Can you imagine what they would be?
Say you were a health care provider in a third world country, out in the African bush. What would they be?
For me, the words I don't like to hear... especially when I have just returned from the clinic and am in the middle of cooking lunch. Those words are... a patient just arrived, snake bite. There are several kinds of snakes in The Gambia. Some are not poisonous, some are. If you ask me, they all are. (I tell people if I saw a snake I would have a heart attack and drop to the ground where the snake would be able to bite me.... and I would die either from his poison or from the heart attack.) The villagers fear the Black snake. But again, there are two kinds of black snakes... deadly and not so deadly. Well, upon hearing these words today. I turned off the stove and headed to the clinic. Checked out the patient... he was bit on the middle finger while out in the fields this morning. He had to walk home and then find a donkey cart to bring him to the clinic. Praise God he looked good. Vitals were stable. I got out the stun gun. (controversial treatment... but please use it on me.) And gave him quite a few shocks, I know the gun worked because I got a little jolt when I had my hand too close to the gun. Reminded me of touching the electric fence when I was a kid. The nest phase of his treatment was a referral ride to the hospital 22 kilometers away, they should be able to get him some snake anti-venom. Praise God for the Stun Gun!
Thursday, November 15, 2007
A Difficult Week
It has been an emotional week. One of the believers, who has been sick for several months, died on Monday. She came to the clinic last week and I couldn't find a good source of her illness. During the night she worsened and her husband feared that if she did die in NK, the leaders would refuse to bury her here because of her stand for Christ. We helped him get her to family in Senegal. The husband received a call on Monday late afternoon that she had died. The family was going to go ahead and have her buried that evening. Her husband would arrive there in the morning. We assisted him in getting to the family along with some of their friends. Pray for Joanne as much of the respnsibilities of the c__ fall to her. She was pretty close to NN and so was Deb who is in the states on furlough. We do praise God for answered prayer in allowing NN to get to Family in Senegal, for protecting her husband AS as he traveled much the last two weeks and for giving each of us the encouragement to continue to do the job he has called us to.
Monday, November 12, 2007
All in a weekend
Well, I haven't been up to too much. The clinic is finally slowing down a bit and requests for the ambulance after hours (AKA the middle of the night) have also decreased. Last week I did have busy afternoons. Teresa and I would leave the clinic around 2 pm each afternoon. By five I would be back in the clinic for a variety of reasons. One day I had a young gal with two lacerations that needed stitching. The next afternoon at about the same time, a young boy showed up with a laceration on his leg. unfortunately his laceration was over 48 hours old. I just cleaned him up good and started him on antibiotics. I should see them both tomorrow. Then on Friday, Teresa came to the door with a friend and her son. She asked me what advice to give the mother, her son was urinating blood. I looked at the mom, she pulled an old soda bottle out of a plastic bag... sure enough, there was the urine. I told them to follow me and we all went to the clinic, after some testing and evaluation I sent him home on medications. The plus side of the early evening activity in the clinic... the cleaning women are done with their work for the day and we have to lock up. So, I would be down there anyway. : )
Yesterday, Teresa and I unloaded the newly arrived medical shipment. We praise God for providing these medications. Our medication store room is starting to look clean, organized and full! We had either run out of several medications or had to stop using them because of their expiration date. It is good to see the shelves have valuable medications available again. Thank you to all who help provide for this ministry financially.
After a very productive morning in the store rooms, I headed home to be productive on a few maintenance issues. I had applied Epoxy into the hole for the toilet lid, where there was a leak. I needed to drill the hole so I could then put on the toilet seat. Praise God it worked. After three weeks of no toilet, or no flush toilet. I have a functioning toilet! However, by the second flush, the other side was leaking in the same spot. I called Barney to ask if he had more Epoxy. I then told him what I discovered. He said, "I don't want to hear that." Yeah, it is my toilet, it pained me to have to say it. But the leak is small and I have decided I want the flush, so I will mop up the small puddle after every flush. : )
Since the toilet was such a success, I then repaired my glider rocker. It has needed help since I took it out of storage in May. I finally attacked it, and now it glides smoothly. It is nice to have a chair to offer people a place to sit. The couch can get crowded.
I had such a productive day yesterday, I decided to keep the flow going today. This afternoon I put some wall paper boarder up in my bathroom. I have claimed this apartment and I am 'nesting'. I brought the boarder with me back in May and was waiting for a time when the humidity would be lower. Yes, that time has come.
Lots of people ask... What is the temperature really like? Well, for those of you who like weather science, I have some info for you. I brought back a digital thermomotor that also registers the humidity. It store the highest and lowest values. The other day I was looking at it. I have kept it in the coolest room of my apartment. The high value, since my arrival, is 113 degrees with 91 % humidity. That doesn't just feel hot... it is hot! Tonight it is 80 degrees and 40 % humidity. I will sleep under my comforter. It is getting too cold for a late night cold water shower. brrrrrr
Have a great week.
Yesterday, Teresa and I unloaded the newly arrived medical shipment. We praise God for providing these medications. Our medication store room is starting to look clean, organized and full! We had either run out of several medications or had to stop using them because of their expiration date. It is good to see the shelves have valuable medications available again. Thank you to all who help provide for this ministry financially.
After a very productive morning in the store rooms, I headed home to be productive on a few maintenance issues. I had applied Epoxy into the hole for the toilet lid, where there was a leak. I needed to drill the hole so I could then put on the toilet seat. Praise God it worked. After three weeks of no toilet, or no flush toilet. I have a functioning toilet! However, by the second flush, the other side was leaking in the same spot. I called Barney to ask if he had more Epoxy. I then told him what I discovered. He said, "I don't want to hear that." Yeah, it is my toilet, it pained me to have to say it. But the leak is small and I have decided I want the flush, so I will mop up the small puddle after every flush. : )
Since the toilet was such a success, I then repaired my glider rocker. It has needed help since I took it out of storage in May. I finally attacked it, and now it glides smoothly. It is nice to have a chair to offer people a place to sit. The couch can get crowded.
I had such a productive day yesterday, I decided to keep the flow going today. This afternoon I put some wall paper boarder up in my bathroom. I have claimed this apartment and I am 'nesting'. I brought the boarder with me back in May and was waiting for a time when the humidity would be lower. Yes, that time has come.
Lots of people ask... What is the temperature really like? Well, for those of you who like weather science, I have some info for you. I brought back a digital thermomotor that also registers the humidity. It store the highest and lowest values. The other day I was looking at it. I have kept it in the coolest room of my apartment. The high value, since my arrival, is 113 degrees with 91 % humidity. That doesn't just feel hot... it is hot! Tonight it is 80 degrees and 40 % humidity. I will sleep under my comforter. It is getting too cold for a late night cold water shower. brrrrrr
Have a great week.
Monday, October 29, 2007
Something I NEVER pictured myself doing....
Have you had one of those jobs assignments when you think... no one will believe I am doing this. Today was another one of those days for me.
I am living on a compound that has several empty houses. (We are asking God to fill them.) I am currently sharing this space with two other single women. One of the things I volunteered to do was basic, I mean simple, maintenance. So, last night I had to figure out how I could get 14 toilets to flush at the same time. Joanne would be at the literacy center. That left Teresa, drafted into the project and our house hold helpers. But that only gave me a total of six people. So, I drafted our watch men and yard workers. By nine am I was unlocking houses and giving assignments. Oh, and teaching men 50+years of age how to flush a toilet and why this silly tubaab (white person) was asking for their help. The job went off without a hitch! Okay, this is Africa, there were one or two.... I couldn't get one of the houses to open up, I forgot to turn on the water in two of the houses. Thus I got my exercise running around this morning. When the job was done I drove to the village to buy breakfast for those who helped out. Opps, I didn't get any for Teresa. I stopped by Joanne's to give her the visual picture of teaching the watchmen and yard men how to flush. : )
The day proceeded to be busy and filled with all kinds of things. I mended the volleyball net, tried to clean a water filter and discovered the shut off valve, didn't shut off the water. (a cool shower in the heat of the day!) I saw a few sick individuals, ran a group of people to a village to the north and east of us, found some one ther who wanted to come to our village. (a little taxi driving on the side!) Then fixed a lunch that was interupted by an accident. A bush taxi flipped out on the main road. They described it as four feet in the air. (Tires up!) Four adults and three children were brought to the compound and they came to get me. I tried to patch up gapping head wounds and missing arm muscles. The people were headed to the captiol city. I am praying they have something at the Government Hospital to help clean out and close these wounds. I called our ambulance driver to carefully drive the victims to the hospital in Banjul. The children were just banged up, praise God, and all the adults were stable. One woman and her two daughters live in Spain. They are in The Gambia for a two month visit. The girls spoke Spanish and not a local dialect. Wouldn't you know... I couldn't put a whole sentance together in Spanish without Wolof words slipping out.
Tomorrow... a new toilet... the adventure continues.
I am living on a compound that has several empty houses. (We are asking God to fill them.) I am currently sharing this space with two other single women. One of the things I volunteered to do was basic, I mean simple, maintenance. So, last night I had to figure out how I could get 14 toilets to flush at the same time. Joanne would be at the literacy center. That left Teresa, drafted into the project and our house hold helpers. But that only gave me a total of six people. So, I drafted our watch men and yard workers. By nine am I was unlocking houses and giving assignments. Oh, and teaching men 50+years of age how to flush a toilet and why this silly tubaab (white person) was asking for their help. The job went off without a hitch! Okay, this is Africa, there were one or two.... I couldn't get one of the houses to open up, I forgot to turn on the water in two of the houses. Thus I got my exercise running around this morning. When the job was done I drove to the village to buy breakfast for those who helped out. Opps, I didn't get any for Teresa. I stopped by Joanne's to give her the visual picture of teaching the watchmen and yard men how to flush. : )
The day proceeded to be busy and filled with all kinds of things. I mended the volleyball net, tried to clean a water filter and discovered the shut off valve, didn't shut off the water. (a cool shower in the heat of the day!) I saw a few sick individuals, ran a group of people to a village to the north and east of us, found some one ther who wanted to come to our village. (a little taxi driving on the side!) Then fixed a lunch that was interupted by an accident. A bush taxi flipped out on the main road. They described it as four feet in the air. (Tires up!) Four adults and three children were brought to the compound and they came to get me. I tried to patch up gapping head wounds and missing arm muscles. The people were headed to the captiol city. I am praying they have something at the Government Hospital to help clean out and close these wounds. I called our ambulance driver to carefully drive the victims to the hospital in Banjul. The children were just banged up, praise God, and all the adults were stable. One woman and her two daughters live in Spain. They are in The Gambia for a two month visit. The girls spoke Spanish and not a local dialect. Wouldn't you know... I couldn't put a whole sentance together in Spanish without Wolof words slipping out.
Tomorrow... a new toilet... the adventure continues.
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Another Exciting Day!
Okay, I have to let you all in on a few of the recent happenings.
I haven't had a working phone line in months. It has decreased my time on line as I have to go to another house to access the Internet. I can get access, I just don't do it every day now. Yesterday I was in my house talking with Teresa and a Gambian woman. I heard a motorcycle come on the compound as it circled our property the driver was tooting the horn. It was a bit annoying in the house. our watchman came to my door to tell me that the men on the cycle were from the telephone company. When they arrived at my home I told them if my phone was fixed that day I would be so happy, I would dance. (Now, don't panic, this is a culturally appropriate comment to make.) They laughed (I am sure they thought, yeah, you are a tubaab, you can't dance.) and looked at my phone jack. Then they went to check out the line. About 30 minutes later, I heard the cycle start up and they were gone. I went to ask the guard what they said, as my phone was still not working. He told me they told him they were going to the market. I guess the market was a long way away; they never came back. MORAL of the STORY: Don't say you will dance! The phone will be fixed, in God's timing.
Now, I told you about my plumbing problem... well, Barney came to set a new toilet today. Ha-ha He did try, but the toilet bowl was the wrong size for the whole I have. By the time we figured that out for sure and certain, he had cut a piece of PVC that went around the out flow of the old toilet. So there was no way to replace the old toilet. I told him I was grateful I was better. A month ago my intestinal problems would of made a week with out a toilet in the house a severe discomfort. So, let this be a warning to you all... if you see me running to an empty house, watch out. I am either trying to use the phone or the little girls room!
Life is never dull in Ndungu Kebbeh.
Oh, I lent Joanne my camera because her termites were back in force at the literacy center. I am glad I wasn't there this time, but i can't wait to see the pics. Maybe I will share them with you.
You can check her blog out at gambiathoughts.blogspot.com
I haven't had a working phone line in months. It has decreased my time on line as I have to go to another house to access the Internet. I can get access, I just don't do it every day now. Yesterday I was in my house talking with Teresa and a Gambian woman. I heard a motorcycle come on the compound as it circled our property the driver was tooting the horn. It was a bit annoying in the house. our watchman came to my door to tell me that the men on the cycle were from the telephone company. When they arrived at my home I told them if my phone was fixed that day I would be so happy, I would dance. (Now, don't panic, this is a culturally appropriate comment to make.) They laughed (I am sure they thought, yeah, you are a tubaab, you can't dance.) and looked at my phone jack. Then they went to check out the line. About 30 minutes later, I heard the cycle start up and they were gone. I went to ask the guard what they said, as my phone was still not working. He told me they told him they were going to the market. I guess the market was a long way away; they never came back. MORAL of the STORY: Don't say you will dance! The phone will be fixed, in God's timing.
Now, I told you about my plumbing problem... well, Barney came to set a new toilet today. Ha-ha He did try, but the toilet bowl was the wrong size for the whole I have. By the time we figured that out for sure and certain, he had cut a piece of PVC that went around the out flow of the old toilet. So there was no way to replace the old toilet. I told him I was grateful I was better. A month ago my intestinal problems would of made a week with out a toilet in the house a severe discomfort. So, let this be a warning to you all... if you see me running to an empty house, watch out. I am either trying to use the phone or the little girls room!
Life is never dull in Ndungu Kebbeh.
Oh, I lent Joanne my camera because her termites were back in force at the literacy center. I am glad I wasn't there this time, but i can't wait to see the pics. Maybe I will share them with you.
You can check her blog out at gambiathoughts.blogspot.com
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Healthy once more
For those of you who knew I was having some health problems... I am healthy finally. I had many people worried on both continents. My team mates had me stay in Banjul while the Bronchitis had the best of me. Kumba (Ruth) and I have been in email contact, I even called her twice. She told me the other day she was really worried. And we all know about a mother's worry, mine is no execption. I love her for it.
After a series of illnesses and a two month bout of low blood sugars, I am finally feeling myself. I have been back to work in the clinic. It is good to be able to be treating others. I am just beginning to get out and about visiting friends in the village. It is good to be out and about. Thank you for your prayers and concerns.
After a series of illnesses and a two month bout of low blood sugars, I am finally feeling myself. I have been back to work in the clinic. It is good to be able to be treating others. I am just beginning to get out and about visiting friends in the village. It is good to be out and about. Thank you for your prayers and concerns.
Nurse... Plumber... yep benna la!
Now, I know you all know of me as a nurse. But did you think of me as a plumber? Yup, my toilet broke this week. I had to turn the water off to the house. (our toilets don't have a shut off valve in the line leading to the tank.) After two days of bucket showers and bucket flushes, I think you get the picture... it was getting old. SO, I went on a scavenger hunt to find toilet parts. Of course we didn't have what I needed and there is NO near by Wal-Mart or Tru Value. I did have some Duck tape and PVC cement. So I tried a repair on the broken piece. I am sorry Mac Gyver, Duck tape doesn't work on everything. Joanne was present when I gave the test trial. Praise God or the flood in the bathroom could have been really bad. I was out of luck and the problem was getting worse. I then looked at every toilet on our compound (we have a lot of empty houses right now). I found only one that had the water intake on the bottom of the tank like mine. SO, I capped the water line and took out the pieces I would need. However, yes there is ALWAYS a however in Africa, the tanks were two different sizes and my tank was a mini tank. The borrowed part wouldn't fit in. I then returned the part and capped my water line. I at least have running water in the house again.
I called our teammates in Banjul and told them what I needed. There is no Wal-Mart or Service Center there either, which means.... it is very hard, almost impossible to find replacement parts. So, a new toilet was ordered. Now I am back to bucket flushing and Barney is coming out on Tuesday to put in the new toilet. I don't really want to attempt it as there is a willing some one to do it. Praise God. A true blessing if I have ever seen one!
Have a great week and face each new challenge as a gift from God to become more like him.
I called our teammates in Banjul and told them what I needed. There is no Wal-Mart or Service Center there either, which means.... it is very hard, almost impossible to find replacement parts. So, a new toilet was ordered. Now I am back to bucket flushing and Barney is coming out on Tuesday to put in the new toilet. I don't really want to attempt it as there is a willing some one to do it. Praise God. A true blessing if I have ever seen one!
Have a great week and face each new challenge as a gift from God to become more like him.
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