Chidamoyo Hospital in Zimbabwe

The last two weeks have been very busy with all of my visitors leaving.  We had three medical students here from UZ in Harare for the past 3 weeks and we had them over for dinner and a game of spoons before they left last Wednesday.  They are in their final year and will write exams early next year so we wish them well in their future medical careers. While here we had the PT students and our Rehab Tech do an inservice for staff and patients on low back pain and exercises and correct body positions.  We practiced with some of the patients what we learned.  On Friday the 16th Kennedy Stoa left after a month here.  She enjoyed her stay and enjoyed helping deliver babies and catch babies in the C/Sections we had.  she goes back for her finally year at University of Washington in Seattle. The same day Kennedy left, 5 of us went to Rhino Camp in Kariba for 2 nights.  Kendra, Kaeli, Anne and Kristen and I enjoyed spending 3 days looking at animals an...

On Sunday afternoon this past week a team from University of Washington, School of Physical Therapy arrived for 2 1/2 weeks with us.  Anne and Kaeli, PT students came with their teacher Kendra and arrived Saturday evening in Harare and travelled out to us Sunday afternoon.  They are working with our PT person, Brighton Kamhuka.  They are going out to schools and some of our Outreach points to see Disabled children and adults, as well as working at the hospital. We are keeping them very busy and they are enjoying it. Kendra came in December 2014 with a group of 4 students and another teacher then, so we are happy to have her back.   We are happy to have this association and it is a big encouragement to our staff and a great learning time for the students. Kaeli brought her ukulele with her and we spent one night singing some folk songs.  We had a great time recalling all the words! Two of our visitors left on Wednesday for 2 nights at Rhino Camp in Kariba...

On late Friday night a new visitor, Makayla Hunt arrived from Seattle, WA.  She is a student at Seattle Pacific University majoring in Global Outreach.  She brought us a new machine that has been made by our friends at PATH in Seattle that makes bleach from table salt.  We trailed a machine for them 3 years ago and this saves us so much money and transport for all the bleach we use for the hospital. Makayla went to work starting the machine working and taking notes for PATH.  She has been busy on helping us with our research project following kids on ART drugs by doing some computer work on this for us. On Tuesday we were joined by Kristen Guthrie.  Kristen's grandfather Rusty Clark and his wife Jackie served with us from 1986-1988.  Jackie died about 4 years ago and Rusty is still alive and well at 94 1/2 years young!  She is working on her MPH and decided to be here to do her clinical experience and see where her grandparents served and enjoyed...