May 26, 2012

As many of you prepare for rest and/or activities over Memorial Day week-end, we are enjoying a bit of respite from the heat. It rained again early this morning and continues to be overcast. While it continues to be somewhat cooler, I am hoping to concentrate and read some information on Community Health which I am scheduled to teach in Zambia this fall. Bud and his guys are installing some new wiring down to one of the pumps that supplies water to the hospital; it stopped working this past week and they think the electric line that goes to the pump may be too small…he is hoping that is the problem and not that the motor on the pump has been burned out.

Meredith and I had an interesting situation last week. The students just could not settle down and participate in class. We’re reviewing topics we’ve covered since we started the program in preparation for their final exam, and as one can imagine, that can get rather boring. So we decided to try a couple different games to help with the review (which they usually like!), but it didn’t help.  They kept talking or just saying they were too tired to participate, etc. After class, Meredith & I talked to Stanley who is in charge of the hospital this week and asked him for suggestions.  He told us he would take care of it, so next morning after chapel, he asked the students to stay so he could talk to them.  He gave them a mini-lecture on why they should participate in review, etc. Then he told them they should all report to Pa Morlai and do whatever he tells them for the next two hours. Pa Morlai is the head of all the cleaning at the hospital, so for the next two hours they swept, scrubbed, dusted, etc. wherever Pa Morlai sent them.  Two things happened as a result of this activity: 1) the hospital was a little bit cleaner  2) they have participated fully in class the past 2 ½ days J.

I have made arrangements with a young man to come and cut some of the “grass” growing around our house…I do not wish to have a hiding place for any snakes or other undesirable inhabitants so want to keep the grass short. When he came to me, he introduced himself as Brimah Jalloh and said his father was Pa Alpha Jalloh. I discovered his father is the gentleman I worked with most often back in the 70’s in the dispensary. I always worked on the line where they brought the children in to be seen. As I recall, Pa Alpha could speak at least seven (7) different languages and was a wonderful “word turner”. He was also good with the kids and their parents. He was a joy to work with and one I felt I could trust to give me the information I needed when caring for these children.

Another young man stopped by our house this morning who said he played with Todd when they were children…its fun to see these folks as adults and hear about the things they are doing in their lives. Robin is hoping Todd will return to Sierra Leone to live one day…I just told him that Todd listens to where God sends him, and if God sends him to Sierra Leone, then he will come.

A bit of trivia about what we eat…most often during the week when Ya Posseh is cooking, we eat some type of African food for lunch which she prepares. Rice is always a part of that food with various kinds of toppings to go over it. The one we eat at home most often if “groundnut” soup which is essentially peanut butter and tomato paste. However, Ya Posseh cooks different kinds of toppings which include mango sauce (when in season), beans, various kinds of greens, including cassava leaf, potato leaf, bontilla, and cren-cren (I have no idea what the correct spelling is for the last two kinds of “greens”. I asked Ya Posseh to show me the leaves for each of the greens and then I took pictures of them to share with you J. Each have a different flavor, and we like some better than others!  She also makes a different dish called Jallof Rice which we really enjoy. I may try that one at home sometime.  We have also been enjoying the fresh pineapple, mangos, and avocados that are available at this time of year. 

 

Meredith and another nurse, Emily, went to Koidu to a wedding this week-end so we’ll be interested to hear about that and see some pictures. Dr. Karen and Bethany went to Freetown for a quick trip to take Simon and his crew back and to pick up a few groceries, etc.

Not that I’m counting, but we will be back in Marion, IN in 44 days J.  Until next time….