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.