Last night was AWESOME! First, the other short term people and I went to TB village, which is a short walk from our compound. TB village is a place where people who are TB+ go to receive treatment by nurses through the directly observed treatment program. It is a WHO campaign to increase adherence to TB treatment thereby improving success rates for treatment and decreasing drug resistance. There are about 30 “houses” there each with an outdoor courtyard area surrounded by 5 “rooms” each about 5 ft x 10 ft and an open area for cooking. The people who live in TB village are assigned a room and stay there for 6-9 months for their treatment. Afterwards, they return home to their village.
While in TB village, we met Nelson, an older man who spoke English (Thank goodness), who showed us around. We gave out balls and other small toys to the children there. The adults were also curious and they all wanted some too (mostly to give to their kids when they return home). They were so excited! One child was initially fearful of us white strangers, but after Nelson gave him a ball, he started running up to us. Another child shrieked with laughter after receiving one. It was awesome!
Later, we had station meeting, which is a time for dinner, worship, devotion, and prayer with all the missionaries on the station. 1. There was chocolate cake. 2. The worship was amazing with people from Belgium, the US, Burkina Faso, and Ghana all singing praises to God. 3. It was great to hear stories of how God is moving. By Thursday, I am always exhausted, and the station meeting was a time for me to refocus…to remember why I am here and that it is on God’s strength that I make it through each day. I am so thankful that I can come across the world to serve Him. Working here, I have come to be more thankful for what I have and to see suffering on an entirely different level.
On Friday, we rounded on patients then had clinic. It was a busy day as usual (pretty much all days are busy here it seems). I saw a variety of patients…from a teenager with leg infection after a snake bite, to a man with HIV and likely reactivation of TB, to a man with gun shot wound to the leg, to a man with bowel obstruction and another with acute kidney failure, to a woman with diabetes, another with a huge spleen from recurrent malaria infections, to another who has terrible pneumonia and is coughing up blood. Then, I went to clinic and saw a variety of patients including HTN, CHF, pregnancy management x 5 women, lots of upper respiratory infections, arthritis, joint pain, malaria, and shortness of breath…and others I cannot recall.
Friday night, we watched “God’s Not Dead” with the missionary family from Belgium. It was fun to watch it in a different setting from the comfortable theatre or couch at home…and to hear the missionaries’ take on the American film. Afterwards, it sparked a discussion about how Christianity is perceived in the US…and here in Africa. Through the film, I was reminded that God is still moving and working here…even when we think that we have nothing left to give or do in a tough situation, we have faith that God will carry us through…and that He is enough. God is definitely Not Dead!