Chidamoyo Hospital in Zimbabwe

Christmas started here on the 20 th of December at 7 p.m. when we met for caroling at the hospital.  We start with a few people and as we go around more people join us.  It rained that afternoon so we had about 8 of us to start but ended up with more than 30.  We sang in each hospital ward and gave out sweets to everyone.  We then went to staff housing, waiting mother’s shelter and more staff housing.  We got our walk in for the day and ended about 9:30 p.m. On the 21 st of December we had our annual Christmas lunch and party for all the staff at the hospital.  We close our Outpatient Department at 1 p.m. and then gather in our dining room for an afternoon of fun. We served chicken, beef, rice, sadza, coleslaw and potatoes this year and people ate and ate until they were so full. I made 6 chocolate cakes for desert and they ate then all too. We then did some questions with prizes that got some very funny answers. We end the party with all he...

Well it has been a busy 3 weeks since I wrote so lots to catch up on.  We have been on the go and keeping very busy with the countdown to Christmas.  Emily helped me to get the decorations up on the 2nd of December--she decorated the tree.  We are all decorated and ready for the whole month to celebrate! On December 4, Michael Mereki, arrived home for Christmas holidays from University in South Africa.  It is always great to have him home and an extra driver to help us out at the hospital.  I have been putting him to work driving and helping Emily and I to get our outreach Viral Loads done at our ART clinics we do away from the hospital.  The first time he took us we had a flat tire on the way home so it was great he was with us to change it! On December 4 our research team from Harare and Stanford came out for 2 days to work on all the details for our study which should start in January.  Dr. David Katzenstein from Stanford is our Principle Inve...

After an Army take over on November 15 which was called a "non-coup" we had a roller coaster week as the country decided what would happen next. On Friday the 17th the ruling political party (ZANU-PF) met and dismissed President Mugabe as their President and called for his resignation by Monday the 20th or they would start impeachment hearing against him.  Saturday the 21st the crowds in the streets of Harare and throughout the country filled with people celebrating the decision.  Many were calling it their new Independence Day.  They went up to the Army and hugged them for taking over.  All colors of people in the country turned out. Sunday night we sat around the TV as Mugabe called for a press conference and then didn't resign. Tuesday the 21st the Parliament meet and started Impeachment steps when all of a sudden a letter arrived which was read announcing Mugabe's resignation.  The MPs stood and cheered and danced--something never before witnessed ...

Work has been busy as I catch up from being gone for almost 7 weeks.  I have been busy working on an application through the Japanese embassy to get a digital X-ray machine.  We are praying for this wonderful gift to the hospital to be granted. On Monday the 6th of November a new visitor, Emily Wade, from Florida, came to work with us for 6 weeks.  She is a new RN graduate from August and we are happy to have her work with us.  She has been working with us at the hospital and Thursday we went to Batanai to draw Viral Loads for people that attend our ART clinic there.  She is excited to be here and will be a big help to During our weekly in-service meeting for nurses on Tuesday this week,  a patient came walking up to us and fell on the ground and soon we heard the plop of a baby coming out!  So during the in-service meeting we stopped to finish delivering the baby!  A big baby boy.  We suggested she name it Inservice! We have had so...