Pictures of clinic

Sarah has been a wonderful addition to helping with clinic. She has a public health background, has organized my pharmacy beautifully, does tons of administrative things so that the clinic can still continue to run, and she keeps me in line ;)

Love ya Sarah!

2 cuties with medicine in hand. I see a lot of kids with eye infections that they have had since they were born. I've been able to give eye drops to help with the chronic eye infections.

Here is a glimpse into the kombi (van) of people taken to clinic. On a clinic day I will see kids from 2 to 3 different carepoints. A teacher from that carepoint will come to interpret for me and to be able to tell me more about the child.

Benson and Glory weighing a child before she is to see me. This was my biggest clinic by myself so far. Benson is helping me in the clinic and drives the kombi.

Perfection

Perfection does not refer to the full consummation of one's powers, it simply means perfect fitness for doing the will of God; a perfect adjustment to God until all the powers are perfectly fitted to do His will.

Oswald Chambers

"So Send I You"

The word of the year is "OVERWHELMED"

This is my "I'm here at the hospital trying to discharge my kid...don't know quite where to go...I think someone told me to sit here, I think? Ahh, someone will tell me if I'm in the wrong spot...I hope..."

I'm not sure how to do any of this...but I'm here. Lord, I rest on You cause there is nothing and no one else to rest on. Plus You have walked this road, You know what I need to do and where to go.


So I CHOOSE to trust and rest and listen intently to Your Holy Spirit, Your voice, that continues to direct me to where You would have me go and what You would have me say and what You would have me do.

I CHOOSE TO REST ON YOUR TRUTH!

God did NOT GIVE us a spirit that MAKES US AFRAID but a SPIRIT OF POWER and LOVE and SELF CONTROL.

2 Timothy 1:7

The LORD says, "I will make you WISE and SHOW you WHERE TO GO. I will GUIDE YOU and WATCH OVER YOU."

Psalms 32:8

All you who put your HOPE [confident expectation] in the LORD BE STRONG and BRAVE.

Psalms 31:24

And since we have a GREAT HIGH PRIEST over GOD'S HOUSE, LET US COME NEAR TO GOD with a SINCERE HEART and a SURE FAITH,

because WE HAVE BEEN MADE FREE from a guilty conscience, and our bodies have been WASHED WITH PURE WATER.

Let us HOLD FIRMLY to the HOPE that we have confessed, because WE CAN TRUST GOD to do what HE PROMISED.

Hebrews 10:21-23

Medical Training

Teresa and I taught a 2 day medical course based on the book "Where there is no Doctor" for the new teachers with Children's Cup. We taught them basic human anatomy, how to identify simple illnesses like scabies, and how to help us identify which children may need HIV testing.


Teresa and I had a wonderful time tag teaching and getting to know all the new teachers. It was such a great experience to learn more about Swazi culture and I was able to get a glimpse into their experiences with HIV in the community.


All the teachers where quick learners and I appreciated getting to know them all. I loved sitting with them and listening to their stories. A part of me feel as if I got just as much knowledge from them as they got from the course.

THINGS I LEARNED DURING THE MEDICAL CLASS:

1. The Swazi Heimlich Maneuver for a boy who is choking is to hit him in his privates until he coughs up whatever he is choking on.


2. Dirt is it's own food group...people eat it all the time.


3. If someone is bleeding and you don't have any gloves then you should use grocery bags to protect your hands instead.

Here is the class of new teachers Teresa and I taught the medical course too.

We had class in the waiting room of the clinic.

I have officially taken over the clinic. I have appreciated Teresa's help and input...I will be able to call her for help and wisdom. She may regret letting me know I can call her cause I'll be calling her a ton with questions! ;)

Thanks you Teresa for your help and for continually being there as someone I can call and talk with about anything. I know you have been there and appreciate your support and encouraging words. God bless you! Love ya Teresa!

Gogo Sanmaria

A couple of weeks ago Gogo Sanmaria came to church with her neighbors Solomon and Precious. Solomon and Precious had just moved from South Africa and had befriended this gogo (grandma). She had been fighting an ear infection for a couple of weeks so Zinty and KB went with me after church to her homestead. I had already given Solomon a weeks worth of antibiotics earlier that week to help with her ear infection.

I brought my medical bag with a blood pressure cuff, otoscope, and Tylenol to assess Gogo Sanmaria. Zinty, KB, and I drove down some steep dirt roads and came upon her homestead. She was sitting on the ground as we came up to her with her grandson clean dishes on a metal sheet that was modified to work as a sink sending the water down the hill.

I did my nursing thing discovering that her ear infection was still present. I gave her some Tylenol for the ear pain and her constant arthritis. I instructed her through Zinty to continue to take the full dose of antibiotics that Precious was helping her take daily and to take the Tylenol once in the morning and once in the afternoon for pain.

There wasn't much I could do medically to help her BUT I could love her and show her she care and mattered. The fact is that I can't do much on my own BUT the Lord comes through and shows His love in a mighty way when we obey what He has called us to do.

Gogo Sanmaria now complains of no more pain and I'm hoping her ear infection has gone away. Gogo Sanmaria is a light in this community feeding kids who go without food when she can.

This is one of many stories of the experiences I'm having in Swaziland. As I continue to get on my feet and settle in what I'm doing I'll be sharing more of my experience with the Swazi people and the Lord.

Thanks for all your love and support and prayers!

I could not be here without you!

Love ya all!

Clinic Days

Every Tuesday and Thursday Sarah and I hold clinic.
This Wednesday and Thursday we are holding a medical class for the new teachers at our care points. Dr. Beyda has written us ciriculum based on the book "Where there is no doctor".

I hope to soon tell you my experience in admitting a child to the hospital with pnemonia and nephrotic syndrome. It took 9 or so hours with many interesting experiences! I kept track of the day as a timeline so you will know what a day would intell when I need a kid admitted to the hospital.

Love you all!

Sarah and I at the care point!

Hlabelela!

One aspect of the Swazi culture I greatly enjoy is how much they enjoy to sing and dance.

It seems to be a way they can freely express themselves and to have a fun time!

One of the songs I've been learning in Siswati is called Bonga. It becoming one of my favorite songs so far so I thought I'd share it with you!

The words are a little tricky to say but I'm getting it.

These are the words to the song Bonga:

Bonga (Praise) x4

Njenge nyoni enhle (Like a beautiful bird)

Hlabelela (Sing praises)

Ukuhlabelela (Singing praises)

Kuyamthokozisa (Brings joy)

Odabuki leyo (to the grieving)

Hlebelela (sing praises)

I love how this song reminds us that even as we grieve and are sad we can still experience the joy of the Lord when we praise Him. What an amazing God we serve!

Here are a couple of pictures from our time at the clinic. The clinic building is at a care point. They were passing out Christmas Boxes from Operation Christmas Child on afternoon after I finished with clinic. It was so much fun to see them get the boxes and open them up!

For a couple of years along with my youth kids we have filled these boxes in Denver. How exciting to see my kids receive this blessing!