weeks 2 & 3

we were able to go to the clinic these past 2 weeks and do healthcare teachings as well as do vitals and palpations for the pregnant women who came in for checkups. there was 3 of us that went in on thursday and there was a lady who didn’t look well. she was laying on one of the beds with sweat dripping from her back. she just had her baby and it was lying next to her but she wasn’t well at all. We realized she still had tissue from the placenta still in her uterus though her doctor’s notes said everything was cleared out. so we moved her to another bed to help expel the extra tissue but she fell on her way to the bed so we picked her up and set her on the bed. We then went to help expel huge clots of blood. A half hour later she was smiling and happy to see her baby, we then showed her how to breastfeed for the first time as it was her firstborn.

It was exciting to see that simple things like seeing there is something wrong helps a woman and her child. It was a bit odd that no one was doing anything about it at that time perhaps for various reasons, there are too many patients and not enough staff or they aren’t aware that something was wrong. Whatever the reason, we were able to help the woman.

They encounter this everyday at the small YWAM clinic here next to the base, a five minute walk. there is a doctor here from the States, Dr. Joel. He is an inspiring man and has been a doctor here for many years. Hearing the stories he encounters everyday is pretty inspiring as he is working with people on the verge of death daily, but gets the opportunity to treat them, minister and love them. He inspires me because he lives with his wife and twins in a small, quaint home. He works in the hospital almost everyday, he is fluent in the native tongue Swahili and he is the only Westerner working there, apart from Beate who is from Germany. He also goes to remote villages who need healthcare by plane with Missions Aviation Fellowship.

i have enjoyed being here and having a time of reading and reflecting on God’s love and peace. It’s rewarding to be here and be with other women from around the world who’s lives inspire me. I have decided that my favorite tree is the Palm Tree and i have a goal to climb to the top of one and get a coconut down! i know, i dream big.

Bless you all!