Update from Tanzania!

From: Nielsen, Mary
Date: Wed, May 27, 2015 at 9:19 PM

Good morning everyone
Sorry about no note yesterday, but had no internet access, even at the good hour of 4 AM.  Today is good so I can send a note.

We have had 3 wonderful and busy days at one village.  Saw an abundance of fungal and bacterial skin conditions, but also saw some beautiful and amazing people.  Seems like some of the people we are seeing are sicker than expected, but we have been blessed to have or to be able to get the medications needed to treat them and then we schedule them to come to Sakila to the clinic.  That part is so amazing.  Lots and lots of fungal and bacterial skin infections and many, many ear infections in so many of the children.  The hardest part for me is the "my neck, back, joints and I hurt all over" because of the hard, hard work these people do every day of their lives.

Seeing great confidence and growth in the Physician.  He is working each full day with our Dr. and today changes to the second Dr.  His confidence and smile has just been a gift to watch grow, and that is just in 5 days.

The nurse is also showing great improvement.  One thing this nursing  educator has learned is that we cannot put expectations to what BSN education is outside of America.  My expectations were way too high for what she has the skills for.  I think she has knowledge, but the skills are more of our old nursing position of "Dr. right hand man" only.  We got the BP down and how to use the cuff.  We are now working on taking a HR. The interesting part would be to see what nursing ed. is here, and if it is the process or this individual.

Saw the most beautiful 100 YO woman yesterday. We spent 10 minutes just hugging and kissing.  She was such a joy.  Our little guy with the 2 broken arms went to surgery and it cost $60 American dollars with the total bill for hospital say included at $100.  Amazing huh!!  He goes home from the hospital today.  We will meet Mom this AM to give her the money to pay the bill. There is no Dad so will assist them as we can.

The containers arrived yesterday.  What a day of Christmas it was here.  Three containers full of many, many gifts and supplies.  Austin was able to get some great footage and pictures.  The Wyoming team was really happy as some of their water drilling equipment they needed was part of the load.  Transportation has been more difficult with both of us needing the flat bed truck to get around, so still working on this issue.

Sue, one of our nurses, had a Birthday and Tim was even able to find a bakery in Arushia for a cake.  It was a fun evening celebration. She is climbing Kilimanjaro at the end of the trip so a great way to spend a Birthday.  This is a gang that knows how to have fun and laugh, so you can imagine what little B-D gifts she received.

Mary Costello wants everyone to know how good the food is.  It is some of the best we have ever had. Just full of flavor and the watermelon the other night was all decorated with the rine.  It is so special all the love they show in our food.  The salt and pepper packets were all arranged in hearts on the table when we came to dinner the other night.   Now the goat tongue in the dish at the village yesterday was OH WOW!!

Everyone sends their love and hugs across the many, many miles
M