Typical week at Chidamoyo?

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Stewart and Dez oainting in peds ward
The framing for roof completed on nurses station
Louise, Veronica and Gilly at work folding gauze
Bob on his way out the door to airport
Patrick and James Easen
Gilly Withers holding baby in theater

Well this past week was a busy week with people coming and going. People always ask me what a
typical day/week is like for me at Chidamoyo. I always reply there is nothing typical and you just go with the flow. This week the flow was more like a flood!

We started with 11 people for breakfast on Monday and thenMajor left with 3 visitors to Mukowe (2 hours away) to see one of the school programs that James sponsors with his organization ZRSDP (Zimbabwe Rural Schools Development Program). The rest of the group spent the day counting pills, doing statistics and the men painting the new windowsills in the new pediatric
extension. Bob was finishing up the frame for the roof on the new Nurses’ station/trauma room.
The school group wasgone all day until about 7:30 p.m. and came home very exhausted but talking excitedly about the “short” program that had been put on for them. They also stopped at one school for potential help and another that is finishing up on their project. Tuesday morning again started with 11 for breakfast and then the school people left to visit more of their projects and the rest of us went to the hospital to do our work. The women continued with statistics and the men with painting. Bob finished up the roof and reluctantly we said good bye to him at work.
After 3 months, 2 roofs and 1 building he worked on, it was hard to say good-bye. We appreciate the sacrifice he made to be with us so long and without his wife, kids and grandkids! We hope to get him back here again soon!

Tuesday evening we had dinner for 13 to say goodbye to Bob and James and Patrick. Wednesday the 3 came for breakfast at 5:30 a.m. and by 6:15 they were on their way to Harare! The next group of 8 came to eat at 0630 a.m. and we left for work at the hospital. That evening we had our Bible Study and we were all so tired we were in bed shortly after it finished.

Thursday morning we had breakfast for 8 and then the 6 people from the UK left for a special dinner that night in Harare, Seth and I were so busy in the hospital neither of us made it home for dinner and I came home by 6:30 p.m. and fell asleep in front of the TV. Seth heated
his own dinner and I finally woke up at 9:30 p.m. and went to bed! Major came back from Harare at 12:30 a.m.!

Friday we had a group of 3 from Chinhoyi who came out to assess our back up power needs. They
joined us for lunch with Major and so we had 6 for lunch. Then by afternoon the group from the UK was back from Harare and then for dinner we were back to 8 of us for Friday night Pizza!
Saturday the group was busy with men painting and women working on some statistics for me.
We had 7 mls of rain during the night so our rains continue but they are slowly getting further apart as our rainy season is almost over for another year.
We just finished lunch on Saturday and I started to work on some things and got called for a C/Section. So off Seth and I went to do a C/Section. Had a big beautiful baby Boy and Gilly one of the UK visitors sat in to see it and hold the baby after delivery. Her daughter, Michelle, is a doctor in Alice springs, Australia--so she was able to show her daughter by pictures that she saw a C/Section.
Today is April 1st and we started with sending Seth for a C/Section at the hospital--April 1st and then Dr. Kabanzi for another case! Then during breakfast a heavy rain started and looks like it might continue all morning! April showers!

I am feeling better now and working on getting my strength back. We look forward to another busy week up coming. Our UK friends leave onTuesday morning, our container arrived in Harare Thursday and should arrive early next week here. School is out on Tuesday for Major’s kids in Harare and Cheryl is joining us full time on Thursday! Seth has to go in to get his visitor’s permit renewed.
So much for typical in Zimbabwe! Stay tuned for more adventures of life at Chidamoyo!

Comments

  1. JillApril 1, 2012 at 1:20 PM

    Thank you for taking the time to share information about your life at Chidamoyo. We enjoy the pictures and narrative about the good work you all are engaged in. I look forward to your posts. (Seth's mom in New Mexico)

    ReplyDelete

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