We were expecting to go to Eden Valley Foster Care Mission on Sunday, but Janet had some things to do so we changed the plan to leave on Monday. It was good, because Kibidula needed another driver to take the Evangelism Students to the three villages where they will be doing three weeks of outreach and evangelism. Doug took the Evangelism School's Cruiser, supplies, students and some staff and left the house at 7:30 am. He returned close to 8:30 pm! He told me it was a VERY GOOD THING that I didn't go. He said the places he had to drive would have made me very nervous. He said some of the road was on the mountain side with steep hill on the one side of the vehicle and steep drop-off on the other with very little room left on either side of the vehicle. He said there were several bridges that he had to pass over that made a LOT of cracking sounds as he passed. These bridges were made of leftover slab wood. I think he is right that it was good for me not to go.
Monday we loaded up into Janet's pickup with her and three young ladies (8, 10 and 11 years old.)
Tuesday Janet had to drive a lady and family to the hospital because she had fallen and hurt her knee quite badly. Doug pulled a bad loose tooth for a village school child. Tuesday night Janet and I went over to check on a mother and baby that had been having problems. Oh, did they have problems! The baby is two weeks old and has spinal bifida cistia and the mother's Cesarian wound is open about 1 1/2 inches and is clearly infected (pussy.) We changed out dressings on the wounds and said that they would both have to go back to the hospital the very next day (it was already late at night.)
Wednesday afternoon, we took them to the hospital. We found out that the mother insisted on being released early (because of concerns about paying the hospital bill.) After much persuasion and some financial help I think she is convinced that she MUST stay in the hospital until she is well enough to travel to Dar es Salaam to take the baby for surgery for the spinal bifida. It is really a sad, sad situation.
Then yesterday, Thursday, Janet again had to go to the hospital to get the first lady back to the village that she had taken in on Tuesday. One of the students here at EVFCM has a problem with her finger. Janet cleaned it up and put a clay poultice on it.
So far, today, Friday, there have not been any trips to the hospital, but the girl with the finger was back. Janet squeezed a BUNCH of nasty puss out of it and tried to clear out any foreign objects that might be in it. It was a painful situation for sure. I am NOT a good nurse. Doug is a much better assistant. Doug said it has been good for me to face these things. That was three hours ago. She was told to come back for us to check it (it has a charcoal poultice on it.) Janet will change out her dressings. She (the young lady) says it feels a lot better than it did this morning.
Teaching has been going well. We are glad to be here. I think I am getting over the jet lag. Getting up in the morning is easy enough, but the afternoons are tough! :)
I got news
Thank you everyone for your prayers.
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