My Journey

The last month and a half is really a kind of blur.  I left Tanzania on October 2nd to go back to the states for a 5 week furlough.  The goals of the trip were:  1) see family; 2) raise funds; 3) go to a CHE seminar.  I knew that 5 weeks would go by fast, but fast does not describe what actually happened. As we all know, God's plan is perfect and he knows before we do what is before us.  When I arrived in Oklahoma, my mother had just had a simple outpatient rotator-cuff repair on her right shoulder.  What we thought would be no big deal turned into a roller coaster of medical issues for her. Over the time I was at home she went through 2 surgeries, a multitude of other health issues and was in the hospital for 3 weeks.  We all are so thankful to God for having me already in the states when all of this occurred.  Mother is now recovering at home and getting a little stronger every day.  God is good!! So goal number one was accomplished as...

September is almost gone and my writing has again been poor.  Not writing does not mean that nothing important is happening...it means I have been Busy!  I will try to show you the work in pictures with just a few words. These are the "behind the scenes" guys.  The estate workers.  Some are carpenters, plumbers, electricians, mechanics, ditch workers and machine shop workers.  They work wherever needed.  I can keep them busy by myself and yet I am only one of many who require their help daily!  Pediatric patients lining up for physician rounds.   Paulina, a med student from Germany and Dr. Peter seeing pediatric patients   Leda keeps our medical stores in order.  She and I are planning to put the inventory on computer and design a more efficient system for ordering supplies each month.  Currently it is taking two - three days to determine what supplies are needed. This is the out-patient waiting area....

WOW!  REALLY!  Has it been that long since I sent you an update??!! I promise that I have NOT been on vacation or takin` it easy..... We have been working on a lot of organizational and accounting issues for the past 3 weeks as well as continuing to improve the hospital environment.  In accounting, we are working on a better general ledger spreadshead which will assist us with keeping a closer eye on our income and expenses.  Also, we are developing a new system for our Outpatient accounts where the monies will be collected in the accounting department instead of in the pharmacy.  We would like for our pharmacist to be focused on pharmacy and not accounting functions AND it is wiser to have the monies all collected in the same secure area. To accomplish the Outpatient Accounting changes, we are making some minor updates and changes to the accounting office.  We are adding a second collection window so we will have one window for Inpatient Accounting and...

Fire (moto) and children (watoto).....like oil and water, they don't mix.  Every day, I hear the cries of the children who have been burned as they get their dressings changed.  I go in and hold their little hands, talk softly to them and silently pray for God to take away their pain and fear. This is "Traines" and her mother.  During the dry season, many grass fires are started and many children find themselves to close.  Their clothing catches on fire and then the little ones are burned.  Traines has 3rd degree burns to her body, right arm and left leg.  She is 4 years old and just a sweet as she can be.  This is 3 year old Akishel.  I haven't quite figured his burns out.  I was told he was burned in a rubbish bin fire.  I didn't want to show you the burns because they are so bad, so I took the picture after we had put the silvadene and dressings on.  I would tell Akishel "pole sana" which means "very sorry" and he would t...

It always amazes me at the wonderful things God created in this world of His.  All around the globe are many beautiful splendors which many of us know about.  However, there are untold numbers of wonders created for our pleasure which are enjoyed by a few.  God's Bridge is hidden in the south of Tanzania and is completely natural and full of God's handiwork.  As you all know, pictures can never capture all of the beauty but I will share the pictures I have.   We walked up this rocky path.  I really wasn't sure where I was being lead to, but I was trusting my guides they were taking to see something awesome.  The path was a little steep, VERY uneven and quite intriguing.   After the climb up, we leveled off a little and then came to the steep steps down....Here the grass was gress and I could see a river.  It was starting to really catch my eye.  (however, I was not doing too well at catching my breath!  Whew, I am out...

The Masai have many traditions.  We were invited to join the tribe at Matebete for the celebration they hold when their boys become men.  We enjoyed an afternoon and evening as they butchered and cooked a cow.  We sat under the shade of a tree enjoying the quiet of the outdoors while the Masai served us a wonderful meal. We were then taken on a tour of the village and shown where the cow was skinned and butchered.  And then we watched as they cooked the beef and rice dishes.  It was such a great treat to be able to spend time with them.   This pile of black is the skin of the cow which was cooked for our eating pleasure.... Here you see where the meat has been cut into smaller pieces for cooking.  This is a small room in a mud house of one of  the villagers.  Note that it is laying on the dirt floor covered only with some dry corn stalks.   Some of the local women were dancing while the food was cooking....