April 26, 2008 Saturday

Wendy Ryan writing:

Today was our 5th clinic since we arrived in Zambia. Mansansa is a community of roughly 2000 people. The clinic was held in their school, which their community built two years ago. It is made from split logs and is laid out with the rooms right next to each other, making it a long building with a small front porch running the length of the building with an overhang providing shelter from the rain and sun. The team expressed that this was, by far, the nicest setting we have held clinic in so far during this trip. It was also the most organized from a community setting. Mr. Peter Zimba, the Health Coordinator of Mansansa and pastor of the United of Church of Zambia in the village, really helped to organize the running of the clinic. He had about a dozen “volunteers” from their community helping us with interpreting and other tasks. Each portion of the clinic (triage, doctor exam, testing, wound care and pharmacy) needs a translator and we were blessed with some wonderful translators today. The translator for pharmacy (where I work with 3 other women) was a woman named Elizabeth. She is the wife of Mr. Peter Zimba and is also the village Birth Attendant (mid-wife). She was just wonderful! Our translators are all great! They “stick it out with us” all day long through the heat, dust and crying babies and don’t expect anything in return. We do give them small things like bottled water, ink pens and maybe a protein bar --- all of which brings a huge smile to their faces. They help us and their village out of the kindness of their hearts. That is one thing I have found here over and over again ---very kind and gentle hearts.

The village was ready and waiting for us when we arrived. They were already in line and greeted us with huge smiles. We unloaded and began serving their health needs within
15 – 20 minutes. We have our routine down and get things going a fast as possible. We also gave out beans today to everyone that came to the clinic --- roughly 500. We didn’t have bags for them to put their beans in, but that didn’t matter. They will put beans in their hats or wrap them in their shetanges, but will always find a way to bring them home. They are such a gracious people. When you give them a pound or two of beans, they bow their heads with deep gratitude.

I’m going to hand the blog over to Chriss, who works in the pharmacy with me. She will add a few more stories from the day. Just in case I don’t get another chance to write in the blog, I want you all to know that your family & friends that are on this team are totally incredible --- all of them! I feel so blessed to be part of this!

Chriss writing—

What a long and satisfying day it has been. We arrived to a very orderly group – all lined up and sitting quietly, just waiting for us. I have learned so very much since coming. I work in the pharmacy with Karen, filling prescriptions, and trying to help in any way possible. Every day has been filled to the brim with people in need. Today, we had a young woman in her 20’s who had been widowed about 13 months ago. She had an 11 month old son and 2 other young sons. All the boys were dehydrated and malnourished and so very weak that it was difficult for them to walk to where we were. We provided them with dehydration packs – but that was the tip of the iceberg of what they needed. By the time she left, she carried a bag with rice, beans, meds, hats (it is cold here in the winter months), my shirt and lunch. (To my family: please don’t worry. I borrowed Wendy’s tank top and wore that while she wore an outer shirt.) My low tonight is that I didn’t have more in my rucksack to give her. In the future, I will carry more clothing with me.

Another man in his early 40’s was suffering from pneumonia. He had fallen twice on his way to see us and it had taken him 30 minutes to walk to the clinic. We were able to provide him with meds and with a safe place to sleep for about 30 minutes before he began his journey home.

Early in the day, an older man and his grandson were presented to me – cutting the line with the help of a team member – needing attention asap. They had had a death in the family yesterday and the body was at home waiting for the funeral today. They were worried about waiting in our lines for attention, delaying the funeral. We filled their med list and they were on their way, back home, to conduct the funeral.

And so, we head for bed tonight, fulfilled again. I feel the prayer coverage of my family and friends. I feel the hands of my Disciples Sisters still warm on my shoulders. I know that without a doubt I am supposed to be here and I know why. I am so very grateful to my family for allowing me to come (and I promise I will come home as scheduled – but I am coming back), and I know I am being lifted and covered so very well.

Tomorrow is a great day of rest – thought we will head to George to see the children of the OMNI school once again!!!!

God’s peace,
Chriss Ross


Dear Family and friends of OMNI,

I am so blessed to have such a compassionate and skilled team to call OMNI. We have pushed forward with little sleep, getting up at 6 each am and coming back after 12- 14 hour work days to no electricity and little sleep ahead.

Each day we have seen the face of Jesus over and over again. In the mother who came to our first 15 minutes of clinic yesterday, wasting away from HIV with a child at her breast actively dying both. Each had desperate gazes at the other to connect saying “We are dying together.” I had the honor of creating a hydration room for 2 babies that needed intensive care, reluctantly leaving my new pharmacy team to care for the hundreds of patients in their line.

We eventually transported the 2 families by our OMNI care with Foster driving them to the Ndola Children’s Hospital. Each family was given K20,000 for food for 3 days. A mere $5.00. Foster assured me that it was “plenty”for Zambian people. As I escorted the families into the back of our OMNI car, the mother of Peter who was so sick, reached out to thank me in English. “Thank you” A whisper in my ear, and she left down the dusty road perhaps never to been seen by our team again.

Today, we ran out of Coartum, the third tier of malaria medication. For all of you who have contributed to OMNI for medications, we spent $900 yesterday just on this medication. Fansidar is no longer used in Zambia and this current drug is 3 X more expensive to buy and therefore, impossible for the poor to buy without our help. I fear that more will die for this disease this year.

Tomorrow on our only day off, we will go to George and fit Melvin for new crutches of which we could only get one, give medications, and follow up on the very ill from earlier this week. We are blessed here to do what we have done for God’s poor.

In His service,

Karen

p.s. I was so happy to reach my husband Steve and hear his voice!