Monday, June 16, 2008

my latest saga

Morokeni vaholi! (more-oh-kenny va-hoe-dee)

That's the word I just learned which is the plural of friend.  :-)  How is life out there?  Things here are just going on as usual.  The latest saga is that the banks here all decided to become independent of SA, so now the atm machines won't accept international cards!  If I had a visa debit card I would be fine, but since it's just a regular atm card I can't access money!  There is one business oriented bank, Ned Bank, that worked when I was in Windhoek, but of course we don't have one in Rundu!  Isn't life grand?!  The joys of living overseas!!!  Of course they are all aware of the problem and they are working on fixing it, but until then life has become very creative.  This month, in order to get money I sent my ATM card to Windhoek with Rob when he left.  He gave it to Pete & Paula, other missionaries that are coming this weekend to Rundu as they pass through on their way to see Victoria Falls.  Paula was excited about shopping with someone else's money!  I am so thankful that they agreed to take on the responsibility of traveling with my card and money!

A Sad Day
Last Sunday morning was quite sad as I watched my friends and family of the last 2 years, Rob & Alisa and kids, drive away.  There were lots of hugs and lots of tears (especially on my part), but also a sense of peace.  It was their time and knowing that made it easier to let them go.  They flew out on Tuesday with their 20 bags and 6 kids.... and I'm waiting to hear that they have made it safely with all their bags back to Canada.  

A few days before that David left.  If you remember, David & Mackenzie are from Montana.  They lived out at the OVC site and worked closely with the OVC volunteers to help them run the program more efficiently.  Though we are thrilled that McKenzie is staying for another month, we're all sad that David left.  He had to go home and work for a bit before he enters med school this fall.  David is my new favorite artist... I don't know how he classifies his music, but I really like it.  You can find him on iTunes under David August.  I like several of his songs, but I especially like 'Pluto'.  You should check it out!  (Mer- I especially think that you would appreciate his music)

My new boyfriend
When you fall in love as easily as I do, it's easy to switch boyfriends almost daily!  :-)  My latest boyfriend I was able to hold onto for a whole two weeks though!  

Oh... did you want more details than that?  Well, he's 3 years old and about 2 1/2 feet tall, has brown hair and brown eyes.  His name is Andreas.  He was admitted to the hospital for severe protein deficient malnutrition (kwashiorkor {kwa-she-ah-core}) and the stepmother left him in the hospital by himself.  She has a small baby with his father and didn't want to stay in the hospital with the baby.  She only came to visit him a few times, which is so foreign to our culture, so I decided to make him my friend.  :-)

Protein deficient malnutrition causes severe edema (swelling) of the whole body.  When he was first admitted he had almost no facial features because there was so much swelling.  He could barely move his arms and legs because of the swelling and the pain.  The way that you reduce the swelling is by giving a high protein diet which helps them absorb the extra fluids.  (If anyone wants a more technical medical explanation I'm happy to explain it.)  After a week the swelling had gone down considerably but he still wasn't a normal playful kid.  During the second week though, he really opened up, and though he was still swollen, he became playful and smiled a lot.  It wasn't difficult to fall in love with him with his big brown eyes and gorgeous smile!  The doctor kept him a week after his treatment was finished to continue to give him a good diet, but on Saturday he was released.  It's always hard to see them go!

Malnutrition is both a social and a medical issue.  Socially there is a reason that the child isn't getting enough food, whether it be poverty, lack of education, family problems or any other reason.  Physically and developmentally for these children, there are a lot of problems that occur because of the lack of proper nutrition and stimulation.  One of the things I struggle with is the fact that the doctors here focus on the physical maladies and by and large don't address the reason why the child is malnourished to start with.  So, in the ward, we 'fix them up' by treating the physical maladies and giving them proper nutrition, but then send them home with only minimal health education and fully expect them to live happily ever after.  It's heartbreaking to spend so much time trying to get them to recover only to send them back out into the unknown!  Many come back worse off or later on we find out that they have died at home.  Please pray that I will have the ability to continue to pour out my heart to those that aren't taken care of in this society.  

Crazier than the Canadians? 
I want to introduce you all to my new team mates.  :-)  Shelley Jacobs and Daryl & Sabrina Neufeld.  I am going to try to post a picture of them on the blog site.  I'll let you know when that actually happens.  :-)

Shelley is a newly graduated nurse from Australia who is here for 5 months.  It was supposed to be 8 months, but because her leave date kept being changed it decreased to only 5.  She is working in the Pediatric ward, as well as doing some home based care for the orphan (OVC) project.  She started work last week and has been a little overwhelmed.  As a new graduate I can't even begin to imagine what it would be like to get my first experience in Africa!  I really enjoy her sense of humor and she is easy to live with, which is really great.  She has a bad habit of leaving lights on, but I'll get her out of that habit!  :-)  I am not exactly sure yet as she's only been here 2 weeks, but I think that this Australian might be crazier than all the Canadians I've had come through my doors!  

Speaking of Canadians, Daryl and Sabrina are here until March next year, which is approximately 10 months.  Daryl is here as a pharmacist and is working in the hospital pharmacy as well as also being involved in the OVC project.  He started work last week and has already been facing a lot of challenges with the staff there.  Sabrina is a massage therapist who will be working part time in the hospital's rehab department and will also be involved in the OVC project.  They lived with me for the first week while Rob & Alisa were still here, now they have moved over to their house.  I enjoyed living with them, which really surprised me.  And it wasn't just that Daryl is a good cook!  They are really laid back and just as easy to be around as individuals as they are when together.  I really enjoy them and look forward to living next to them.  :-)  

That's about all that is going on here in Rundu.  Winter has set in and the night temperatures are quite cold.  My house is much colder inside than it is outside because the brick doesn't warm up during the day.  And, since there is no such thing as a heater, I think it's COLD!  So, how do I keep warm?  Lots of hot chocolate for one... but at night I use my hair dryer to warm up the bed before I get in!  Shelly couldn't figure out what in the world the loud noise was every night in my room... so finally she asked...  She laughed and laughed when she found out what it was!  I told her she could laugh, but that I was the one going to bed with warm toes!  :-)

I hope this finds you all doing well and enjoying your warm summer temperatures!
much love and blessings,
kimmie

Praises:
  • My new computer is GREAT!  It's way smarter than me, but I'm finally getting used to it!
  • Daryl, Sabrina and Shelley are all settling in well
  • Sabrina had a great first day of work!
  • Rob & Alisa, kids and bags in tow, made it safely to Canada last week.  Though things have been overwhelming, they have had great reunions with family and friends

Prayer needs:
 
  • My colleague, Kosta, had a court day today for the incident of her beating the orphan that she cares for.  The magistrate postponed the hearing until October.  Please pray that I will continue to be a positive influence in her life.  
  • The O'Neill's will be leaving this week after being here for 2 months.  It's never easy saying goodbye!
  • For Andreas' continued good health and development.
  • For 13 year old Dophelia (doe-feel-ee-uh), who is one of the orphans at the project.  She is a very smart girl, but is really acting out and making poor choices.  She has been sponsored by Sally, who was here last year, to go to school (it's not free here).  However, because of truancy the school is getting ready to kick her out.  Though she is 13 she is only in 4th grade.  If she gets kicked out of school there is little hope for a successful future for her in this culture.  Please pray that God will change her heart and that she will start making better choices for herself.  She has a grandmother that tries to care for her, but I think that  she is at that age where she fights what is good for her.  Please also pray for her grandmother who also has other of her grandchildren that are orphans that she is trying to care for.
 

Kimmie Tibbetts

Posted by at

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)