Habari za Usiku!

Well, this is our second week here in Chimala and we are all doing great! We have all seen our share of heartbreak and sadness already but are using this as an opportunity to be a source of comfort to families, patients, and each other. Working in the hospital here is different and difficult (mostly because of the language barrier) but I enjoy interacting with everyone and learning the culture. I also like attempting to diagnosis each patient.

Yesterday, Paul and I had the opportunity to draw blood at an HIV testing clinic, which made me feel very useful. However, it is sad to see how many and how young the people are that have to be tested. We were also very cautious that we had no finger sticks! This clinic is held every Tuesday at the hospital and since there is not a CD4 machine here, the blood samples are shipped to Mbeya and the results come back in a week or two if they are lucky. This means that people have to walk for hours to come get tested and walk back a week later. Local transportation here, as well as in most parts of the country, consists of walking (sometimes without shoes). People ride bikes if they are lucky and ride like sardines in a bus if they are fortunate. It is very hard to see babies with HIV/AIDS that are malnourished and fighting for their lives when their life has barely even begun.

On the other hand, our Sunday trip to Mbeya (an hour away) was very enjoyable. We had the opportunity to encourage a small church there that met in a small house. There was a funeral that morning so some members were absent but there were only about two families present, and there kids were the majority of the population. There was a cute little girl there wearing all green and tap shoes that would clunk around during the service, which was adorable to watch. However, as I was about to leave, her father came up to me and asked if I would take her back to America with me when I came back and she was a little older. All I could do was smile, but inside was a huge knot of sadness.

After church we stopped at a gas station/convenience store and I had my first experience with the hole in the ground toilet (these were supposed to be the nicest around). It was quite an experience. On the way home we also stopped at the disappearing waterfall that was hidden just off the side of the road. It was an amazing sight to say the least. It comes out of nowhere, and goes 'nowhere' (hence the name). It is a beautiful pit. However, on the way back up the hill, a herd of cattle had stopped to cross the water and we were bombarded with tons of jumping goats and grazing cattle. We had to wait our turn to get back to the car haha.

Today, Paul and I got to go 'mobile' because we are in the Mother/Child Health rotation and got to go to a village and hang babies from a tree! The moment I have been waiting for! Gradually mothers started showing up with ragged immunization/weight cards and babies on their backs (and some straggling behind them). They pulled out their homemade weighing sacks and proceeded to stuff each child's legs into the holes. They were so cute! We hung a scale to a tree and put the sack loops onto the hook and the party began! I would say that 90% of the children hated dangling from the trees, whenever the let go of their mama's they immediately screamed and cried. However, we would get the occasional kid that took advantage of it and pretended to be superman. We must have weighed over 75 kids. The older children just grabbed the hook with their hands and dangled because they were too big to be put in sacks. They also enjoyed something like pop ice as a refreshment after to sooth them from the traumatic experience. I also administered some polio drops and we gave some other vaccines.

My experience so far has been wonderful. I am in a totally different world here that I never knew truly existed. Tonight we ate Ugali, a traditional meal, with our hands (which is the traditional way). It was messy yet satisfying. I am currently obsessed with the Masi tribe and an amazed with their beauty and presence. I am soaking it all in and can't wait to see and learn more! Our next rotation is OB and I can't wait to possibly get the opportunity to deliver a baby or perform neonatal resuscitation (two groups have already saved two little lives!). We will see…as we say here TIA (this is Africa)! Please continue to keep Paul and I in your prayers, and thank you for the support!!!