Saturday, July 19, 2014

Chimwendo

Our awesome mission team!
Left to Right
Dr. Grace Stewart,  Dr. Rochelle McKown,  Casey Carney MSII
 0430 You know how annoying your neighbor's dog can be barking all hours of the night? Well, I would say your neighbor's crowing rooster is as or more annoying. Geez. In addition, a mosquito somehow maneuvered the creases of my net and was stalking me and buzzing loudly. It's just time to get up.

Traditional Malawian meal, not James' (because I was too hungry to stop and take a pic). So this is a photo from a previous mission trip. Clockwise staring at 11:00 o'clock - rice, chicken stew, greens, and nsima.
I did go to bed quite early. I believe I've caught Casey's cold, so was feeling really tired. James. our master chef prepared the traditional Malawian meal of chicken stew, greens and nsima, as well as some rice for us westerners. Nsima is a starchy paste made of maize flour that they use to sop up the broth and food. It is often used instead of flatware. I have now had this meal many times and will tell you that James' recipe is superb.

Yesterday, as many days in Africa, did not go exactly as planned. We set off in the morning to do an outreach clinic in Chimwendo. It amazes me how you can drive over treacherous roads through the bush for what seems like forever and then come upon a large organized school with children in uniforms and teachers dressed rather professionally. I was surprised (and a little disappointed) at how much order was maintained by the staff. The children, initially excited and curious, were quickly reigned in resuming their classroom activities indoors and out.

Our waiting room in Chimwendo when we arrived.
When we arrived at the clinic building, there was one patient waiting. Really. One.

Apparently the Health Surveillance Assistant (H.S.A.) failed to inform any of the villagers that we would be coming. Yea. So, we set up our little clinic and over the course of the next 3-3 ½ hours we saw 23 patients. It didn't appear any more people were heading in to be seen in the afternoon. We had made a list of medications we did not have in stock, but could have used several times. Some of these medications are not in stock in the clinic dispensary either. So we used the afternoon to go to a pharmacy in the Lilongwe to buy meds.
My office in Chimwendo.  For anyone who has followed my previous blogposts, this is not my "Hello Kitty" back pack.  I retired Hello Kitty last mission trip.  This is a replacement JanSport pink schoolbag.







It was dusk when we were on our way back and driving on the M-1 was treacherous. The M-1 is the two lane main highway that connects Malawi from the north to the south. There are no street lights, many vehicles without lights, and pedestrians and bicycles everywhere. No wonder we try and never travel at night.

















No comments:

Post a Comment