I got to be a part of a really special moment this week. One of our patients has cancer in his hip. His name is Aragow. Unfortunately, it's inoperable, and there is nothing we can do. We work very hard to manage his pain, but its very difficult with the medication we have available. The sisters are not licensed to carry many narcotics. This man cries out often. Especially when the sisters or I are in the room because he knows that we are the only one who give him pain medicine. I know that some of it IS real pain, but some of it is attention seeking as well. It's really challenging to be charitable to him sometimes. I can only imagine that the other men in the room grow very tired of his noises and carrying on. The other day, I went into the room, and it was eerily quiet. It's never quiet in that room. When I went to his bed, he didn't look good. His face was swollen, and his voice was very weak. Even though he often drives me crazy, my heart went out to him. I sat with him a while, and one of the sisters came in. She noticed that he wasn't doing well either. She called one of the workers, and we decided that we were going to pray for him. The worker clapped his hands, and immediately the room went silent, and everyone joined in praying for Aragow. It was so beautiful to see all the men praying for this man. Even though he is often the cause of huge disruption in the room, and is a very difficult person, they all cared enough to pray for him. It was so special to be a part of it. If nothing else, we were able to show Aragow that he is loved and that he is worthy of our time and care. I was concerned that he would pass away quickly, so I watched him very closely over the next few days. He has been quieter and a lot more patient with us and the workers. He seeks our attention less, and I'm more willing to spend extra time and care with him when he doesn't demand it all the time. It's amazing how much more peaceful that room has been since our special prayer time!
I would like to say that I'm getting excited for Christmas, but I"m not. It's hard to get excited about Christmas, when there are NO signs of it around. It's really weird because it IS a mostly Christian country. I don't think the weather helps, but I've been kind of confused by all of this. I went to mass on Sunday, thinking we would celebrate the first week of advent, but we didn't. THAT really confused me. THEN, I realized that we have been 2 weeks behind in the liturgy since I got here. Not only in Ethiopia, do they have their own calendar, their own time, but they ALSO have their own Christmas. They celebrate Christmas on January 7th (in our calendar). By this point, I shouldn't be surprised! ha ha So, as a result, I have to wait 2 more weeks for Advent to start, and then maybe things will get a bit more festive around here. I'm thankful that I didn't start seeing Christmas things in Oct, like we do back home, but I'm hopeful that there will be SOME decorations or sign of Christmas soon.
I tried again to post photos, but the internet connection is so choppy, they can't download. I"m getting my computer at the end of Dec, so I"m hopeful to share some pics with you then.
This post is short, I know. Its been a very full week, and I have a TON of stuff to do. Please continue to pray for me. I"m exploring the possibility of working with a small NGO here after my volunteer time with the sisters is over. Still trying to work out the details. Please pray that God would open or close doors as He sees fit.
Have a blessed Advent season!
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Friday, November 26, 2010
Its good to be here
I went to a movie last weekend. It was a nice treat. -yes, it was in English! I enjoyed it a lot, but it was disturbing at the same time. Being SO immersed in this culture that is SO different from N. America, I didn't realize how my perception of 'normal' had changed. For 2 hours, I entered a world that I had lived in for 30 years - but it was as though I was seeing it with new eyes. It was a small taste of what it would be like to go home. When the lights turned on and I found myself still in Africa, I was relieved. It was a good feeling. Another reminder that I am where I need to be.
Things have been busy around the compound. We've had quite a few very sick patients that have been challenging to care for. One of my very special patients died this week as well. He was a simple man, but so kind. Every morning he would call out to me 'farenji' (white person) as I passed and laugh and blow me kisses. He had a great laugh! What a great way to start the day. Tuesday, however, I didn't see him in the courtyard when I went for mass. When I was walking out of mass, Sr. told me he had died that morning. Thankfully, we were able to spend some time praying for him before they removed his body. It's hard to see my special patients go. Sometimes it makes me wonder who is making more of an impact; them on me or me on them. I'm almost positive its the 1st.
Community life at the compound with the other volunteers has grown more challenging. I'm looking to get my own place and am hopeful to move this weekend. Last week one of the patients got into the room where we hang our laundry. She tore 2 of my shirts and one skirt. In the grand scheme of things, not a big deal. BUT, when you only have 6 shirts, and you have to wash them by hand, loosing 2 is a big deal! Couple that with the fact that shopping here presents a whole new set of challenges. Finding something that you like, that fits adn that you can barter down to a reasonable price takes WAY more effort than running to the mall and picking a shirt off the shelf.
Many of you who know me, can appreciate how I value sleep. After 3 months of 5am wake ups by patients or loud music, repeated late night disturbances and as many as 7 other volunteers sleeping in the same room - I am anxious for some quality sleep. A REAL shower with hot water, a REAL toilet and some personal space are also plusses to having my own place.
The nurses that I've been teaching are now preparing for a big licensing exam. They are all very anxious. They write the theory portion in 2 weeks. If they pass, they have a practical portion later on. I"m confident that 2 of the boys will pass, but I'm not sure about the other 2. The sisters said that they can only hire those who pass. I was asking one of the nurses some questions about basic physiology. He's the weakest one, and he didn't know the answers. He knows he's struggling and he can see that the other boys are catching on faster adn that I give them more responsibility. He started to cry - it broke my heart. He frustrates me the most out of all of them, but I couldn't help but have compassion for him. He was telling me how much pressure he is under. He's the oldest of 10 children. His father works as a guard at one of the other MC houses. The sisters paid for his nursing school. Its his responsibility to get a job and to help his family financially adn younger siblings get an education. He told me that one of his brothers struggles with mental illness and lately has been out in public naked. It has brought a lot of shame to their family. The small business that his mother runs has lost most of its customers. He was pleading with me to petition his cause to the sisters to give him a job. It was heart wrenching! I already know that the sisters won't hire him. If he doesn't pass this exam, it will be very difficult to find a job. I can't imagine having that much responsibility placed upon me at 20 yrs old. Another very real reminder of how incredibly blessed my life has been!
There is so much need here. A day doesn't pass that I don't meet a child that should be in school, or a patient that needs treatment the either no one can afford or no one can perform. Hunger and malnutrition are everywhere. I feel like what I"m doing is such a small drop in such a huge bucket. I am grateful for the opportunity to experience all that I have. I know that my heart has changed in ways I can't even recognize. It brings me so much joy to serve the poor here. It reminds me every day to cherish each moment, accept everything as a gift and to choose to love in all circumstances. I still have so much to learn! Good thing I didn't buy a return ticket!!! :)
Things have been busy around the compound. We've had quite a few very sick patients that have been challenging to care for. One of my very special patients died this week as well. He was a simple man, but so kind. Every morning he would call out to me 'farenji' (white person) as I passed and laugh and blow me kisses. He had a great laugh! What a great way to start the day. Tuesday, however, I didn't see him in the courtyard when I went for mass. When I was walking out of mass, Sr. told me he had died that morning. Thankfully, we were able to spend some time praying for him before they removed his body. It's hard to see my special patients go. Sometimes it makes me wonder who is making more of an impact; them on me or me on them. I'm almost positive its the 1st.
Community life at the compound with the other volunteers has grown more challenging. I'm looking to get my own place and am hopeful to move this weekend. Last week one of the patients got into the room where we hang our laundry. She tore 2 of my shirts and one skirt. In the grand scheme of things, not a big deal. BUT, when you only have 6 shirts, and you have to wash them by hand, loosing 2 is a big deal! Couple that with the fact that shopping here presents a whole new set of challenges. Finding something that you like, that fits adn that you can barter down to a reasonable price takes WAY more effort than running to the mall and picking a shirt off the shelf.
Many of you who know me, can appreciate how I value sleep. After 3 months of 5am wake ups by patients or loud music, repeated late night disturbances and as many as 7 other volunteers sleeping in the same room - I am anxious for some quality sleep. A REAL shower with hot water, a REAL toilet and some personal space are also plusses to having my own place.
The nurses that I've been teaching are now preparing for a big licensing exam. They are all very anxious. They write the theory portion in 2 weeks. If they pass, they have a practical portion later on. I"m confident that 2 of the boys will pass, but I'm not sure about the other 2. The sisters said that they can only hire those who pass. I was asking one of the nurses some questions about basic physiology. He's the weakest one, and he didn't know the answers. He knows he's struggling and he can see that the other boys are catching on faster adn that I give them more responsibility. He started to cry - it broke my heart. He frustrates me the most out of all of them, but I couldn't help but have compassion for him. He was telling me how much pressure he is under. He's the oldest of 10 children. His father works as a guard at one of the other MC houses. The sisters paid for his nursing school. Its his responsibility to get a job and to help his family financially adn younger siblings get an education. He told me that one of his brothers struggles with mental illness and lately has been out in public naked. It has brought a lot of shame to their family. The small business that his mother runs has lost most of its customers. He was pleading with me to petition his cause to the sisters to give him a job. It was heart wrenching! I already know that the sisters won't hire him. If he doesn't pass this exam, it will be very difficult to find a job. I can't imagine having that much responsibility placed upon me at 20 yrs old. Another very real reminder of how incredibly blessed my life has been!
There is so much need here. A day doesn't pass that I don't meet a child that should be in school, or a patient that needs treatment the either no one can afford or no one can perform. Hunger and malnutrition are everywhere. I feel like what I"m doing is such a small drop in such a huge bucket. I am grateful for the opportunity to experience all that I have. I know that my heart has changed in ways I can't even recognize. It brings me so much joy to serve the poor here. It reminds me every day to cherish each moment, accept everything as a gift and to choose to love in all circumstances. I still have so much to learn! Good thing I didn't buy a return ticket!!! :)
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Back in Addis
My friend Leah (from California) and I jsut got back from a 2 week trip through part of northern Ethiopia. It was incredible! The sights were amazing and the natural beauty defies explanation. I couldn't help but wonder, on several occasions, why I am so priviledged to see these sights. I am truly blessed!
As with travel in any developing country - part of the fun is getting there! We travelled by public bus mostly. We were fortunate to be pretty lucky as far as achieving our destinations.... eventually. The public busses are big busses that carry 50-65 people, they are a real cultural experience! You can't buy tickets in advance, so you have to get there when the bus depot opens at 5am, find the bus that is going the way you want (don't even think they're labelled), run to get a seat and then wait for the locals to negotiate a price with the driver. If the driver charges too much, everyone gets off the bus in protest. You have to make sure that there isn't another bus going in your direction that the others can get on in the meantime, because your bus won't leave the station until its full. So, after all of that, you wait for them to totally overfill the bus with people and then you actually leave the station around 8am.
Ethiopia is an extremely hilly an mountain filled country, the roads are not in the best condition, the vehicles are old, and around every turn you find a herd of oxen, sheep, goats or monkeys. As a result travel is SLOW!!! The funny part is that if a vehicle hits an animal on the road, the driver has to pay the farmer for the cost of the animal. Needless to say, if you achieve a speed over 60km/hr, you're really cruising.
Our first stop was a city called Bahir Dar. One day we went out to a small village just outside the city to see the Blue Nile Falls. We were trying to be thrifty and hopped on a public bus. Who would have expected a 34km journey to take 2.5 hrs?! It was an experience to say the least! I was sitting between two shephards - hook and all! The smell of the goat/sheep didn't bother me as much as the hole in the bottom of the bus that I was sitting over. Gravel road + old rickety slow bus + 2 shephards = cost efficient travel. I was sneezing dust for 2 days. The sight of the falls was totally worth it though. I guess their size has been dramatically reduced as a result of a hydroelectric dam, but I was still impressed!
Also in Bahir Dar, we rented a boat and visited some orthodox monasteries. They are on little islands of Lake Tana (have you pulled out your atlas yet?). Some of them we weren't able to visit as they don't allow women, but the ones we got to see were really neat.I was thankful for being taught all my bible stories and saint history as all the artwork in the monasteries was religious. They depicted the lives of the saints, the life of Christ, or other biblical stories. It was a lot of fun to pick stuff out and many of the monks took extra time to show me stuff when they understood that I recognized some of the stories.
The history was phenominal. Stuff dating back to the 14th and 16th centuries. The Ethiopian Orthodox church has a lot of traditions and it was nice to learn about it and see a lot of history which has formed and continues to guide the culture here.
The next place we visited was Gonder. Its a smaller city built near the base of the Simean Mountains. At one point, it was the capital city. The emperors built castles there. Of course, each emperor had to have his own castle, so there are several. It was neat to see the different things they built including lion cages and turkish baths. There were hawks everywhere - which gave the city a very mideval feel. I can't say that the hawks didn't make me a bit nervous as they swooped down on people quite regularly.
Next was Lalibella. This is the part where transportation got a bit more interesting. We couldn't get a bus from Gonder to Lalibella. So, we got dropped off at a junction. The first bus that came by, tried to charge us 3 times the appropriate amount. Refusing to be swindled, we let that one go by. Sitting on the side of the road in the heat of the day in the middle of Africa for 2 + hrs is really quite the experience. I made friends with a few of the kids as I had some bananas and candy in my bag. They turned out to be good allies when the next bus cam by and they petitionned for our cause. I wish I could describe the scene of Leah pleading for a ride for a reasonable rate. Its one of those moments I won't soon forget.
Lalibella turned out to be my favorite. A smaller town with an incredible history tucked away from everything and thus maintaining a lot of innocence. King Lalibella comissionned the construction of 11 rock hewn churches. How these churches could have possibly been constructed with the technology that existed over 1000 yrs ago is mind blowing. The details of the architecture and intricasies of the connecting cames and caverns are really neat. We hired a really good guide adn spent 2 days exploring. Another day we hired mules and climbed to the top of a steep hill/mtn to another monastery that was carved into the rock. I'be been kind of fascinated by the donkeys since arriving in Africa. Getting to ride a donkey up the hill was pretty cool! In the end, the monastery wasn't as impressive as the view, but the whole experience was worth it.
After a very boring 15 hr drive (only 700 km), I made it back to Addis. It's good to be back. White people are a bit more plentiful here, so we're not as big of a spectacle when we go outside of the compound. I'm not anxious to get on another bus anytime soon, so I think I'll be staying put for a while. I also missed my patients. It's good to be back at work and in some sort of routine. The patients and the workers were very welcoming upon my return, and it was nice. It made me realize how much this has become my home.
As with anywhere, the longer you are there, the busier you seem to be. I've been back at work now for 3 days, and I'm already behind! It's great to be serving in this way though, and I am blessed that every day I get to touch Jesus in a very special way.
My internet time is running out. Thanks for all your emails, prayers and encouragements. I keep you all in my prayers, but please let me know of any special intentions you may have.
God bless!
As with travel in any developing country - part of the fun is getting there! We travelled by public bus mostly. We were fortunate to be pretty lucky as far as achieving our destinations.... eventually. The public busses are big busses that carry 50-65 people, they are a real cultural experience! You can't buy tickets in advance, so you have to get there when the bus depot opens at 5am, find the bus that is going the way you want (don't even think they're labelled), run to get a seat and then wait for the locals to negotiate a price with the driver. If the driver charges too much, everyone gets off the bus in protest. You have to make sure that there isn't another bus going in your direction that the others can get on in the meantime, because your bus won't leave the station until its full. So, after all of that, you wait for them to totally overfill the bus with people and then you actually leave the station around 8am.
Ethiopia is an extremely hilly an mountain filled country, the roads are not in the best condition, the vehicles are old, and around every turn you find a herd of oxen, sheep, goats or monkeys. As a result travel is SLOW!!! The funny part is that if a vehicle hits an animal on the road, the driver has to pay the farmer for the cost of the animal. Needless to say, if you achieve a speed over 60km/hr, you're really cruising.
Our first stop was a city called Bahir Dar. One day we went out to a small village just outside the city to see the Blue Nile Falls. We were trying to be thrifty and hopped on a public bus. Who would have expected a 34km journey to take 2.5 hrs?! It was an experience to say the least! I was sitting between two shephards - hook and all! The smell of the goat/sheep didn't bother me as much as the hole in the bottom of the bus that I was sitting over. Gravel road + old rickety slow bus + 2 shephards = cost efficient travel. I was sneezing dust for 2 days. The sight of the falls was totally worth it though. I guess their size has been dramatically reduced as a result of a hydroelectric dam, but I was still impressed!
Also in Bahir Dar, we rented a boat and visited some orthodox monasteries. They are on little islands of Lake Tana (have you pulled out your atlas yet?). Some of them we weren't able to visit as they don't allow women, but the ones we got to see were really neat.I was thankful for being taught all my bible stories and saint history as all the artwork in the monasteries was religious. They depicted the lives of the saints, the life of Christ, or other biblical stories. It was a lot of fun to pick stuff out and many of the monks took extra time to show me stuff when they understood that I recognized some of the stories.
The history was phenominal. Stuff dating back to the 14th and 16th centuries. The Ethiopian Orthodox church has a lot of traditions and it was nice to learn about it and see a lot of history which has formed and continues to guide the culture here.
The next place we visited was Gonder. Its a smaller city built near the base of the Simean Mountains. At one point, it was the capital city. The emperors built castles there. Of course, each emperor had to have his own castle, so there are several. It was neat to see the different things they built including lion cages and turkish baths. There were hawks everywhere - which gave the city a very mideval feel. I can't say that the hawks didn't make me a bit nervous as they swooped down on people quite regularly.
Next was Lalibella. This is the part where transportation got a bit more interesting. We couldn't get a bus from Gonder to Lalibella. So, we got dropped off at a junction. The first bus that came by, tried to charge us 3 times the appropriate amount. Refusing to be swindled, we let that one go by. Sitting on the side of the road in the heat of the day in the middle of Africa for 2 + hrs is really quite the experience. I made friends with a few of the kids as I had some bananas and candy in my bag. They turned out to be good allies when the next bus cam by and they petitionned for our cause. I wish I could describe the scene of Leah pleading for a ride for a reasonable rate. Its one of those moments I won't soon forget.
Lalibella turned out to be my favorite. A smaller town with an incredible history tucked away from everything and thus maintaining a lot of innocence. King Lalibella comissionned the construction of 11 rock hewn churches. How these churches could have possibly been constructed with the technology that existed over 1000 yrs ago is mind blowing. The details of the architecture and intricasies of the connecting cames and caverns are really neat. We hired a really good guide adn spent 2 days exploring. Another day we hired mules and climbed to the top of a steep hill/mtn to another monastery that was carved into the rock. I'be been kind of fascinated by the donkeys since arriving in Africa. Getting to ride a donkey up the hill was pretty cool! In the end, the monastery wasn't as impressive as the view, but the whole experience was worth it.
After a very boring 15 hr drive (only 700 km), I made it back to Addis. It's good to be back. White people are a bit more plentiful here, so we're not as big of a spectacle when we go outside of the compound. I'm not anxious to get on another bus anytime soon, so I think I'll be staying put for a while. I also missed my patients. It's good to be back at work and in some sort of routine. The patients and the workers were very welcoming upon my return, and it was nice. It made me realize how much this has become my home.
As with anywhere, the longer you are there, the busier you seem to be. I've been back at work now for 3 days, and I'm already behind! It's great to be serving in this way though, and I am blessed that every day I get to touch Jesus in a very special way.
My internet time is running out. Thanks for all your emails, prayers and encouragements. I keep you all in my prayers, but please let me know of any special intentions you may have.
God bless!
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Expect the unexpected
Well, you know how I always have said that I'm expecting the unexpected? Just when I think I can't be shocked anymore, I am presented with a new challenge.....
I started to feel ill on Saturday - high fever and body aches. Sunday wasn't much better. I started to feel better on Monday, but was still very weak and by then had been alone with my thoughts for FAR too long. I started to dream up what tropical diseases I could possibly be suffering from. It wasn't until I was feeling better on Tuesday that I finally found a mirror to brush my hair and go out for the first time that it all came to me. My face was covered in small red spots. (not sure why no one cared to inform me of this earlier) Upon further examination, so was my chest, arms and back. MEASLES!!! Of all the things! I was very relieved however - because of course I had predicted far worse. We had 4 patients with measles last week and I had cared for them. Thankfully, my immunization gave me a MUCH milder form, but it didn't protect me 100%. So, I've been in isolation for a few days. I actually just snuck out to get to the internet, but Sr. Martha Joan caught me. She laughed when I said I was bored and she sprayed me with holy water and told me to enjoy technology. ha ha! I've had plenty of time to get my laundry done, clean up my corner of the room, read a book and rest up. Not ALL bad, but I'm happy to be feeling better, and sister said I can go to work tomorrow. I'm a much better nurse than patient!
This week has been challenging in other ways as well. We lost power and water for 3 days. Not incredibly welcomed when these are among the few 'conveniences' we enjoy. Still, we don't have warm water, but at least we can boil it to shower. I'm hopeful it too will return, but I'm not incredibly expectant. We got a new influx of non english speaking volunteers. Living in community always has its challenges. But, combine that with a language barrier and different habits /sanitation/ personal space issues and the challenge becomes even greater! I've been praying for patience a lot!
Leah and I have definitely decided we need a break! We leave Monday for some travel in the North. We will visit Gondar and Lalibella as well as some other smaller places. We're looking forward to having our own schedule and getting to speak English at a normal speed!
I can't say that things this week have been ALL bad though! I'm feeling well now, and I'm very rested. The patients missed me, and I feel like every day I learn a bit more and I am able to help them better. My Amharic is improving - slowly but it IS improving. I'm finding my comprehension is better than my spoken. Its nice to be able to understand a little when the patients talk to me - instead of just holding their hands and smiling. A big victory - I found soya sauce at the market!!! We found a restaurant that serves GREAT Amercian food. It was nice to watch a soccer game on TV and have a non rice meal. It was hard knowing that 3 of us had a meal that cost half an Ethiopian's monthly salary. I showed me that when your eyes are openned to the realities of poverty, you can't shut them so easily. What a gift!
The longer I am here, the more I develop relationships, the more I hear people's stories, the more grateful I am for all I've been given. Sometimes its very overwhelming. I'm so grateful for an opportunity to give back - even just a small amount of what I've been given. People here live such a challenging life. Its so hard to get ahead. Even just providing basics for a family is a challenge let alone an education or any kind of savings. Its not a wonder that so many look for opportunities to go abroad. This month is the American Diversity Lottery. Its all the buzz. Everyone who can afford 14 birr (less than $1) applies. I'm not sure how many they draw a year (I think around 3000), and provided you have a clean bill of health and enough money for a plane ticket (I've been told you borrow from everyone you know and pay them back after you've struck it 'rich') you get to go live in America. I'm not sure if you get a green card, or citizenship, but you get to live in America and that's what everyone dreams of. It's amazing to think of how much I've taken for granted!!
I hope my blogs aren't too depressing. I know my last one was a bit of a downer. The truth is, I'm very happy here, and there IS a lot of joy here. The people here have a great sense of humor and are a lot of fun. There is a lot of reality here though too. Sometimes the reality of it just seems to impact me more and that's why I share.
I'm not sure when I'll get a chance to blog again, but I'm excited to tell you more about the beauty of Ethiopia following my travels. Hopefully by then, I'll have solved the picture downloading issue and I can include visual as well.
I started to feel ill on Saturday - high fever and body aches. Sunday wasn't much better. I started to feel better on Monday, but was still very weak and by then had been alone with my thoughts for FAR too long. I started to dream up what tropical diseases I could possibly be suffering from. It wasn't until I was feeling better on Tuesday that I finally found a mirror to brush my hair and go out for the first time that it all came to me. My face was covered in small red spots. (not sure why no one cared to inform me of this earlier) Upon further examination, so was my chest, arms and back. MEASLES!!! Of all the things! I was very relieved however - because of course I had predicted far worse. We had 4 patients with measles last week and I had cared for them. Thankfully, my immunization gave me a MUCH milder form, but it didn't protect me 100%. So, I've been in isolation for a few days. I actually just snuck out to get to the internet, but Sr. Martha Joan caught me. She laughed when I said I was bored and she sprayed me with holy water and told me to enjoy technology. ha ha! I've had plenty of time to get my laundry done, clean up my corner of the room, read a book and rest up. Not ALL bad, but I'm happy to be feeling better, and sister said I can go to work tomorrow. I'm a much better nurse than patient!
This week has been challenging in other ways as well. We lost power and water for 3 days. Not incredibly welcomed when these are among the few 'conveniences' we enjoy. Still, we don't have warm water, but at least we can boil it to shower. I'm hopeful it too will return, but I'm not incredibly expectant. We got a new influx of non english speaking volunteers. Living in community always has its challenges. But, combine that with a language barrier and different habits /sanitation/ personal space issues and the challenge becomes even greater! I've been praying for patience a lot!
Leah and I have definitely decided we need a break! We leave Monday for some travel in the North. We will visit Gondar and Lalibella as well as some other smaller places. We're looking forward to having our own schedule and getting to speak English at a normal speed!
I can't say that things this week have been ALL bad though! I'm feeling well now, and I'm very rested. The patients missed me, and I feel like every day I learn a bit more and I am able to help them better. My Amharic is improving - slowly but it IS improving. I'm finding my comprehension is better than my spoken. Its nice to be able to understand a little when the patients talk to me - instead of just holding their hands and smiling. A big victory - I found soya sauce at the market!!! We found a restaurant that serves GREAT Amercian food. It was nice to watch a soccer game on TV and have a non rice meal. It was hard knowing that 3 of us had a meal that cost half an Ethiopian's monthly salary. I showed me that when your eyes are openned to the realities of poverty, you can't shut them so easily. What a gift!
The longer I am here, the more I develop relationships, the more I hear people's stories, the more grateful I am for all I've been given. Sometimes its very overwhelming. I'm so grateful for an opportunity to give back - even just a small amount of what I've been given. People here live such a challenging life. Its so hard to get ahead. Even just providing basics for a family is a challenge let alone an education or any kind of savings. Its not a wonder that so many look for opportunities to go abroad. This month is the American Diversity Lottery. Its all the buzz. Everyone who can afford 14 birr (less than $1) applies. I'm not sure how many they draw a year (I think around 3000), and provided you have a clean bill of health and enough money for a plane ticket (I've been told you borrow from everyone you know and pay them back after you've struck it 'rich') you get to go live in America. I'm not sure if you get a green card, or citizenship, but you get to live in America and that's what everyone dreams of. It's amazing to think of how much I've taken for granted!!
I hope my blogs aren't too depressing. I know my last one was a bit of a downer. The truth is, I'm very happy here, and there IS a lot of joy here. The people here have a great sense of humor and are a lot of fun. There is a lot of reality here though too. Sometimes the reality of it just seems to impact me more and that's why I share.
I'm not sure when I'll get a chance to blog again, but I'm excited to tell you more about the beauty of Ethiopia following my travels. Hopefully by then, I'll have solved the picture downloading issue and I can include visual as well.
Monday, October 18, 2010
Once in a lifetime
This quote was on the door of the room we moved into for a few days while they painted the volunteer room. It's very fitting and I liked it a lot, so I thought I would share.'I shall pass through this world but once.Any good thing that I can do,or any kindness that I can show to any human being,let me do it now and not differ it,for I will not pass this way again.'
The weather in Addis has been really nice. Cool in the mornings and evenings but sunny and hot during the day. We haven't had any rain in over a week.
This week, the frailty of life was even more evident to me. We lost two babies, and it was really hard for me. They were both little girls. The first one was only admitted in the morning and died in the afternoon. I was surprised to find out that not even the sisters here are trained in CPR. I've never had to do CPR on an infant by myself before, and thankfully my clinical brain kicked in faster than my emotional brain. I was able to think clearly enough to offer what help I could, but God chose to take her home. I spent a good part of the afternoon with the mom. Its amazing how much you can communicate in a situation like that, even if you don't share a language.
The second little girl was a twin. Her and her brother arrived only one day old with their mother. She was 1.5kg, her brother 1.8kg. They were both so small and weak, I was shocked that the hospital discharged them. They weren't nursing well, and even with syringe feeding were not getting enough nourishment. I put feeding tubes down, and they were tollerating the feeds well. I was going every 2 hours to feed them because I was so worried about them. Unfortunately the little girl was too weak, and she passed away yesterday. The little boy is stronger and I'm hopeful for him.
I just keep thinking 'This would never happen in Canada'. It's hard to understand why God allows little children to come into the world for only such a brief time. I grieve for the mothers who lost those babies this week, and I think of how many women here have experienced that same pain. Life is so incredibly fragile. You really never know when God might call you home, and it reminds me that every day, every instant is an opportunity to love.
On a happier note, we're back in our new and improved volunteer room. ha ha! The truth is, they painted over the mold and we cleaned. The toilet is still broken, but it doesn't smell any more. I'm learning to rejoice in small victories! ha ha Leah (the girl from USA) and I did a major clean, and it looks really nice and we're happy to have our own space again.
I can't believe another week is behind me. Time flies! Leah and I have been planning to do some more traveling, maybe leaving Addis for a few weeks at the beginning of November. There is tons of history, and beauty to explore here. I'm looking forward to it! A break from teaching the nurses would be welcomed as well. You know, sometimes it takes so much energy to teach someone to do something when you could do it yourself 5 times faster! I've been helping them study for their big exam. Out of 6 nurses, 3 might have a chance of passing.
Not much else to write. Hope all is well at home.
Blessings!
Kerry
Monday, October 11, 2010
The beauty of the earth
Last Sunday I escaped the city for a few hours. I took a mini bus (well, actually 3 minibusses) to Entoto Mountain. It was a very steep ride. Picture a VW van, with 22 people in it going through the mountains. Yeah, it wasn't a speedy climb, but it was much better than walking!
At the top of the mountain, there is an orthodox church and a spring that people claim has healing water. The view was unreal! It was really nice to see. I could pick out areas of the city that I knew. It had kind of a village feel even though it's pretty close to the city. Mud huts and fields of wheat and other crops I wasn't familiar with. Donkeys carying wood down the mountain to sell in the city and a lot of open space. It was a really nice get away. The weather was beautiful and I ended up getting a bit sun burned, but it was totally worth it. Did a lot of walking and reluctantly came back to the city late in the day. It was so nice to have the quiet and to get a good walk in. Seems like during work days, there's not much time for exercise or even leaving the compound that much.
Yesterday, I took off to a small town about an hour away called Debre Zeit. It was gorgeous! There were three lakes that we saw. The air was clean, the water was beautiful. I was tempted to go swimming, but didn't have my suit. Leah and I definitely plan to return and spend some more time there. The landscape here is gorgeous, and the people are so friendly, it's really easy to move around and go places without having to worry too much about safety or even getting lost. When I planned to come to Ethiopia, I didn't anticipate the beautiful lanscape. The guide book doesn't really drum it up much either, and I can't figure out why. There is SO much beauty here! One of the great things about it too is that a lot of it us so untouched. There are these beautiful rolling hills and mountains, filled with trees and shrubs. In Canada, someone would have built a big house on these hills or something, but here, it's uninhabited and the natural beauty is able to be enjoyed. Even with such a big population, there is still so much open space.
Sunday is my day off, so I've decided I"m going to try to get out of the city as much as I can on Sundays. There's so much to see, and I really feel like it rejuvinates me for the week. I get to be away from the patients and the compound and experience some of the beautiful culture and landscape of Ethiopia.
My work continues to challenge me. Specifically, one of the nurses that I"ve been working with. He just doesn't seem to be catching on very quickly. My patience has been tried many days and I"m convinced that I'm earning time off purgatory! The other day, when I told him to go check on a patient, he came back and told me he was sleeping, so he didn't want to disturb him. I knew full well that the guy wasn't sleeping, he was unconscious! There's a big difference!!! I've spoken with Sister Martha Joan, and she understands. They have to write their board exams next month, and the sisters won't hire anyone who doesn't succeed in the exam. In the meantime, they are welcoming 3 MORE new nurses for their practical experience. They start tomorrow, and guess who's their teacher?! Now, I'll have 5 to run after and supervise. Should be interesting. I"m definitely going to have to keep praying for extra graces to teach them well and to be patient as they learn. One of the boys that I've been working with is really excelling and I think he'll be great. I hope the boys that are coming are as keen!
My favorite patient died this week. It was a hard day for me. His name was Abraham, and he was a wonderful man. He was one of the few patients that I could sit and talk with. He was very well educated and spoke English well. He had a family and a good job, but when he got in the later stages of HIV and got sick, he was abandonned by everyone. He had been living with the sisters since March. I knew that his health had been declining and he had been suffering a lot more. Last week he broke out in a herpes infection which took over half his face and he could only see out of one eye. We were treating it, but it really wasn't responding, and I knew his immunity was virtually non existent. The thing is, he never complained. I would have to ask very specific questions to get the real information about his pain and stuff. He was a real testament of strength. Thursday, I went to say 'hi' in the morning and he was unresponsive. So, me and one of the sisters took some extra time with him and washed him up and put him in a clean bead. We prayed the Chaplet of Divine Mercy with him and I was able to sit with him for a while. I went to check on him again before lunch, and I knew he was very close to death. One of the other workers and I were able to be with him when he died and it was very peaceful. It was so nice to see him in peace and to share that special moment with him. Another victim of AIDS, a disease that is so prevalent here!
There are only 2 female volunteers left now. Sister has moved us to another room for a little while as they deal with the plumbing and mold issue in our room. It's nice to be in a different place. We're right beside the chapel. I"m hopeful that we won't hear the patients as much at night, but we'll see. It was funny to see the reaction of the patients when we were moving our bags. They thought we were leaving and they were very sad. It was nice that they felt that way, but it took some work to try to explain what we were doing. My Amharic skills are improving slowly.... a lot slower than I would like, but they are patient with me and I'm trying to learn a new word a day. It's very complex and if you intone in the wrong way, it could have a very different meaning. This week I'm tackling numbers. We'll see how that goes.
Even though I'm not able to be at home to celebrate Thanksgiving with my family and eat turkey. I am definitely thankful for where God has placed me. It's wonderful to be here, and I don't doubt for an instant that this is exactly where I need to be right now. I"m thankful for my family and friends, and I"m thankful that God has given me this wonderful opportunity to love Him in the poor. I'll eat my rice and lentils and think of all of you with LOTS of love and prayers!
As usual, never a dull moment. It's always nice to hear from home though, so throw me an email every once in a while!!!!!
Happy Thanksgiving!
At the top of the mountain, there is an orthodox church and a spring that people claim has healing water. The view was unreal! It was really nice to see. I could pick out areas of the city that I knew. It had kind of a village feel even though it's pretty close to the city. Mud huts and fields of wheat and other crops I wasn't familiar with. Donkeys carying wood down the mountain to sell in the city and a lot of open space. It was a really nice get away. The weather was beautiful and I ended up getting a bit sun burned, but it was totally worth it. Did a lot of walking and reluctantly came back to the city late in the day. It was so nice to have the quiet and to get a good walk in. Seems like during work days, there's not much time for exercise or even leaving the compound that much.
Yesterday, I took off to a small town about an hour away called Debre Zeit. It was gorgeous! There were three lakes that we saw. The air was clean, the water was beautiful. I was tempted to go swimming, but didn't have my suit. Leah and I definitely plan to return and spend some more time there. The landscape here is gorgeous, and the people are so friendly, it's really easy to move around and go places without having to worry too much about safety or even getting lost. When I planned to come to Ethiopia, I didn't anticipate the beautiful lanscape. The guide book doesn't really drum it up much either, and I can't figure out why. There is SO much beauty here! One of the great things about it too is that a lot of it us so untouched. There are these beautiful rolling hills and mountains, filled with trees and shrubs. In Canada, someone would have built a big house on these hills or something, but here, it's uninhabited and the natural beauty is able to be enjoyed. Even with such a big population, there is still so much open space.
Sunday is my day off, so I've decided I"m going to try to get out of the city as much as I can on Sundays. There's so much to see, and I really feel like it rejuvinates me for the week. I get to be away from the patients and the compound and experience some of the beautiful culture and landscape of Ethiopia.
My work continues to challenge me. Specifically, one of the nurses that I"ve been working with. He just doesn't seem to be catching on very quickly. My patience has been tried many days and I"m convinced that I'm earning time off purgatory! The other day, when I told him to go check on a patient, he came back and told me he was sleeping, so he didn't want to disturb him. I knew full well that the guy wasn't sleeping, he was unconscious! There's a big difference!!! I've spoken with Sister Martha Joan, and she understands. They have to write their board exams next month, and the sisters won't hire anyone who doesn't succeed in the exam. In the meantime, they are welcoming 3 MORE new nurses for their practical experience. They start tomorrow, and guess who's their teacher?! Now, I'll have 5 to run after and supervise. Should be interesting. I"m definitely going to have to keep praying for extra graces to teach them well and to be patient as they learn. One of the boys that I've been working with is really excelling and I think he'll be great. I hope the boys that are coming are as keen!
My favorite patient died this week. It was a hard day for me. His name was Abraham, and he was a wonderful man. He was one of the few patients that I could sit and talk with. He was very well educated and spoke English well. He had a family and a good job, but when he got in the later stages of HIV and got sick, he was abandonned by everyone. He had been living with the sisters since March. I knew that his health had been declining and he had been suffering a lot more. Last week he broke out in a herpes infection which took over half his face and he could only see out of one eye. We were treating it, but it really wasn't responding, and I knew his immunity was virtually non existent. The thing is, he never complained. I would have to ask very specific questions to get the real information about his pain and stuff. He was a real testament of strength. Thursday, I went to say 'hi' in the morning and he was unresponsive. So, me and one of the sisters took some extra time with him and washed him up and put him in a clean bead. We prayed the Chaplet of Divine Mercy with him and I was able to sit with him for a while. I went to check on him again before lunch, and I knew he was very close to death. One of the other workers and I were able to be with him when he died and it was very peaceful. It was so nice to see him in peace and to share that special moment with him. Another victim of AIDS, a disease that is so prevalent here!
There are only 2 female volunteers left now. Sister has moved us to another room for a little while as they deal with the plumbing and mold issue in our room. It's nice to be in a different place. We're right beside the chapel. I"m hopeful that we won't hear the patients as much at night, but we'll see. It was funny to see the reaction of the patients when we were moving our bags. They thought we were leaving and they were very sad. It was nice that they felt that way, but it took some work to try to explain what we were doing. My Amharic skills are improving slowly.... a lot slower than I would like, but they are patient with me and I'm trying to learn a new word a day. It's very complex and if you intone in the wrong way, it could have a very different meaning. This week I'm tackling numbers. We'll see how that goes.
Even though I'm not able to be at home to celebrate Thanksgiving with my family and eat turkey. I am definitely thankful for where God has placed me. It's wonderful to be here, and I don't doubt for an instant that this is exactly where I need to be right now. I"m thankful for my family and friends, and I"m thankful that God has given me this wonderful opportunity to love Him in the poor. I'll eat my rice and lentils and think of all of you with LOTS of love and prayers!
As usual, never a dull moment. It's always nice to hear from home though, so throw me an email every once in a while!!!!!
Happy Thanksgiving!
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Meskal and all that
Last Sunday we celebrated Meskal. It's a HUGE festival here and it was a lot of fun. There's a big square down town where they erected a large wood structure and covered it with grass and flowers. There were marching bands and all the priests, bishops and the pope of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church were gathered. There was a lot of singing and some speaches in Amharic and even some evangelists in the crowd, who were VERY animated. When the sun went down, they rode horses around the wood thing and then set it on fire and set off a bunch of fireworks and stuff. There were TONS of people and everyone was happy and it was a lot of fun. They had shut down all the main roadways so everyone walked back to their parts of the city. While we were walking there were groups of people dancing and singing. People along the road had lit their own little fires, and as you walked the road was lit by the fires. Definitely a rich cultural experience. Even despite the crowds I never felt unsafe. People are very respectful here and it was a great time.
I've had the pleasure of sampling one of Ethiopia's largest exported resource...coffee. I tell you, it's something else! I don't know how I'll ever go back! For all you coffee lovers out there, I hope you're jealous because honestly, you should be! ha ha The taste is so full and rich. There's a special ceremony they have of serving it to you too which is really neat. We went to a fancy coffee shop one day to try it out, but have since discovered that this little shack closer to the compound makes it way better and with a lot more ceremony. And really, at less than 25 cents a cup, Starbuck's can't hold a candle to this!
My work with the nurses is going well. They are slowly learning. Sometimes is hard to teach proper technique for a procedure when you're lacking important equipment like sterile gloves or saline. Sister Martha Joan keeps challenging me clinically. Yesterday she had me make up an insulin sliding scale for a diabetic patient who came in with a blood glucose reading that was so high our machine couldn't measure it. Would have been nice to start and infusion, but that's NOT realistic here. I'm learning a lot about Malaria treatments and the treatments of Typhus and Typhoid (didn't even know there was a difference before).
A lot of the people here suffer from HIV/AIDS. The testing here is almost as common as a CBC. It blows my mind! Unfortunately, they often come when the disease is so advanced that there isn't much we can do but make them comfortable. The people here are very superstitious and often come in with ash on their faces, fresh wounds or strange markings on their bodies from having visited traditional healers. The sisters say that they sometimes come in when they are first diagnosed, but then leave and seek out traditional healing, waiting till the disease is so advanced before coming back. The mortality rate is high. In a week, we have 8-12 people die. It's nice to see how the sisters care for them in their last moments and how they are loved and prayed for. But, it's frustrating at the same time, to know that earlier education and intervention could have prevented such a painful end, especially in some of the young people who come in.
There's a wonderful surgeon here, Dr. Solomon who comes every Saturday and donates his services. He is a GREAT guy and he speaks english well. He sees patients all day on Saturday, not even taking a break for lunch or anything. He let me lance a boil yesterday. It was SO cool! He taught me a few things and is a great teacher.
I've taken on a serious battle this week. One of the other volunteers went traveling and has since returned. Her bed is next to mine, and along with her wonderful travel stories, she also has gifted my bed with fleas. The first couple of nights, I noticed a few bites, but nothing bad. Then they really started to make themselves comfortable and my bites became too numerous to count. I decided that I needed to take action. I went to a nearby store that sells chemicals. I have NO idea what I bought, but I looked for pictures of dead bugs and symbols of toxic substance. I hung my sheets and blankets out on the line and sprayed them quite generously with the stuff I bought. It rained that day, so I was without sheets for one night. But I tell ya, it was worth it. So far I think I'm flea free. I have too many bites to really say what's new and what's old, but I'm confident that it has improved if not resolved. Sometimes I still feel like there's things crawling on me, but I think it's psycological. I have since implemented a no go zone and have separated my bed from the others. Thankfully there are only 4 women volunteers right now, so there's a bit more room. It's amazing how much joy small victories like this can bring!
I've taken a few opportunities to have some great conversations with some of the workers and young kids that hang around the compound. It's amazing to hear their stories. Life here is very hard. It's amazing to hear how they struggle for the simple things yet demonstrate such generosity. Even the young nurses that I'm working with. We were talking about money the other day and it was quite eye opening to me. They said that a nurse here would make 1100 birr a month. That is someone who is educated, with three years of college. BUT things are so expensive! Rent for a simple appartment with no running water is 600 birr. You pay 10 birr for a shower. Meat is 60 birr/kg. So, even if you make 1100 birr a month, it doesn't go very far! I can only imagine what people without an education make! The inequality of wealth distribution in our world is very evident here and it makes me sad. It makes me ashamed to think of all the things I waste at home, and the ease of life that I enjoy in North America. I am so grateful for an education and a good job. But even things like regular meat at meals and running water are luxuries here. These are things we deem 'necessities' back home. My how my perspective is being broadenned!
Until next time!
I've had the pleasure of sampling one of Ethiopia's largest exported resource...coffee. I tell you, it's something else! I don't know how I'll ever go back! For all you coffee lovers out there, I hope you're jealous because honestly, you should be! ha ha The taste is so full and rich. There's a special ceremony they have of serving it to you too which is really neat. We went to a fancy coffee shop one day to try it out, but have since discovered that this little shack closer to the compound makes it way better and with a lot more ceremony. And really, at less than 25 cents a cup, Starbuck's can't hold a candle to this!
My work with the nurses is going well. They are slowly learning. Sometimes is hard to teach proper technique for a procedure when you're lacking important equipment like sterile gloves or saline. Sister Martha Joan keeps challenging me clinically. Yesterday she had me make up an insulin sliding scale for a diabetic patient who came in with a blood glucose reading that was so high our machine couldn't measure it. Would have been nice to start and infusion, but that's NOT realistic here. I'm learning a lot about Malaria treatments and the treatments of Typhus and Typhoid (didn't even know there was a difference before).
A lot of the people here suffer from HIV/AIDS. The testing here is almost as common as a CBC. It blows my mind! Unfortunately, they often come when the disease is so advanced that there isn't much we can do but make them comfortable. The people here are very superstitious and often come in with ash on their faces, fresh wounds or strange markings on their bodies from having visited traditional healers. The sisters say that they sometimes come in when they are first diagnosed, but then leave and seek out traditional healing, waiting till the disease is so advanced before coming back. The mortality rate is high. In a week, we have 8-12 people die. It's nice to see how the sisters care for them in their last moments and how they are loved and prayed for. But, it's frustrating at the same time, to know that earlier education and intervention could have prevented such a painful end, especially in some of the young people who come in.
There's a wonderful surgeon here, Dr. Solomon who comes every Saturday and donates his services. He is a GREAT guy and he speaks english well. He sees patients all day on Saturday, not even taking a break for lunch or anything. He let me lance a boil yesterday. It was SO cool! He taught me a few things and is a great teacher.
I've taken on a serious battle this week. One of the other volunteers went traveling and has since returned. Her bed is next to mine, and along with her wonderful travel stories, she also has gifted my bed with fleas. The first couple of nights, I noticed a few bites, but nothing bad. Then they really started to make themselves comfortable and my bites became too numerous to count. I decided that I needed to take action. I went to a nearby store that sells chemicals. I have NO idea what I bought, but I looked for pictures of dead bugs and symbols of toxic substance. I hung my sheets and blankets out on the line and sprayed them quite generously with the stuff I bought. It rained that day, so I was without sheets for one night. But I tell ya, it was worth it. So far I think I'm flea free. I have too many bites to really say what's new and what's old, but I'm confident that it has improved if not resolved. Sometimes I still feel like there's things crawling on me, but I think it's psycological. I have since implemented a no go zone and have separated my bed from the others. Thankfully there are only 4 women volunteers right now, so there's a bit more room. It's amazing how much joy small victories like this can bring!
I've taken a few opportunities to have some great conversations with some of the workers and young kids that hang around the compound. It's amazing to hear their stories. Life here is very hard. It's amazing to hear how they struggle for the simple things yet demonstrate such generosity. Even the young nurses that I'm working with. We were talking about money the other day and it was quite eye opening to me. They said that a nurse here would make 1100 birr a month. That is someone who is educated, with three years of college. BUT things are so expensive! Rent for a simple appartment with no running water is 600 birr. You pay 10 birr for a shower. Meat is 60 birr/kg. So, even if you make 1100 birr a month, it doesn't go very far! I can only imagine what people without an education make! The inequality of wealth distribution in our world is very evident here and it makes me sad. It makes me ashamed to think of all the things I waste at home, and the ease of life that I enjoy in North America. I am so grateful for an education and a good job. But even things like regular meat at meals and running water are luxuries here. These are things we deem 'necessities' back home. My how my perspective is being broadenned!
Until next time!
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