Saying Goodbye

I leave tomorrow for the U.S. Going home from Zambia is always bittersweet, as so much of me just wants to stay here. I sobbed today as I hugged and kissed each toddler goodbye, not knowing when or if I would ever see them again. I'm sure it will be the same tomorrow as I leave my parents.
Thanks to everyone who kept up with my blog this summer, I appreciate your support and look forward to seeing you soon!

Clinic Report #2

The last three days of clinics went well - in all we saw over 15,000 people, and had 134 baptisms. Here are a few shots from Mabuyu and Nazibbula.

Clinic Report

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Last week we were out in the bush holding our first three days of clinics. We spent three nights at a village called Njabalombe, which means "the village of the strong boys," so named because of the difficult living conditions there. We held two clinics there, and then traveled to Katungu to hold the third clinic. We have already treated over 6,000 patients, who were either seen by a dentist, doctor, or nurse, or were fitted for glasses in the eye clinic. I have been working in the pharmacy, which is housed on a big yellow school bus. Trunks of medicine are placed on each of the seats, and the patient brings their prescription to the front of the bus, we fill it with medicine from one of the trunks, and then send it out the back to a Zambian nurse, who then instructs the patient on how to take their prescription. It's actually a very efficient process, and having it on the school bus allows the buildings to be used by the dental and medical personnel. We leave today for another round of clinics and three nights in the bush. Please keep us and the Zambians we will meet in your prayers.

My African Home

Judy Treat asked where all the Americans are staying when they get here for the medical mission, so I thought I'd show you where I have been staying, and where some of the other Americans will be staying when they get here also. This is my parents' 3-bedroom home. It was mistakenly built larger than my parents' plans, but the mistake in size has turned into a blessing because they have been able to host many people that visit the mission in their home. Currently we have 7 people staying here, but by Sunday night we will have 18 total. The rest of the Americans (about 100 in all) are staying in Zambian homes on the mission. Then when we leave on the medical mission we will sleep in tents out in the bush for three nights at a time.

Zambia Medical Mission

Next week the medical mission begins, so there are about 40 Americans here right now getting things ready for when the rest of the team arrives from America on Sunday. Once the medical mission begins on Monday I will not have regular access to the internet since we will be out in the bush for 4 days at a time. If you would like to follow along with the medical mission, you can visit its blog site at www.zambiamedicalmission.info/ There are already several entries posted.

Baby Mobile

On Thursday my dad was out with the vehicle, so my mom and I brought Bernard and Kathy home for lunch in this little wagon. The orphanage is about a mile away from my parents home, so my mom and I got a good workout pulling (and sometimes pusing) these guys on the bumpy, sandy road.