Chidamoyo Hospital in Zimbabwe

Well it has been a week since I left Zimbabwe. I flew 10 hours to Dubai. We arrived at 6 a.m. and it was 98 degrees and humid—a big change from 45 the morning I left Chidamoyo! I had 2 hours in Dubai so got a shower and breakfast and headed for my next leg, to San Francisco -- 16 hour flight! My travel agent arranged a great ticket for me in First Class and on the flight to SF I had my own suite—like a railroad car—even doors that closed you in. Flat screen TV for your movies, a built in bar and you ordered your food when you wanted to eat—it was so nice. I was met at SF with a limo ride to Santa Rosa—where I arrived on the 21st at 3:30 p.m. I was met by Sylvia, my brother Dennis and sister-in-law Kathy and my great nephews Maximo and Alec. Soon my nephew Marc and his wife Derekca and my sister Kim joined us for a BBQ. By 7:30 p.m. I was ready for bed! Sunday I went to church at Sebastopol Christian Church—my home church and enjoyed seeing old friends and meeting new ones. I dress...

Exciting news!   We finally were able to move our kids back into the Pediatric ward after 6 months of the new addition being put on!   We moved them yesterday afternoon and already we have floor beds!   Rick and Sue are busy this morning starting to paint the old Peds ward which will add another 15 beds making it a 30 bed ward and hopefully no more floor beds!   The kids thought it was a lot of fun being moved in their beds and the moms were so excited by the new ward!  Moving into new Peds ward Chloe Levin is a nursing student from Sacramento, CA who is a senior in college at Boston College in MA.   She arrived on June 25 th and has been busy at the hospital and helping with our Immunization and ART outreach clinics.   She has been helping in theater and with our doctors in outpatient and has been fun to have here.   Her mom is coming in August to join her on a week of safari. We have had some good laughs together! Rick and Sue spent ...

Well it has been another busy week at Chidamoyo!   On Monday the 2 nd of July we bid farewell to the Taninguchi family and Rachel who were with us for a short 2 weeks.   They were all a big help in our special polio clinics, counting pills, seeing patients and helping in theater.   They also were here at the end of the month and got to do month end statistics—a favorite with everyone around here-not! As we bid them goodbye, 3 new people arrived.   Rick and Sue Hahn from Sana Rosa, CA and their granddaughter Jordan from Napa, CA arrived.   Rick and Sue served in my home church in Sebastopol,CA   as the ministers for almost 30 years.   They have been here 4 times before and now they are retired and have come to help us for 6 months.   We are so excited to have them!   Rick will be working with our ministers to encourage and teach them and Sue will be working with our ministers wives in some teaching and sewing projects.   They are ...