This week has been a busy one! I've been trying to get to post something sooner, but every time I got to the internet place they smile and say 'no connection', or they are closed. When you ask when the connection will come back, they just smile at you. They are always very pleasant though! Things here are quite random. Even the electricity is hit and miss. The power goes out at least once a day. I have been very grateful for my head lamp! Some of the rooms where we do dressings are very poorly lit as well, so it's been handy working with the head lamp to remove foreign objects and sutures from wounds. The sun goes down pretty early as well, so generally, it's one of my favorite gadgets.
I've been spending most of my days in the clinic or dressing wounds on the men's ward. I am constantly amazed by the stories I hear and the things that I witness on a daily basis. Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday we do outpatient clinics. So, people come from the outside to come and have their wounds dressed. It's always very busy. One man came into the clinic the other day and I was shocked by the smell of his wound. It literally made my eyes water. One of the Tanzenian guys that I was working with said "OOOOh! The smell greets you from a distance!" I couldn't have said it better! Anyway, this poor man had been wearing socks, and no shoes. Seeing as how he is homeless, and it rains 2-3 times a day here, he was constantly wet. The socks were almost grown into his shins. It took some effort to get them off. When I did, I was witness to a fungal infection of unreal proportions! I SO wish I could take pictures of some of this stuff because it really defies description!
So, needless to say, I told him NOT to put any socks on anymore and scrubbed him as best as we could. I sent him on his way with an anti fungal cream. He was so pleased! He has come back every day since and personally requests me. Everyone else is happy to oblige! Lucky me!
Some of the wounds that we dress on the wards are pretty complex. Sometimes I wonder if we're doing much to help them at all. The other day, I asked Sister if any physicians ever come to address some of these wounds. She took quite a bit of time with me and told me some of the stories of the men. It really was sad to hear! Most of the men have been either abandonned by their families because of mental illness, dimensia, epilepsy, physical deformity or extreme illness. Some of them have sought out treatment at several health care facilities, but because they were unable to pay for the treatments, were kicked out of the hospitals and banned from returning. Now, the wounds and infections have grown so severe, their bodies so weak from malnutrition and disease, they are awaiting death. The sisters do their best to offer pain control and comfort, but there's no a lot you can do to help them anymore. From a western mindset, it's very hard to reconcile that! At home, I'm taught to treat, cure and actively manage illness. Here, I'm forced to pray, love, comfort and await death. It's very emotionally draining!
Having said that though, the work is very rewarding. I have an opportunity to show love to people in a very tangible way. Although there is a language barrier, and I can't always communicate with them, I AM able to touch them and hold their hands and wash them. It's a very different way to communicate, but it's very effective. Looking into their eyes, I know that they are understanding what I am trying to do for them.
It sounds like I'll be sticking around Addis for a while. I asked Sister the other day if she still wanted us to go to Dire Dawa, but she said no. Our volunteer numbers have decreased and we are only 3 women and 4 men. So, I guess I'll stay here until they tell me otherwise. I've taken a bit of time to do some exploring of the city and I feel like I'm getting a bit more oriented to where things are. The city is actually not that big, and there is a great mini bus system that helps you get around for relatively cheap. We went to mass at a local parish yesterday, and it was nice! They had a great choir. We walked around that area of town afterwards, and had some GREAT coffee, but most everything was closed as it was Sunday.
So that's my report. Things are going well. My health is good, my spirits are high and I'm enjoying the work. I'm still praying that the rains will end soon (everyone keeps saying soon). I had to do laundry and we're going on 3 days for my t-shirts to dry.
Send me your comments and questions. Sometimes I forget to include things, but if you're interested in hearing about anything in particular, please let me know.
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