Beautiful Rain

Today I woke up early enough to do laundry, but the sun didn’t come out, and as soon as I hung the laundry up to dry, I took it back in. Within a few minutes it was raining. 

I think I know what it’s like to be a wet, cold rag. Today it rained almost non-stop. But unfortunately I couldn’t just stay int he house and be cozy. I kept getting called to administration for different things. It is so inconvenient being a key holder. A key holder may sound simple but it actually can be very frustrating, confusing and definitely not convenient. 

Anyway, back to feeling like a wet rag. I had lent my umbrella to one of the girls and hadn’t seen it since. Having an umbrella is a luxury but it really helps on days like these.

The rest of the day was spent doing random errands and jobs that I get to do when I’m not officially working « at the hospital ». Oh but wait -  I live at the hospital. 

It was a good day overall, but reminded me of how damp and mushy everything always is, and how hard it is to completely dry anything out. 

But I remind myself that I love living in a place that is eternally summer, despite the mildew and mold. And on these days I listen to my rain song, which is called "Beautiful Rain" by Ladysmith Black Mambazo. If you haven't heard it, you should listen to it.

Just don’t sit still too long or you will most assuredly begin to mold as well.

Beautiful flowers

A little princess

Everyone loves this little girl Benonie. She gets a lot of attention. With two older brothers who attend to her every need, and the fact that she is the youngest - AND the only girl...yeah. 

We love having her around and she is especially attached to Esther these days.

Here she is enjoying being photographed on Papa Boniface's motorcycle after its had a good wash behind the Bloc.

Kimwanga Family

Meet the Kimwanga Family: Masky, Anne, Adonay, Mervede and Benonie. They serve here at Pioneer Christian Hospital as missionaries with Global Outreach Mission. They are my fellow missionaries, neighbors and family in Christ! They serve through medical ministry (nursing) as well as evangelism, showing Christian films, music ministry, preaching, counseling and mentoring teenage girls. To help support their ministry, go to: https://www.missiongo.org/donate/missionaries/roger-kimwangamasikini

Kimia Center

On Tuesday we had the opening ceremony and celebration for the Kimia Center. This was a very exciting and joyful event - and several patients from the hospital who have leprosy were transported to their brand new home.

The goal for the center is to share the gospel and disciple the people who come there. Right now all of them are Aka pygmy people. They come from the jungle and often from spiritual darkness. The jungle people live closer to the spirit world - they are more affected by witchcraft, are deeper into animism than a lot of people in town. So the Kimia center will be a place of light and hopefully freedom from spiritual bondage.

The other main goal of the center is treat the people who are suffering from leprosy,  educate them about their illness and how to take their medications, and help them with self-care.

Esther carrying muffins from the place we bought them to the center.

Some of the hospital staff listening to the speeches

Kende Malamu Andreas!

Last night we had a going away party for one of the hospital staff, Andreas, who is moving to another town to continue his education. He wants to keep on studying nursing and advance to the next level. 

We had a lot of people over; more than we expected, and ended up pretty much running out of food. But it went well and I think everyone got enough and had a good time. :) 

Here is a photo of some of the guests:

After enjoying a big meal together and taking some pictures, we prayed for Andreas and then went around the circle and each person had a chance to ask him a question (or two) and then offer some advice. 

We will definitely miss his cheerful presence, his love for photography and his unique hats. 

Kende malamu…Nzambe apambola yo!

The Bloc

Here are a few pics of the team at work...

Rufin and Boniface

Esther getting practice circulating. Esther works in the Bloc on Tuesdays and Fridays and she's been a great help to the team.

I make an occasional appearance in the Bloc for C-sections - usually in the middle of the night. 

Here I am (as the nurse from Maternity) waiting to receive a baby.

Esther and Marie Rose

I used to spend a lot of time working the Bloc as the "circulating nurse," and these are some of the best people I know!!! Now I spend most of my time in Maternity and Pediatrics - and doing other random jobs...but I still enjoy hanging out with the Bloc team and my ministry partner Marie Rose (who is also the nurse anesthetist). She is one amazing lady. Lately she has been inspiring me to be joyful in all circumstances. If she can have joy anyone can.

Outdoors

My faithful bike and Esther's shoes...

Cucumbers I planted are starting to grow...

My Birthday

This morning I slept in a little bit, since I wasn’t planning on working at the hospital much today. At about 6 I realized I wouldn’t be able to sleep anymore so I made myself get up. Feeling kind of foggy headed and sleepy I walked to the bathroom and then came back and brushed my teeth. I started making pancakes for breakfast so Hannah and Esther could have some before they left for work.  

Esther had made my place look nice like we do at home:

While it was still early and I was fumbling about the kitchen, some of my friends arrived with chicken they'd cooked for me and a bucket of sugar rolls. It was a nice surprise.

The rest of the morning was very relaxing. Pancakes and coffee with Hannah, while Esther headed to the Bloc for the morning. Then I washed the tablecloth, tidied up the house and rode my bike to the market to buy meat. I was able to get the meat as Mama Anne had described and for the correct price. I also got some onions and cucumbers. I was hot and sticky by the time I got home, but I put the meat in Bethlehem and went back to the house. Some little girls were there waiting for me to put bandaids on injured toes and give them notebooks for school. After that I sat down to read my Bible for a bit - and then Adonai came over for a piano lesson - which we did on their little rinky-dink keyboard they have.

Esther did most of the cooking, and I helped some…but mostly I was able to sit around and drink coffee and make the house look nice for the party. Of course everyone was late because of the rain. The party was supposed to be at 3:30 but the first guest did not arrive till after 4pm. And the rest didn’t come till after 5:30. Typical African style and the added rain made people even later.

We ended up having lots of friends, neighbors, a few patients' relatives and a random toddler one of my friends picked up on his way over to the house.

The party was a great success. We had tons of people and lots of good food. Esther also broke out her candy storage which was much enjoyed by all. Some people were even sighted eating skittles with a spoon. 

Hannah and Berchavie

Cutting the cake that my friends made for me

After everybody ate we played games. We played pick up sticks and Spoons and then when a few of the guests left but we still had a good crowd we played the fish bowl game. It was the most enthusiastic, loud and wild game of fish bowl I have ever played. It was incredibly noisy and we all laughed so much.

My friend Chaldie who is also one of the midwives here:

Mushrooms

I learn something new every day. 

Today I learned from my neighbors that you can eat the little white mushrooms that grow around the moist and shady areas of the yard. 

That was a nice discovery, and I helped pick some for supper. 

I love learning about what you can just find growing anywhere that can be cooked and eaten - and I have lots of friends to help me make the discoveries and teach me how to cook the Congolese way.

Justine

Through the weeks I have been able to watch this young girl heal physically and emotionally and today she and her family went home. 

From crying uncontrollably and refusing to talk - to interacting with everyone, laughing and talking to us all, the transformation has been beautiful. 

Their family has it harder than most. The dad has never come around in the months they have been here. With four other children besides Justine, no money for hospital bills, an absent husband and ragged clothes, this mom has always had a smile on her face and a cheerful spirit. 

One Sunday morning she stood up in chapel and publicly praised the Lord for the healing He has done in Justine's life. All her words were full of thanksgiving. I was overcome and cried at the glory of God here on earth.

Justine leaving is bittersweet. She will live with the terrible scars for the rest of her life, but her spirit is much recovered and her joy has returned. We are thankful.

Since we live right next to the post-op wards (which is where she was), it was kind of like family members moving away. Justine, Apo, Louise, Aretsia and Martha were like little siblings. They came over all the time and we spent so many hours doing physical therapy and games with Justine and the rest of them. They also often joined in my sessions with the other teenage girls, and Justine spent many happy hours with crayons and coloring books in my living room. I miss her already, but I am so joyful that God miraculously healed her.

Life with an Outdoor Toilet

Otherwise known as the Squatty Potty or Pit Latrine

It is a simple tin shed with a cement floor and a square hole, with a brick on each side for your feet. There is a lock on the door to keep patients out, and a key to let us in. We have a key and our neighbors have a key. The three of us at our house share this bathroom with a family of five. That’s only eight people which is only the number of younger siblings I have. So it works quite well.

Some days there are small naked children squatting over the hole and the door is wide open. 

Well, the door doesn’t really shut when you are on the inside - so you hope that no one else will disturb your privacy.

Some days it is full of flies. Buzzing and swarming around the hole. The hotter it is, the more flies. 

At night we take the lantern and set it on the ground by the toilet paper box, which is cardboard and given to holding moisture. The toilet paper does its best to hold its own. 

In the darkness lurk the cockroaches and lizards.

Patients from the hospital occasionally have been known to meander over to the squatty potty shed, then, finding it locked, pee or poop a bit too close for comfort.

Sometimes the visitor is a large rat, walking very slowly around the perimeter as I quickly do my business and get out. 

We have a bucket sink behind the house to wash hands before going back inside. We refill the sink from the outdoor faucet, because the bucket sink is just what it sounds like. A bucket with a spout.

The worst days are the diarrhea days - when the walk to the shed seems too long, and the lock doesn’t unlock quick enough - and the stomach pain is great and the trips frequent.

And at 2am....Yes, one must get out of bed and fumble for the key and lantern and go to the outhouse. Just like in the good old days...which I happen to be too young to know about. 

When it’s pouring rain and nature calls there’s nothing for it but to plunge through the torrential downpour and hope no one else had the same idea.

Anyway, I am quite adapted to our “bathroom shed,” and quite content.

My teenage girls

This afternoon I had a big group of girls over. We read through and studied Ephesians chapter 2. We also did crocheting and jewelry making. They really love doing things with their hands, but they’ve pretty much run me out of yarn!

I am so thankful for this time with the girls. 

After a long day at work, an unexpected C-section and then some other issues that came up last minute - I go home to find a bunch of girls waiting for me at my house. 

I’m already tired and not sure I’m up to fifteen teenagers all with their own opinions about things.

It’s a little chaotic and disorganized, and definitely crowded. 

But when we all finish up and I ask one of the girls to close our gathering in prayer, and she prays for me, I am reminded how blessed I am.

And I get to do this every Monday!

The Pharmacy

Learning to work in the hospital pharmacy...

Our pharmacy tech has been on vacation so with some re-arranging of the schedule we found someone else to fill the place - but for a few days there was a gap, so they asked me to fill that position.

I didn't really know much about how to do this work, but I figured it out as best as I could. Once I memorized where on the shelves on the medications were, it became a lot easier.

Our nursing supervisor Urbain helped me out a lot. 

Still, it's a pretty big job to fill all the prescriptions and restock the medication carts and keep track of everything.

When it got to busy to leave, Esther would bring water and snacks. :)

Snapshots

Saying goodbye to the Samoutou Family. www.newsightcongo.com. 

 Celebrating the birthday of one of our pastors here at the hospital. We all shared donuts and juice at the cafeteria.

Early mornings in Maternity with smiling Rodney. So much joy!

Andrew and Grace with a friend they made at the hospital

My teenage girls group taking out the braids in Esther’s hair. This is a process that can take several hours but with many hands to help it goes by faster.

No Such Thing As Privacy

We live at a hospital. Or in a hospital. I’m not sure exactly which. Our house is right next to the post-op wards. That means we can see everything that goes on there, but it also means that all the patients, family members and visitors have a perfect view of our house, front door, clothesline and bathroom shed. The only place that is private and out of sight is the chicken yard, which is a fence of tall bamboo stems with a wooden door. I kind of like the chicken yard.

Anytime I wash dishes (which I do at the outdoor faucet usually) or do laundry, or go in and out of the house, everyone can see me. They can see everything that goes on, and the neighbors have a constant flow of people as well. Usually there are people hanging out in our front yard. 

I am getting used to it. I love my neighbors, and my house is just about perfect. I have felt more and more at home here as the weeks pass. It almost feels like I’ve been here a long time, and that I’ve known everyone forever.

The other night we had a party just for fun, and enjoyed eating dinner and playing games with a lot of our friends who work at the hospital. So we don't get much time to ourselves, and life is chaos a lot of the time, but it's wonderful and it’s pretty much like being with family.