Back on Barry Mountain

Last night I arrived home, surprising most of my family, which was quite fun. It was a long journey, including four separate plane flights but it was a relief to be back at last. I managed to meet up with Andrew in the Charlotte airport as he was coming back from South Africa. Perfect timing!

Last day at the hospital was Monday. At lunch time we had a party of sorts in the cafeteria. It was great to see everyone together in the same place, but hard at the same time to be saying goodbye.

 Dani, as usual, talking loudly and enthusiastically about something. His dramatic monologues and fiery exhortations usually results in lots of energetic feedback, but most of the time I only catch about half of what's being said and remain somewhat confused with only a general idea of what is going on. Dani always has to be revved up about something or other.

 Mama Lydie, our cook at the Blue House and Mama Josef, one of my Rwandan friends:

 Mama Lea with two of her nine children: Chancelvie and Rochelvie.

 Saying goodbye to the Samoutou family: Joyce, Henri, Cherissa, Ezra and Karis

 The two "Sarahs" and I: Sarabeth Harvey and Sarah Speer

Goodbyes

 Saying goodbye...Sarah Speer put on a going away party for me at the mission. All of us missionaries, as well as about thirty neighbors and friends gathered together in my front yard. We played games and ate and Cherissa, my violin student, played me a last song. While everyone was still sitting I had a chance to go around and shake everyone's hand and say goodbye. It was a nice way of closing.

 I have felt in a bit of a daze this last week, with so much going on, but always the thought that I'm leaving everything and everybody in such a short time. It's gone by really fast. I've been too busy to have a chance to cry, but I have the whole Atlantic ocean to cross so there will be time for tears later.

 Some of the people that came for my going away party at the mission:

 

 Photos with friends at the hospital. Below Mama Anne, who is finishing up nursing school and doing her clinicals at the hospital right now, and Dani, one of the janitors. who also leads worship (and has a great singing voice) in the church across the street from us.

 Saying goodbye to my adopted daddy. Molimo is a stabilizing factor to the hospital and has been here since before its beginning. He keeps all the mechanical/electrical work going and was coming almost every night, up until this past month when the new electrical system was installed. He refused to smile for the photo to prove his real sorrow at seeing me go.

Ghislain, who works alongside Dr. Henri Samoutou in the Eye Clinic with NewSight Congo. He is a good worker and Henri's right hand man, as well as one of my wonderful friends here.

Charnelle is one of our nurse/midwives and has taught me a lot about babies, as well as coached me through several deliveries. She is a vital part of the hospital, handles the statistics for maternity and is very smart and has a lot of experience with prenatal consultations and deliveries.

 Gypsia, one of the little neighbor girls who likes to sleep over at my house. Her mom being handicapped and her not-always-very-kind older siblings makes me feel like she's my adopted daughter. Leaving her is really hard, since at this point there's nothing more I can do for her except pray.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. -Hebrews 12:1-3

Lasts

Last violin lesson with Cherissa...

 Last Saturday afternoon soccer game...Ezra likes watching his daddy play.

Last meal with friends...

Baby John

This mother has been at the hospital quite some time due to the fact that her toddler was sick and ended up having two blood transfusions. She was pregnant so couldn't replace the blood, so they stayed on, waiting for relatives to come and help out. If I had known about her situation I would have given my blood directly toward her debt, but at the time I gave blood I didn't know, and just gave it to the general storage because our lab director was getting desperate.

So she stayed on until she had her baby, a healthy little boy. My dad got to meet her when he was here, a few weeks before she had her baby. She's still in a tough situation and I've been trying to help her out. Her husband ran out on her and her older sister still hasn't showed up to donate blood. So many people like this here. Below is a picture of her toddler who was sick but is doing well now.

Anyway, she wanted to name the baby after my dad, so her baby's name is John. She probably won't ever forget the strange white man who didn't know her from anywhere, but was willing to give his blood to pay her debt.

Jungle Picnic

After a short, informal church service in Modzaka, an Aka village, Sarah and I got on our bikes to head the four miles back to the hospital. We were planning to stop along the way and enjoy the jungle a bit as a special treat before my last week in Congo.

We rode a little ways, and then turned off onto a trail that Sarah has been wanting to explore. We rode down it until it became rather too narrow for bikes, and then we stopped by a log and had a look around.

Sarah had packed a picnic lunch of trail mix and tomato and cucumber sandwiches, and I'd brought along bananas, water and "street donuts." We had ourselves a nice little picnic on a long in the middle of the beautiful rainforest jungle, accompanied by many ants bees, spiders and other creatures. Despite the fact that I was hot and sweaty and tired, it was a lovely time and will always be a special memory.

Every now and then a guy carrying a load of wood or something else would pass by. It was the same guy several times going back and forth to retrieve stuff, and when he asked us what we were doing we told him we were having a picnic and explained to him what it was. He liked the idea, and told his other three friends about what we were doing. When we were finishing and he passed by again, we invited him to have a seat and take part in our 'picnic.' He was most happy and told his friends when they came along, "come have some of the picnic." We gave him our leftovers of our picnic supplies and the four of them shared it amongst themselves. 

Mama Yvonne

Mama Yvonne has had respiratory problems for the past few months and has been in and out of the hospital. She's from an Aka village about four miles out of town and she doesn't like being at the hospital, but it's been necessary at times. Sarah S. has been taking care of her, getting her the right medicine, showing her how to use an inhaler, and providing for other needs. I've gotten to know Mama Yvonne too and have visited her at her house in the village a few times. She also came to live with us for a little while a few months back.

So let me learn...

...that the cross precedes the crown... to be low is to be high....that the valley's where you make me more like Christ.

Gipsia Duvai

Gipsia is one of my little neighbor girls that loves coming over every night when I get home. She's about six years old and very sweet. Her older siblings, mom and other family members are pretty hard on her, and one of her older sisters in particular is always saying discouraging things to her and in front of her. Often several of them come over at the same time, and I noticed whenever Gipsia came over with them she was very quiet and almost never said a word, but loved just sitting with me. She has a really special place in my heart, and I wanted to get to know her better. One day she came over by herself, without the other siblings and she talked a lot. I invited her to spend the night with me, but her mom said she wet the bed every night. No big deal. When it came time for bed I had her go to the bathroom, then I put a piece of plastic and some towels down under her and we slept together in the big bed. I woke her up twice in the night to go to the toilet, and in the morning the bed was dry. She didn't say much about it, but I could tell she was surprised and happy. I told her to tell her mom. We had breakfast together and I went off to work and she went home. I was very thankful for such a great opportunity to spend time with her one-on-one!

Being flexible is a real plus...

Last night I had the family of one of our hospital staff over for dinner. They live in the same quartier as me, and it's only about a five minute walk from their house to mine. I cooked one of my usual "close as possible to Congolese" dinners for them. Three of the neighbor girls showed up just before supper time, and then when the family actually came there were four kids instead of three. (They only have three children but they brought an extra). Thankfully there was enough food, even though I'd been planning to just cook for five people and not nine. Anyway, I was happy to have them and we had a nice evening together, despite the fact that the two littlest ones poured their food all over the floor, dropped cookie crumbs everywhere and then peed on the front porch because they thought the toilet was broken. (It is, but you can flush it by pouring water in). I have a great life. Really. And I can thank my mother for her example of accepting inconviences and trials with thankfullness. Like I said, being flexible is a real plus around here.

This Broken World

It was just one of those days... We had twin babies brought in, one who needed surgery due to the fact that some of her intestines were in the umbilical cord. She died the next day. In the midst of doing dressing changes I received a little girl who'd been hit by a motorcycle. Her leg was bleeding profusely and it took a while to get it under control. She cried and screamed the whole time. Then there was a six-year-old kid who was in critical condition, coughing up all sorts of fluid, on oxygen, not breathing well, barely hanging in there. And a guy was brought in who'd shot himself with an AK-47. All we could do was clean his wound and try to get him out of here on the next plane. It was a two day wait. And these people have names. And families. And lives...And their pain becomes ours and we are reminded daily of the brokenness of this world.

Thursdays

Woke up early. Carried peanuts, bread and bananas for some of the sick people at the hospital in my bicycle basket. Had a nice ride along the river. Didn't get hit by a motorcycle or a truck. Chapel. Morning report. Two babies born in the night. Food deliveries. Dressing changes. Conversations with friends, families of sick people. Physical therapy. Informal counseling. Errands to run. Walked back and forth in the heat. Don't get sunburned easily thankfully. 4:00 came fast. Day's work finished at the hospital, off on my bike again. House visits in Impfondo Village. Medicines to deliver. Groceries to buy. Little kids waiting for me at home. Coloring pages, dirty feet, cups of water. Dark came quickly. Kids went home. Tomorrow we do it again.

Erin

I had a nice surprise the other day when Erin and her baby Josiah came to the hospital to see me. Josiah was the first baby I delivered here. They had come to see me and hopefully meet my dad, but were a few weeks too late for that, unfortunately. Still, it was nice to see them again after several months, and to see how big Josiah is getting!

Risk

Noah, Isabelle, Dr. Harvey and I spent several hours two nights in a row playing Risk. The game seemed like it would never end, but finally around 11:00 on the second night Dr. Harvey proved triumphant.

First three surgeries...

...and then bananas for lunch behind the Bloc.

 

And then more surgeries. No more bananas, however.

"It filled me with joy"

I walked back from the hospital today, because the truck said it was going back at 7:00 and I wanted to get home sooner than that. After an hour of walking, just as I was nearing home, the truck passed me, so I guess it changed its mind. 

Instead of going straight to the house I stopped by Pascal and Pamela’s first. (Pascal is one of the carpenters who works at the hospital) All three kids were there, as well as Pamela’s younger sister. Pamela had me sit down and set a bowl of mfufu and a bowl of something else in front of me. This was only my second time visiting them at their house, but she was very happy that I'd come. Then she poured a glass of water and got a bucket for me to wash my hands. “I cooked this for you,” she said, when she presented the food. I wasn't expecting her to feed me, but I was very grateful and humbled by her kindness. When someone so poor offers what they have it's a beautiful thing. 

So I saw there in a very dark hut and ate mfufu and some greasy, unrecognizable kind of meat and drank unfiltered water and was utterly thankful.When we finished, she walked me all the way home, and sat with me in the house for a while by candlelight. Our water is working again, but our lights and toilet aren't.

The next morning when I saw Pascal at work he came up to me and said, "It filled me with joy that you came to sit with us in our house." Even the little things you do can be so worth it.

Work Goes On

A good sight: a child who was very malnourished eating:

My adopted little sister Helena and I, hanging out after the day's work is finished.

Encouraging Bouanerquez to eat:

The view from my latest abode: The wound care room, where I have spent many hours these past few days.

Some of the guys at work on one of our hospital trucks:

Nkolo apesaka...

...Nkolo azungisaka.

. 

Nkolo akumisama.

Twins again

This week we had twins born by C-section. Some of us made bets on whether they would be boys or girls. The Maternity nurse guessed right, a boy and a girl, so she got the dollar. :) As it turned out, I received the girl, who did not come out crying or breathing. A few long seconds later after suctioning out her mouth and nose, giving her oxygen and trying to stimulate her to breathe, she did, and by the time I carried her to Maternity she was doing fine. The other nurse received the boy, who came out just fine, so he helped me with the girl. I think the mom named the babies after us; Kate and Orcxance.

(I know the photo's blurry but that's what happens when most people have never taken a photo before, let alone held a camera. :)

Raphaella

 

M.A.F.

Goodbye to Father! He hitched an M.A.F. flight out of Impfondo due to the fact that there were no other planes to take.

Sunday Morning the Churchbell Rings...

Some snapshots of a typical Sunday morning after the church service at our hospital chapel. We like to hang around and talk, and take pictures and catch up on the latest goings on.

Chip providing entertainment via his ipad:

 

Father and Siko admiring Raphaella's sweet new shades:

Masky’s kids: Mervede (who has finally decided to become my friend) and Adonai:

The two Johns:

Marianna and Kevin both slept through the service:
 

Father and I in front of the chapel