If you can't smell the flowers...

Eat them.

Bits of News

We have two medical students and a nurse arriving from the States today. That's going to be pretty great for the hospital!

Our doctor from India decided to spend the day in the jungle today. We are all hoping he survives the experience and comes back unharmed.

I have finished the first batch of "plumpy nut" and bagged about half of it. I've started doing this since the lady who used to moved away last week.

This week I welcomed baby number 61! #blessed

This girl has a very serious foot wound and a bone infection, but she is starting to smile much more often these days.

I am thankful that I only have to do one day at a time.

Please keep praying for us and all the staff here. We need it!

Bokata

On Sunday we went to the Aka village of Bokata for a church service and a walk in the jungle.

Quotes

(some left anonymous intentionally to protect the guilty. Others are translated from Lingala.)

“There’s a goat in Maternity!” -Liliane

Kate: You don’t think the party went well?

Hannah: “Well the fact that it started three and a half hours later than it was supposed to is kind of funny.”

“I’m trying to think of my gains and losses.. I can’t do Lingala right now!” -Kate

“Girl, I never use a sim card; how would I know?” - Hannah

“Unless you could come at it from a different angle and convince them that you’re national… it wouldn’t really work.” - Hannah

“We’re not Job…We don’t have diseases.”

“Hannah was pregnant with twins the other day.”

“Why is your bike so bad? I nearly ran it into the theater earlier.” - Dr. Paul

“You’re like a goat gynecologist, so you would know better than me.”

“Once you have a baby, then you won’t get sick as much, because you share half the sickness with the baby.” 

“If I die will you cry for me and drink coffee?” - Adonai

“It’s like when you go into one of the wards at night…and all you see is mosquito nets and bodies.” -Hannah

“Marie Rose, Rufin and Rapunzel were here today and they let the animals in.” -Urbain

“Kate’s first child will be a boy and she’ll name him Boniface.” - Boniface 

“I’m in Maternity with the older sister of the Princess Who Got Lost.” -Urbain

“Girl, I take prenatal vitamins every day.” -Hannah

“Morning. Good, I will do that. Thanks.”

“Yeah people would appreciate it. Stick it up in Pediatrics.” -Hannah

“Twice today I asked these ladies “how old are you?” and they looked at their husbands and asked, how old am I?” - Esther

“That makes two for minimal fish.” - Dr. Paul

“Kate, you’re getting fat and pretty.” - Boniface

“He had a pursed stomach.”

“Why is the interpreter not talking?” 

“Dr. Thorpe wants your parents’ phone number.” - Charles

“It’s your fault I’m pregnant. You talked about it too much.”

This morning while I was doing laundry in the front yard, Mama Anne came rushing out of her house carrying her pots and pans.

She quickly put them down in the front yard and poured gasoline into them. The ants had struck again - this time filling her kitchen.

 It seems they take turns, coming into my house one day, and a few days later, invading the neighbors.

Last night we went and attempted to do away with the nest. Hopefully we will be left in peace for a while.

Some of us before morning report

Charnelle (midwife) and Boniface (surgeon assistant)

 Papa Augustin

You Can Hear Them Coming

Well the Siafu invaded again last night. I didn’t hear them coming (yes you can hear them when awake) and I didn’t wake up till they were starting to bite me. Then I woke up real fast, and I could hear them crawling all over my bedroom - so I got out and found them all through the living room too. 

The smaller ants were thick on the walls - they were running from the Siafu. The spiders and cockroaches had all come out of hiding as well - knowing their lives were in danger.

I put on my clothes, poured some kerosine around on the floor, grabbed my keys and escaped. It was 2am.

The only place to go to spend the rest of the night was Maternity. This meant waking Charnelle up and asking for refuge. She welcomed me and helped me find a mosquito net and a blanket to cover up the very uncomfortable bed where we do prenatal checkups. She offered me the other bed, where she had been sleeping, but I would not have it. 

We settled back down for the night and there were no interruptions or ladies coming in during the night. 

I slept a little off and on until about 5:30 am, and then I headed home. The ants were gone - all except for the dead ones in pools of kerosine. I made some coffe and commenced to cleaning up. 

Dr. Latha

Dr. Latha has been here since November, and she is such a blessing. She is a surgeon/anesthesiologist from India and has done a lot of surgeries and wound care and stitched people up.

She got up early every morning - spending hours in prayer before each work day. She worked hard and still found time to bake special treats for our team gatherings.

She left today to go home. Everyone here says she will be back. I hope so. Thank you Dr. Latha! We miss you!