Happy February in Rainy Chidamoyo

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This has been a busy week.  We said goodbye to Tim, Suzanne, Rob and Kelsy, 4th year medical students from Ohio State.  They left to go to the Falls for a couple of days and then left Zimbabwe Thursday for cold and snowy Ohio!

Sunday, Scott Irwin, a UC Davis graduate and waiting to go to medical school, arrived.  He is very eager and we have been putting him to work.  He has gone out to a Well Baby and an ART clinic.  He has been busy following Dr. Kabanzi around and I put him to work putting a cast on and helping in our ART clinic research project.  We are happy with his attitude and willingness to jump right in.  He is doing well learning some Shona too!  He asked me when I felt the calling to be a nun, and I quickly told him I wasn't a nun, but that all nurses here are called Sister.  I told him actually I am Protestant and I am sure the Catholic church would have kicked me out being a nun with my big mouth!

Friday we went to one of our outreach clinics for ART at Nyamutora School.  The road is so bad it took 90 minutes to go about 50 kms!  We arrived just before a heavy downpour of rain and had to keep moving around in the church because of the leaks in the roof and the wind blowing in rain through windows that had no glass in them.  We meet in the Salvation Army church.

We are excited about this point as we started a research project yesterday that will be a 2 year study to look at strategies for providing better ART care in a rural situation.  We are excited to be a part of this and yesterday we spent time having consent forms signed, drawing blood and giving out their medication.  We go to this point every 2 months and every 6 months we will be drawing blood on the patients.  We brought 8 people and the research team from Harare brought 8 people.  We worked hard and didn't get home until 6:30 p.m.  We were exhausted after the work and the ride on that road! The ride home was even worse after the big rain.  The car was covered in mud when we got home!

Cheryl is in town picking up 2 new Ohio State students who arrive today.  We have been enjoying seeing some of the Winter Olympics and there is a Zimbabwe skier in the Olympics.Who would have guessed?

Rain continue which has brought great crops to us this year.  We think there will be plenty of food to eat in our area.  My maize is about ready to tassel and soon we will be eating "green mealie!"

We keep waiting for the government to start the rebuilding the burnt wing.  We are so thankful to all who have donated to us.  I just got word that one of our nurses from Santa Rosa who was with us in October, Wendy Peterson, donated her birthday money to the fire fund and then matched the gift plus a $100 more to donate $1100 to our fund!  Wow, we are just so overwhelmed by all the generous help.  We also heard from Madonna Burget a former missionary here and now in Honduras for several years, that their church in Honduras took up an offering at Christmas for us!  Wow!  We feel so humbled.Thanks to so many who have given to help us recover.  Local people continue to give.  One of our headmen in the area had all of his villages give towards the hospital and they donated 14 plates, 4 cups, 10 spoons and $4.20.  This is a sacrifice for people here and so touching to us that local people appreciate the work of the hospital so much!  It encourages to keep on
 going!

Donations continue for the hospital
Goodbye to Ohio State students

Rob, Dr. Kababnzi, Kathy, Cheryl, Suzanne, Kelsey and Tim
Hawaiian Shirt Day!
 New Temporary Kitchen

Scott putting on a cast
 Scott drawing blood
Research team at Nyamutora Outreach




Comments

  1. UnknownFebruary 10, 2014 at 10:15 AM

    Hie Kathy

    My name is tembalami im a Gospel musician. I am a huge fan of yours and the work you do at chidamoyo hospital. My parents stay in bashungwe im sure you are familiar with the place. I have always wanted to assist chidamoyo hospital since im familliar with the work you do. Can u please email me your needs especially in the pediatric department. I have a couple of friends that would love to help. and i would also want to raise awareness about the hospital so we direct resources to you. I Pray for you often for love you have for God and the people of hurungwe.

    love in christ

    Tembalami

    ReplyDelete
  2. Afsar ahmedSeptember 28, 2019 at 3:37 AM

    nice work good to see you

    ReplyDelete
  3. Masters HomeopathyApril 28, 2020 at 5:31 AM

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