September 20, 2005

  • Walking It Out

    Walking It Out   

     

    Another week has passed.    I think we saw 37 patients in the clinic, even though we are not yet officially open.  I have no clue what these people do for medical care here….they are really very sick and a lot of them are malnourished on top of it.  It’s hard to tell what came first…are they malnourished because they are sick or are they sick because they are malnourished?  There are children who walk for miles with swollen bellies and bare feet, on stick legs with open sores just to come to school on the farm and yet have blood in their urine and pain when they pass it.  There are women here who are eight months pregnant and have never had any prenatal care…no pelvic exam, no vitamins, no iron, no proper diet.  These same women plan on delivering their baby in their grass hut with the help of the older village women.  Some of them already have a history of losing babies after delivery for unknown reasons.  There are men in their fifties walking around trying to work and provide for their families with wasting diseases like AIDS and TB.  They search from clinic to clinic seeking help and a cure….sometimes going to the “traditional healers” (witchdoctors) for tattooing.  We have seen many with scarring from that procedure which actually involves cutting the skin with a razorblade and placing different herbs and concoctions underneath the skin.  These same patients continue to seek an answer because the tattooing procedure of course doesn’t work. I have to continually remind myself that it’s not about WHAT we know, but it’s WHO we know that is the key.  Jesus is the one with all the answers…He is the Hope of the nations.  With God all things are possible.  The problems here are much bigger than Sal and I could ever hope to solve.  There is nothing in our strength that we can do….it’s all up to God!  God did open a door…One of the teachers here at the school on the farm asked us to teach the fifth and sixth graders a 40 minute class on malnutrition.  Previously feeling stirred to teach at the school, I was excited to have such an opportunity.  Armed with a basketful of different food products found here in Zambia and 30 hard boiled eggs, I first taught proper nutrition.  Preventing malnutrition is much easier than treating it.  I then proceeded to teach about the two leading types of malnutrition ….marasmus and kwashiorkor.   The children were very responsive and enjoyed their protein treat!

     

    We have been given a second room to use for clinic purposes right next to the first one.  Both rooms need to be scrubbed down, cracks grouted, walls painted, windows screened, cement floors sealed and polished, window coverings hung, cabinets purchased and then we can fully unpack, stock shelves and settle in to do business.  The work team that is here will be leaving for home next Wednesday.  After their departure, hopefully our work permit will be ready and we will be able to make another trip to Lusaka to pick it up. We also plan to place an order for medical supplies with the distributor while we are there.  After all those things are accomplished, we will hire an assistant who will be our interpreter, establish regular clinic hours, and meet with the Ministry of Health in Livingstone. 

     

    On a more personal note….life here continues to be a challenge with each day bringing something to overcome.  Sal has now officially driven the Lorry truck into Livingstone to pick up supplies for the work team and I made my first pie crust from scratch!!!   Our next project for the apartment is to screen the windows and security door…that’s done with mesh screening and Velcro (brought form the States).  Sal has begun framing the security door with pieces of wood and a hammer and all the screens need sewed to the Velcro.  Our goal is to have all the windows done before rainy season to help protect against mosquitoes.  Well until next time…