The Place Where Lightning Strikes

Hey!

I have now been in Mongu for just under two weeks. The local people are just darling! Everyone says hello with such large smiles, it is hard to not feel anything but welcomed. Feelings of welcome are especially so at the hospital and clinics that we work at.

Maggie and I at Lewanika General Hospital

The community struggles with resources. Experiences during our first week in the hospital discovered many supplies that had either completely run out, or were dangerously low (ex: gloves, IV fluids, tourniquets for starting IVs, sharps containers, etc). Last week I was practicing in the theatre (operating room) and we had to cancel all non-emergency cases because we had no IV fluids to replace blood loss. Another challenge is blood. Many patients need blood transfusions - BUT, due to very low numbers of random blood donation, almost all blood has to come from family members (and that's IF they are compatible!) I was informed this week, that many places in the country of Zambia had completely run out of Malaria testing kits - this is dangerous as there has been an increased incidence of positive Malaria cases.

But, seriously, the nurses and staff here are some of the most resourceful people I have ever seen. They make due with what they have and do the best that they know how to. This week I had the privledge of being placed at Sefula clinic. Sefula is a village approximately a 30 minute cab ride from Mongu. One of the nurse/midwives there (named Precious), is very much so! She taught us how to do triage screening, malaria testing, and showed us where the HIV screening and counselling take place. Patients of the clinic can walk 40km for a visit to receive care from the nurses and receive medications!!!!!!!!....... Today we were able to join in on the family planning session and administer Depo shots to many females from the community. When speaking about this with my peer (and life wife) Maggie, she was informed today that many women have to hide this from their husbands because it to many males, any form of birth control is extremely unacceptable.

However, there is so much beauty in this country. What had stood out to me was how important relationships/friends are. It is not uncommon for our cab or mini bus drivers to stop mid-trip to say a quick hello and give a loving embrace to someone that they know. This past Sunday, we walked 15 minutes down our road to the sand soccer field in the hopes of playing a game.... as we walked, many young children yelled Makuwa!!! (white person), and soon enough we were walking with infants on our backs, and approx. 34-40 children in a group to the field. Our game lasted almost an hour (but our, I mean there - I was to busy taking pictures) and man did the Canadians get their butt kicked - but the joy all over the local children,s faces made us quickly forget the score! ---- slowing life down, not overbooking myself and spending more time with family and friends is something I am hoping to remain mindful of when I return back home. We always complain at how busy we are - but realistically, it's our own faults and we are the only ones who can change that! Minimalism.....

The landscape is incredibly stunning. I have an obsession with the sunsets here - they are art MASTERPIECES!.. The Zambezi Flood Plain provides such a beautiful background to everything, and no picture could ever do it justice. The hope is that this weekend we will be able to hire a boat to take us out on the river that divides the plain - fingers crossed!!!

Originally, we were to leave Mongu on the 9th or April, BUT, they recently announced that on the 8th will be the first Kuomboka (King's) ceremony in several years. Apparently thousands of people will come from all over the country (and world) to be of witness - meaning the roads out of town will be terrible, and that's IF the buses run. We were strongly encouraged by our instructors to make plans to leave earlier on the Wednesday instead of the Sunday. As a result, we have pushed back our trip to Livingstone (Victoria Falls) and will head that way on the 5th! Last night we booked an overnight Safari through Botswana for the Thursday - Yay!

Even more exciting, VERY, VERY soon after, (April 10th), my husband will be beginning his journey to meet us in Cape Town, South Africa to continue travelling with us - BLISS! I miss you Daniel Paul Bryant! Xx

Lots of love!

- E

last nights rainbow over our compound

walking down our the road we live down ("having a sundowner"/a couple drinks!)