CMM (Calcutta) URGENT ANNOUNCEMENT

me. Huldah. Terry.

Dear Blog Friends~

As most of you are aware, my husband, Terry, and I have been working for the past year to bring awareness and raise funds for Calcutta Mercy Ministries (CMM). This ministry was founded by the late Dr. Mark Buntain and Huldah Buntain in 1954, when they arrived in one of the world's most destitute cities where poverty and suffering hasn't changed much in hundreds of years. 

The Buntains and Mother Teresa were best of friends with the same objective of being God's hand extended to those of Calcutta (Kolkata), India, who are physically and spiritually hungry and in need. The Mercy Hospital and Clinics, built by the Buntains, treat over 100,000 patients annually. Of those receiving medical care, 40,000 men, women, and children are treated free of charge due to our many friends and donors!

Huldah & Mother Teresa

This morning we received notice of a fire in our hospital. The time difference is roughly 10-11.5 hours. So, it would have happened late in the evening for India. The following is a statement from our ministry leadership team. 

I request you read, pray, donate and share the link to this post with others. Time is of the essence! Thank you for your concern.

Samalee "Sam" Allen
Samalee@buntain.org

_____________________::::_______________________

Calcutta Mercy Ministries

Mercy Hospital Fire

Calcutta, India

Urgent Announcement

Contact: Calcutta Mercy Ministries
Website: www.buntain.org
Phone: 888.MERCY.US
Address: 101 North 8th Street, P.O.Box S, Griffin, GA 30224

FIRE OUTBREAK IN ICU AT CALCUTTA MERCY HOSPITAL
Hospital Issues an Urgent Call for Funds

Calcutta Mercy Hospital today sent news of a fire outbreak in the hospital’s ICU unit at approximately 10 p.m. in Calcutta, India. Hospital personnel immediately began the evacuation of patients. The fire is now contained, and two patients are reportedly receiving treatment for injuries.

Our wonderful hospital in Calcutta
providing medical attention to the impoverished.

The cause of the fire is being determined so as to insure the protection of patients. Due to previous catastrophic fires in neighboring hospitals in Calcutta resulting in the deaths of hundreds of people, any fire outbreak of this nature is heavily scrutinized from all officials.

Although Calcutta Mercy Hospital has been the leader in fire safety and up-to-date equipment, the wiring in the hospital building has been due for replacement. We are now in urgent need for this repair costing $100,000.

If this need it not met within 7-10 days, the hospital faces the possibility of being shut down by officials. Calcutta Mercy Ministries is issuing a call to its worldwide supporters for donations towards this urgent need.

To make a donation, you may do so via Calcutta Mercy Ministries’ website at https://app.etapestry.com/hosted/ValueMissions/CMM_Giving.html. Alternatively, you may call the CMM office directly at 888.Mercy.Us.

Calcutta Mercy Hospital provides quality healthcare at an affordable price with 173 beds and 30 multi-specialty centers. Serving over 100,000 patients a year, 40% are treated free of charge irrespective of their caste, creed, or religion. Since its inception in 1977, the hospital has provided medical services to over 2.2 million people.

Further inquiries may be directed to info@buntain.org or 888.MERCY.US.

_____________________::::_______________________

Again, I request you READ, PRAY, DONATE and SHARE the link to this post with others. 

2-on-Tuesday: Cheesy Mexican Quinoa

This has become a favorite in our home in keeping with healthy, nutritional choices and plant-based recipes using Quinoa (sounds like KEEN-wah) an ancient and very nutritional grain-seed! It is the creation of Lindsay of The Lean Green Bean blog. You should follow her nutrition and fitness blog!

Cheesy Mexican Quinoa

1/2 Onion, diced
1 Red or Orange Pepper, diced
1 Green Pepper, diced
*1 Jalapeno, chopped (highly suggested!)
1 can Black Beans
1 can of Whole Corn
1 clove Garlic, minced
1-2 teaspoons Cumin
1 teaspoon Paprika
1 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
2 cups Quinoa, cooked
1 cup Low-Fat Cheese, shredded
1 cup Soy Milk or Skim Milk
1 tablespoon Butter or *Coconut Oil or Olive Oil
1 tablespoon Flour
Toppings/Sides: Tomato, Salsa, Avocado, Cilantro, Cheese

• In a pan, saute onions, peppers, garlic and spices until softened
• Add black beans, corn and prepared quinoa. Mix well
• Transfer mixture to a bowl and set aside
• In the same pan, melt butter or heat oil and whisk-in the flour
• Slowly add milk while whisking to minimize lumps
• Add cheese. Stir until melted
• Combine quinoa mixture and cheesy mixture
• Transfer mixture to baking dish. Bake 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until heated through
• Serve with Toppings/Sides

Occasionally, when my supply of an ingredient (paprika or cayenne pepper) the recipe calls for is depleted, I will substitute with a similar ingredient for the same taste effect. For example: instead of using cayenne pepper, opting for a small can of green chilies.

It's ok for cooking t0 take on your personality! It's not an exact medium. Let your creative juices flourish! 

Tip: You can find Quinoa from Walmart to Whole Foods Market. Simply follow the package directions, much like those for cooking rice. The fun thing to note is that most often when Quinoa is ready...the cute little spiral appears! Also, Quinoa takes on the flavors it's cooked with and, sometimes, can trick meat-eaters into thinking they're consuming meat! Is Quinoa considered Gluten-Free? Yes! 

Nutrition and Fitness: Know Your Numbers!

"Ms. Allen?"
"Yes."
"I have the results of your recent blood work. All is normal."
"Normal?"
"Yes. Have a nice day."

"WAIT! I need to know what those numbers are."
"Would you understand what those numbers meant, if I told you?"
"Yes! See, I've been working really hard for a long time and want to know if it paid off."
"Your total Cholesterol is 177 and your TSH is 1.96."
"HOLY COW! HOLY COW!"

When you've struggled with with lousy, high cholesterol all of your adult life...
When 1/3 of your momma's heart doesn't work due to a major heart attack...
When the average weight for everyone on the maternal-side of your family is at 200+ lbs...
When you're genetically predisposed to high cholesterol...
When your grandmother and bio-dad died of heart disease...

...you want to know your numbers!

Let's Break Down the Numbers

Cholesterol is a fatty substance manufactured by our liver. Lipoproteins are fat and protein vehicles that transport Cholesterol. There are several kinds of vehicles, but we'll keep to the 2 major types everybody talks about, LDL and HDL.

LDL (low-density Lipoprotein) - the wheelbarrow transporting cholesterol to the vessels and arteries.
HDL (high-density Lipoprotein) - the Amtrak transporting cholesterol out of the body

An easy way to remember which is which:
LDL = "Lousy"-density Lipoprotein (eL-evating the risk for heart attack)
HDL = "Healthy"-density Lipoprotein (hauling-out the risk for heart attack)

The average healthy person should have an LDL of <200, even better to have <130. For those who have risk factors (genetics, heart disease, obesity, smoking, hypothyroidism, fatty diet and an inactive lifestyle), the good doctors desire to push the LDL numbers down below 100. This is really a hard feat without the help of meds, nutrition and fitness working together.

The target HDL of an average healthy person is >60. If the HDL number is lower, this increases the risk for heart attack. 

My Experience with the Numbers

My total Cholesterol has been over 260 since my early twenties when it was tested. I am genetically predisposed for high cholesterol, but helped to keep it high with my poor nutritional choices. And, at some point, my thyroid decided to stop functioning efficiently. The thyroid aids in ushering out the LDL. Mine wasn't doing it's job. So, three years ago I started taking Levothyroxine (Synthroid) to keep my thyroid active and hoping to bring both thyroid and LDL numbers down. Still, the numbers remained unhealthily high.

When the doctor decided to ward off the potential for a heart attack, he prescribed Atorvastatin (Lipitor) and I cried like a baby. I felt like a failure and a geriatric. I, now, refer to my meds as "vitamins." Again, there was little change in the LDL numbers, even while being semi-active.

December 1, 2012, through prayer I felt like God was encouraging me to go on a partial fast eating only fruits, veggies, nuts and whole grains while avoiding animal proteins and sugar. Not easy for a couple of weeks. Then, on December 18, my husband suffered a heart attack...about the time of the arrival of my Forks Over Knives cookbook. I watched the documentary by the same name in the Critical Care Unit at Vanderbilt Hospital as Terry slept.

The church where we attend is focusing on a 40-Day Prayer Challenge. One of my prayer "seeds" is to receive healing from this lifelong battle with lousy, high LDL...even if God has me work for it! 

Jan 2010: Total Cholesterol 336, LDL 250, TSH 11.45
Mar 2010: Total Cholesterol 313, LDL 225, TSH 6.18
May 2011: Total Cholesterol 339, LDL 256, TSH 3.47
Sep 2011: Total Cholesterol 250, LDL 173, TSH 6.12
Feb 2012: Total Cholesterol 207, LDL 130, TSH .92
Mar 2013: Total Cholesterol 177, LDL 98,  TSH 1.96

So, what brought my numbers down?

I am convinced that without spiritual intervention, my numbers wouldn't have changed so dramatically. I continue to pursue healthy, nutritional choices with plant-based foods on a daily basis and consuming meat only once-per-month. Consistently, my fitness includes 2-3 hours of cardio (including Zumba), each week, and recently adding light weight training. And, I still take my "vitamins." It is my prayer to be taken off the cholesterol drug although my age (50 in June) and the odds are against it. I believe in God's odds as my prayers are being answered and my 
numbers finally reflect a change!

I'm jazzed when someone contacts me quietly...in an email. I'm super stoked when someone leaves a comment on the blog! Please let me know if this was a helpful post either below or in an email. Thanks!

Calcutta Mercy Ministries: Hands & Feet

Calcutta is approximately 9 miles long and 4 miles wide roughly the square mileage of the Dallas-Fort Worth Airport with a major difference: 18-20 million people. It is easy for one to feel overwhelmed when the needs are many and the scores of people in need are many. One out of three children aren't just hungry, they are starving.

Shortly after Mark and Huldah Buntain arrived in 1954 by steam freighter, Mark quickly got to work preaching the Gospel to all who would hear. On one such occasion a starving beggar in the crowd shouted, "Feed our bellies and then tell us there is a God in heaven who loves us." This inspired the Buntains to launch a feeding program which, today, feeds 25,000+...one meal, six days, each week, every year. 

Amazingly, it takes so little to do so much!

Since April of 2012, when Terry and I began working with Calcutta Mercy Ministries, the Lord continues to bless us with numerous congregations and individuals who take a step of faith to assist with the needs of the poor and suffering in Calcutta. Priscilla Choate is one of those blessings!

Priscilla & me, 2012

Priscilla, as a student, loved going to summer camps at Camp Jackson in Tennessee. She couldn't wait to be old enough to serve as a "Counselor-in-Training" during Kids Camp. Ever eager to be a blessing to others, she engages with her church's outreach programs. However, now, stretched pretty thin between nursing school and work, Priscilla's desire to remain active with her church is intact even when the schedule does not always permit. 

It is in this busyness of life, she felt God challenge her to do something for those in Calcutta.

Priscilla shared with me, "God says in Matthew 25:40, 'The King will reply, Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brother and sisters of mine, you did for me.' God has really been dealing with me about being His hands and feet on earth and the fact that sometimes we are the only representation of Jesus that some will ever see."

By telling others she encountered on a daily basis about those starving in Calcutta, people began giving her cash and checks. Priscilla was able to raise over $600 in a short amount of time!
"God spoke to me and said, 'Your little can be turned into what I need it to be when you simply give it to me. ...I have seen through this experience of raising money for Calcutta that it is so much more than just the money; it's the prayers and the blessings that people obtain from giving, as well...people were so thankful for the opportunity to be a blessing."

After graduation from nursing school in August 2013, Priscilla hopes to go to India, but wanted to contribute in advance: I wanted to plant a seed before my feet walk across Calcutta, India. This is not about me, but about the calling God has placed on my life. We have the opportunity to change a life everyday.

Thanks, Priscilla, and to those anonymous donors who made it possible for children to have, at least, one meal...today.

If you'd like to know how to be part of this and other opportunities, please contact me at this blog OR via email.