to be a part of their culture. Plus, we get to take a train from Mumbai to Hyderabad and then four months later, from Hyderabad to Kolkata. I am excited to travel all the way from the west coast to the east coast! Last year was the first year the school went to Zambia, and the hospital there is looking forward to us returning. The hospital we will be serving in is a teaching hospital, and I am told there is a lot of opportunity to learn new things there. Zambia is a country that has malaria so we are taking mosquito nets and malaria prophylaxis. I'm hoping to take Artemesia as my prophylactic. Doris, a girl I have met here, has a mom that grows it and dries it for tea. Her Mom sent some for me with a couple flying to Sydney. It is currently in the mail from Sydney and I am praying it gets here before I fly to Zambia. I only have to drink it while in Zambia, and I hear it tastes like burning tires. Yummy. In addition to class, I have been able to meet and spend time with several of the homeless folks in a park between my house and the YWAM base. Some of them have heartbreaking stories. I've also had the opportunity to hear an Aboriginal leader play the digeridoo, learn about the tragedy of the “lost generation” and some of Australia's history in relation to the Aboriginal community. Last week there was a premier for a movie made by some of the folks here called, Wongi Warrior. The actors were from the Aboriginal community and the YWAM Perth base. The week before that we heard from a woman that was a missionary in Albania in the 1970s. Years ago, she wrote a book called, “Tomorrow You Die” about her first time in Albania. Her retelling of the story was amazing. Some of you have been asking what I do in my free time. I usually try to read my textbook, exciting I know, but when I'm not doing that, I watch movies with my classmates and go to the farmers markets in nearby towns. Last weekend I went to Freemantle and visited the market there. I also went to one of the beaches in the area (Cottlesloe). It was beautiful. The train makes travel very convenient and the student train card makes it really cheap as well. Tonight is commissioning night, where they pray for us and our outreach time. It is also my last day of class. Thank you again to those who are praying and to those who gave financially. I am very grateful and had all of my fees, paid in full, last week! Thanks for reading. Please pray we have safe travels and I'll be writing to you next time from Lusaka, Zambia. God bless you, Susan "But I will bless the person who puts his trust in me. He is like a tree growing near a stream and sending out roots to the water. It is not afraid when hot weather comes, because its leaves stay green; it has no worries when there is no rain; it keeps on bearing fruit." -Jeremiah 17:7-8
Colorado Address:Susan Ludwig 949 Bitterbrush Lane Fort Collins, Colorado 80526 Australia Address:Susan Ludwig YWAM Perth PO Box 8501 Perth Business Centre Western Australia 6849 Australia
Here is a quick update from Crystal "Swarovski" of the Upsilon class! Please keep her in your prayers and contact her if you are living in the San Diego area!
I am currently working for a high school ministry in the SF Bay area for the summer. Loving on high schooler's and learning about Jesus, couldn't get much better than that!
Along with that and prayer request for the Fall is that I am going full time into my MFT program (I've been part time in a dual program) and after some time working and in school I've prayerfully committed to just jump all in and get it done so I can make the next step in a career :). If you could ask the sisters to please pray for encouragement! Also with that, upon moving back to San Diego in the fall I'm hoping to find another ministry focused job. I've been working through school in quite a few different fields and navigating it all I've really felt my heart so much more alive in ministry. Anyway, just wanted to give a brief update and prayer request! I hope you are doing great!
Good luck with everything Crystal and we will keep you in our prayers!
 Check out our latest sister spotlight on Alicia "Cheerios!"
Full name including pledge name: Alicea "Cheerios" Wu
Current City: San Francisco, CA
A glimpse into your life: After graduating CU-Boulder in 2000, I went to medical school. Now I am a practicing family physician in San Francisco. I am married with 2 active boys, Joshua (age 3) and Blake (age 1).
Pledge Class: Epsilon class
Favorite Food: A nice juicy piece of rib-eye steak!
If you could go anywhere in the world completely free, but it couldn't be anywhere you've been before, where would you go: I would stay overnight in an igloo in Iceland or Finland and admire the Northern Lights. Hopefully, I won't freeze to death!
Pets: None -- my 1 year old crawls around like a puppy though.
Favorite ADX memory: Teepeeing the AGO house...times two.
If you were a sea creature, what would you be: Anything that won't get eaten.
If you could invite any two people to dinner, dead or alive, who would they be: Jesus and God, oh wait, they are the same person.
Favorite Recipe/Recipe that makes you proud: Mix together ¾ cup brown sugar and ¼ cup maple syrup. Lay 12 slices thick-cut bacon on baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover each piece of bacon with a thin layer of syrup mixture. Bake at 400°F until desired crispness, about 30-40 minutes for extra crispy candy texture. Check bacon after 20 minutes of baking to prevent burning. This recipe is so easy, but one of my favorite things for breakfast.
If you don't know Alicia, get to know her! I know I can't wait to try that bacon recipe :)
Many of you have probably read Mary Lynn's email, but in case you missed it, here is the info about our new House Mom! Make sure you send her a warm welcome!
Ashley is a 31-year old Boulder County native, and currently works in the high school ministry at Calvary Bible Church in Erie, Colorado, and at Kohl's in Longmont. She is also currently pursuing a second bachelor's degree (her first degree was in teaching).
The House Director Selection Committee interviewed three awesome candidates. After a grueling afternoon of interviews, prayer, and discussion about the qualities the committee is seeking in a house mom, Ashley was chosen to fill the role. We are super excited to have her, and she is super excited to start! She has already started to move into the ADX house, and is looking forward to an awesome year getting to know all of you.
Welcome to the ADX sisterhood Ashley! We can't wait to get to know you!
We have another update from Susan "Pumpkin!" Here's her latest:
Hello,
Getting to a computer to write more than a few sentences proved more difficult than anticipated. There are no public computers at YWAM Perth, but today I discovered free computers at the State Library of Australia. Yay!
After around 36 hours of travel, I arrived in Perth on the 6th of July. Flights were great, and LAX and the Auckland airports were uneventful. The time difference, for those of you in Colorado, is 14 hours. So when it is 3:45pm here, as it is now, it is 1:45am the night before in Colorado. I just take away 2 hours and change the am/pm.
I am living in a house with nine other girls about 20 minutes away from YWAM Perth where I attend classes. I share a room with three girls and there is only one bathroom for all nine of us. Good thing I am an early riser because strategy is key.
There are a total of 19 women in the BAS (Birth Attendant School), ranging from 19 - 70 some years old, and we are still waiting on three women to come that are having Visa issues. The winter here seems to be overcast and rainy which, along wtih the abundance of skinny jeans and driving on the left side of the road, reminds me of Scotland.
The day after we arrived, our school leaders took us to Heirrison Island and we got to have a picnic and pet kangaroos. Kangaroos are not prevalent in Perth, it is a city, but they hang out on that island. Pretty cool.
There are around 300 people at the YWAM base and about 12 schools running. The BAS classes this week were packed with information and although I was in a haze (jetlag was brutal) for most of the week, I am enjoying them. A typical day here consists of:
Breakfast at your house
Work duties - I clean bathrooms
Class
Morning Tea - Usually tea and some sort of sweet bread
Class
Lunch
Class
Work duties - Bathrooms again
Class
Dinner
Some days vary with group worship in the morning or classes after dinner, it just depends on the day.
This week we learned about the Simple Healthcare program they run, had an introduction to medical terminology and female pelvic anatomy/physiology, along with some teaching on the nature and character of God.
The Simple Healthcare program works in oral cultures, with local organizations, to teach very basic things like handwashing. Their goal is to decrease illness and death in a 24 month period. If you want to know more about the Simple Healthcare program you can go to the YWAM Perth website and find Simple Healthcare in the QuickLinks field. http://www.ywamperth.org.au/.
We are using two main textbooks and a workbook for our studies. The textbooks, Myles Textbook for Midwives and A Book for Midwives (Care for pregnancy, birth, and women's health) will take us through the next three months. Every week we have journal entries about what we are learning and a portion of our workbook to complete.
It has been so cold in class/the building, I wear my down jacket everyday. (Thanks Mom for convincing me to take it). It is a beautiful new building with a lot of glass and light, but they haven't had money to install a heating system yet, therefore layers are essential.
So, to wrap it up, I am having a great time, enjoying my new community and meeting people. It has been fun to meet people that some of you (Eliza and Jenny Ayo) already know. There is a lot to learn before we leave in September, but I am very excited to do so.
I do not have any pictures to attach yet, but I will work on that. And as some of you requested, you will find my addresses below.
Oh, and at the church I went to this morning they mentioned the Watoto childrens choir coming next month from Uganda, and it made me think of some of you. :)
I miss you and hope you are all doing well.
Love,
Susan
Colorado Address:
949 Bitterbrush Lane
Fort Collins, Colorado 80526
Australia Address:
YWAM Perth
PO Box 8501
Perth Business Centre
Western Australia 6849
Australia Here is a photo of the BAS (Students and Staff) as of Saturday, at a park around the corner from the house I am living in. I think there are nine countries represented in our school.
Please join us for an alumnae get together next week! Be sure to RSVP on the evite so we can make a reservation! http://www.evite.com/event/03C7CIYTSLYJQ4CHKEPC57LY5A3YSI?gid=03C7CIYT2I2JAACHKEPC57MKKMDPBYHere is the message from our VP, Jessica "Raindance": Join us at the outdoor mall, Orchard Town Center (off 144th ave. and I-25) for happy hour and free live music!! After sharing a light appetizer or a drink at the restaurant continue on with us to the pavilion as a live band plays. The band playing on 7/26 (music goes from 6:30-8:30) is called Chase N The Dream and plays a variety of music from jazz, pop, reggae, and blues. You may want to bring a lawn chair with you if you plan to stay for the concert afterwards! Even if you cannot come for both portions of the evening we would love to see you there! If you are coming during the concert please feel free to call the number with this invitation as it can be hard to track people down in the seating area.
PLEASE RSVP BY WEDNESDAY 7/24We hope to see you there!
 We have recieved our first update from Susan "Pumpkin" in regards to her upcoming adventure! Please read below and feel free to send her some love and encouragement, even if you don't know her! :)
Dear Friends and Family,
Thank you for your prayers, support and encouragement over the past month. I have been truly blessed by your kindness and love. As I continued to work in Connecticut (my last day was last Thursday) I had friends helping me pack, move, take my car in for service, sharing their own stories of delivering babies and helping me pay for my school fees. I am extremely grateful. Thank you so much!
As I prepare to fly out on July 4th, I continue to receive emails from Perth about the school. I recently found out the countries we will be serving in. Starting in September, we will head to Lasaka, Zambia, then in December to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and in March to Calcutta, India. We will head back to Perth for a week before the school ends on June 7th of 2014. We stay approximately three months in each location and will be serving in both hospitals and clinics, as well as doing community teaching.
For those of you that have been asking for a mailing address while I am in Australia, here it is.
Susan Ludwig (YWAM BAS)
PO Box 8501
Perth Business Centre
Western Australia 6849
Australia
I will not have a working phone number, as my phone plan ended yesterday, but I will check my email intermittently depending on access. For my remaining days in Colorado, please call (970) 568-9827 or email me if you want to get a hold of me and I'll get back to you as soon as I can.
Thank you again and God bless you all.
Love,
Susan
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