Friday, August 26, 2011

Final Thoughts

It has now been about 2 days since I have returned from Tanzania. This experience has taught me so much personally that I don’t feel like it will be totally digested for a number of months, however at this point I can effectively communicate some key points, which are fresh in my head.

I could not even fathom how much living in Tanzania could shift my perspective on the luxuries we have in Canada; specifically about what I had previously perceived as necessity and what was extra. This doesn’t end at the latest innovative piece of technology coming out, which obviously the vast majority of people in Tanzania cannot afford. It extends to amenities, which are viewed as incredibly basic here in Canada but must be hard earned and sometimes even fought for in Tanzania. It only takes a drive through some of the more disadvantaged neighborhoods to realize that not every house has running water, that multiple people must sometimes share a bed, and that money to buy food is not so easy to come by for many people. It doesn’t matter whether one finds himself or herself in a small town or a larger city, the poverty runs deep. In one of our activities, the medical and nursing students visited the homes of HIV patients with Mama Mhando and one of the nurses in Dr. Mhando’s clinic. Walking into a mud hut illuminated by candle light with no separation between kitchen, eating space, and bedroom is surreal, and makes me thankful for the living conditions I have grown accustomed to here in Canada. Seeing the boys of Children for Children’s future living happily in sometimes four children to a room with nothing but a soccer ball and each other to play with is a far cry from the video games, television, movies, and plethora of organized sports most children here in Canada have to keep themselves busy outside of school. I feel as though the line in my head separating what is needed and what is extraneous has shifted drastically, and I now know that many of the things I possess in Canada are not borne out of necessity. Having the opportunity to live in conditions that I don’t know I ever would have lived in outside of Africa, I realize that 12 people actually can share a bathroom with no lock, and somehow find a way to make it work. Having no electricity for a number of hours each day is certainly not ideal, but playing card games and enjoying the company of your friends by candlelight is fun too. Sitting down to go to the bathroom is somewhat of a luxury, and I will cherish every opportunity I have to sit on my porcelain throne (re:toilet). I am so thankful for this opportunity I have had to experience Tanzania as a member of the MedOutreach team, as I have a feeling that I have learned immensely more from the people I was trying to help than they might have learned from me. I also have found that I have learned a great deal from the rest of the MedOutreach team. It isn’t easy to go on such an intense adventure with 7 other people that before the trip you had only spent weekly meetings with. I have been humbled by the opportunity I have had to volunteer with incredible people who cared so deeply for the people around them. I feel as though I have learned about being a good teammate, thanks in large part to the model set before me by other members of MedOutreach. Thank you to the whole team for making MedOutreach such a positive experience, and I am confident that I have made lifelong friends with all of you.

There are a number of people who make MedOutreach possible. Thank you very much to Dr. Mhando, Mama Mhando, Neema, and Thomas for their help at all steps of organization of MedOutreach. Without them the volunteer work we do is not possible, as they aid us in our preparations In coming to Tanzania, and while we are there they help us plan out all the details of our work. Thank you to Dr. Julius, Dr. Frank, and the rest of the staff at Nkoaranga hospital. We learned a great deal about healthcare in Tanzania while at Nkoaranga, and your efforts to teach were very much appreciated. Thank you very much to the Dr. Baraka, and Dr. Lewis who were incredibly welcoming in the Kammed clinics and also made great efforts to teach. Thank you to Children for Children’s future at Arusha and Maji Ya Chai for the opportunity granted to us to spend time with the amazing children. Thank you to Dr. Tekle for taking in and teaching the dental students, they only had positive things to say about their experiences in Arusha. Also thank you to the staff at Dr. Tekle’s clinic for all of their support. Thank you to the staff at Upendo Leprosy Home, where the nurses learned a great deal and had a lot of fun spending time and getting to know the patients. Thank you to all of the great primary and secondary schools whom allowed us into their classrooms and the opportunity to teach their children about various important healthcare topics in Africa. Thank you very much to everyone who gave money, came out to an event, or gave any sort of moral support while we fund-raised for MedOutreach. Our goal of 60 000 $ is lofty to say the least, but once we got to Tanzania we worked very hard to ensure that the money goes a long way, and that sustainable health care is delivered to the people with the dollars that we spend. Without all of everyone’s support MedOutreach would not have been possible, so from the bottom of our hearts thank you so much for this experience which has allowed us to help and has also taught us so much about ourselves. We are looking forward very much to the selection of next year’s team. We are confident in our ability to choose a team that will continue to build and improve on healthcare in Tanzania. We feel as though we have accomplished a lot this summer, but remain optimistic that the best is yet to come.

-Marc

Friday, August 12, 2011

This and That

Mt. Meru
In what has been arguably the most physically and mentally demanding challenge I have ever encountered, was Mt. Kilimanjaros contender- Mt. Meru. Now Mt. Meru sits at approximately 4562.13m vs. Kili’s 5896.67m. One should not be fooled by the difference in height between the two. What we thought was going to be a leisurely 3 day hike turned into a grueling, knee-numbing, spirit- shattering event which shook the group to its very core. The weekend started easily enough, hiking up a slightly inclined dirt trail complete with grazing giraffes and beautiful waterfalls. An American tour guide named Pete was also doing the trail out of interest before leading a troupe of tourists up Kilimanjaro. He was full of great advice which kept the day easier, and was fun to talk to. On the second day, things got a little harder. The incline was a little steeper, and we went up a seemingly endless arrangement of wooden stairs. Although the group may have been huffing and puffing with a little more gusto, the day was managed well enough and we made it to camp in good time. Marc’s spirits were lifted once he spotted and shouted George Laroque’s name (former Montreal Canadian and all around badass hockey player) across the mess hall and got to take a picture with him. That night, things quickly turned. On summit day the group woke up at 12 AM and after a quick snack the days trek began. “If the whole day is like this then getting to the summit should be pretty easy!” You spoke to soon Marc. In the pitch black with nothing but our apparently not nearly bright as they have to be to climb mountains headlamps, rock faces were climbed. I remember a genuine fear that every step I took navigating my way through the rocks could be a misstep leading to certain death. I was not sure whether my racing heart was due to the physical nature of the climb, the altitude, or the invading fear that I would die before getting to the summit of Mt Meru. In between scary rock climbs, we had to climb up incline scree (loose rocks that are easy to slip on) that made the rock faces seem like my La-Z-Boy recliner that I veg out on after a hard days work back home. It felt like I tripped every 10th step. There were only ever two options- one foot in front of the other or stop and go to sleep. It was difficult to reach into my jacket pocket for my water or into my bag for a snack. All I know is that for the most part I didn’t stop walking even though every joint in my body, my brain, and my cold skin told me to sit down, huddle in any sort of warmth I can find, and give up. It was my heart, and I believe I can say that for the rest of the group, that kept me going. I believe that on this grueling 6 hour climb to the summit of Mt Meru everyone learned something about themselves, and I am proud of each and every one of the 5 Medoutreach members conquered Mt. Meru. After a quick photo op at the summit the group started to make its way down the mountain. It was arguably worse then summiting. Another four hours down to the camp site we started from and a quick lunch was our reward for our efforts. As I began to lay down to take maybe a short nap before completing our downward trek a violent knock on the door woke me and I was told we would be leaving in 5 minutes. We then proceeded to go down the last 3500 metres of the mountain in about 4 hours. When all was said and done, we had spent 15 hours hiking that day and everyone was completely exhausted. Now that we are back at home, we can distantly see the summit of Mt. Meru. Although we feel as though the mountain glares at us, mocking us for our ignorance, we have had the last laugh. Although, I must say, I am petrified to climb Kilimanjaro after the MedOutreach program comes to a close. And if I may impart some wisdom to our dear readers: don’t climb a mountain unless you love pain and suffering.

School Teachings
One of the events that had excited the MedOutreach group was our opportunity to do school teachings for secondary and primary school students. We divided ourselves into four teams of two and taught about multiple topics: sex education, diabetes, substance abuse, disability, and oral (health?) and hygiene. Each team of two had a question box to answer all of the questions posed by the students at the end of the session. This was a very positive experience for us. We had the opportunity to teach important topics and also had the kids direct some of their own learning by asking us anonymous questions and participating in disability workshops. The kids were incredibly receptive to our teachings, and listened very intently to our words. We hope that we have educated them the importance of proper healthcare. The question sessions demonstrated the great curiosity and intelligence of the children Being able to teach young children about health was a welcome change of pace, as many of the members of the team have a keen interest in teaching, so on the whole our experiences doing school teachings was awesome.

Dental Clinic
After spending two weeks working with Dr. Frank Akyoo at Nkoranga Hospital, the dental students continued their community services at the Seventh Day Adventist Dental Clinic in the town of Njiro. The students were warmly greeted and welcomed by Dr. Tekle (DDS), Dr. Kingazi (DTH), Dr. Zumo (DTH) as well as the rest of the staff team.
A total of 16 days were spent working at the SDA clinic. Our working days ran from 8:30am to 4:30pm Monday to Thursday and 8:30am to 1:00pm on Fridays. We performed amalgam and composite fillings, extractions, cleanings, and composite veneers, with periodic supervision from the covering dentists. More complicated extractions were performed by the covering dentists while we assisted.
On July 20th and 21st, Andy and Cara decided to reach out to the community by organizing a community dental clinic. Locals within the surrounding villages were invited to come to SDA clinic for free dental care and services. Announcements for the clinic were primarily made through different churches. Dr. Tekle kindly provided the use of his clinic and staff for translation, while we provided the materials required for procedures, and also performed all the procedures. A total of 17 patients were seen over the two-day span. These patients were extremely grateful for the dental work that we performed for them.
Over a period of 3 days, the MO dental team screened 17 children at CCF Arusha and 23 at CCF Maji ya Chai. Screenings involved checking the teeth for caries, as well as a screen for maxillofacial cancer. Screenings were done on evenings and weekends. They were completed on site at CCF Arusha and CCF Maji ya Chai. If problems were noted, patients were brought into the SDA clinic from July 26th to 28th and on August 9th. Any dental treatments that were required were completed at the clinic. Services were provided by the dental students, and were focused primarily on extractions and fillings. For treatments deemed more complicated, arrangements were made for the children to come back in the future to be seen for treatment by the covering dentists. All of these dental procedures were not possible without the generous donations of dental supplies from various supporters and companies in Canada.
At the end of the term at SDA clinic, all of the unused sundries were donated to the clinic. Andy and Cara both enjoyed this wonderful experience, and are looking forward to sharing their experiences upon return to Canada.


Until next time...much love from the MedOutreach Clan

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Long time, no blog?






Dear avid followers of the blog to end all blogs,

Pole sana (we’re very sorry) for our long delay in updating our blog! Time is flying by here and we’ve been keeping very busy over the past few weeks. We thought we’d briefly mention what we’ve been up to, with a few special highlights from each of us at the end. Last time we left off we had just finished our two weeks of work at the Nkoaranga hospital, and we were happy to be back in civilization and settle into Centre House.

• Our first week back (July 11-15) the meds and nursing students spent time at Dr. Mhando’s clinics (Engira and Bondeni). The dents started their work with Dr. Tekle, who they’ll be working with for the remainder of their time here.
• On the weekend all 8 of us travelled to Zanzibar to enjoy some relaxing time on the beach. Unaccustomed to the African sun, most of us left with memorable sunburns (a first for Supriya!), which we’ve thankfully recovered from.
• Last week (July 18-22) we split ourselves up, with Caleigh, Christina, Supriya and I (Hilarie) staying a few nights at CCF Maji Ya Chai and working at the Upendo Leprosy home. Working at the Leprosy home was an amazing experience for all of us. We got to do lots of wound care in the mornings and helped with cleaning etc. around the home. Then in the afternoons, our favourite time of the day, we led the mazuezi (=exercise) class that last years nursing students, Sam and Courtney, implemented as a way to get everyone out. CCF (Children for Chilren’s Future) is an organization that provides street children with a place to live outside the city, giving them the invaluable chance to go to school. Marc and Harpreet made the daily commute to join us in the afternoons hanging out with the CCF boys, where we tried not to embarrass ourselves playing soccer with them. We all had a great time getting to know the boys before conducting their medical screenings on the weekend.
• On Friday we went back to Nkoaranga hospital for the grand opening of their new paediatric ward. The building of the ward was initiated by a young paediatric nurse from Belgium (Tanya). She got the idea back in 2008 when she volunteered at the hospital for 6 months. She then returned home and fundraised all the money needed over the past few years. It was inspirational seeing all of her friends, family and donors who also came for the opening.
• This week we’re conducting screenings for the Upendo HIV group – a group of 70 HIV-positive patients that we provide annual medical care for.

Side Bar Updates:
• The roosters have yet to fail as our daily alarm clock; no matter what village, tent or building we spend the night in.
• We have adopted 2 stray cats, multiple geckos, and a mysterious bull frog that lives in the walls and has yet to show its face.
• Following our Marathon run last month, Christina is now 3 toe nails short.
• The solution to a stray dog roaming around the hospital campus is to slap a collar around its neck; one way in which the hospital jazzed up its appearance for the 100 Mzungus (white people) attending the opening ceremony of the paediatric ward.
• Dala-dala strike. The LTC strike has nothing on the mayhem that encompasses the streets of Arusha when their version of public transportation
• Ice-cream cones – AWESOME!
• Coming back from Maji Ya Chai with what we thought was a tan…only to see it wash down the drain as we showered for the first time in days
• Days/ nights without power and running water no longer phase us
• 10 people in a 5-seater taxi= pleasantly cozy. One of our many new norms.

To sum things up, we are all having a wonderful time as we learn about the Tanzanian culture, ourselves, and the medical knowledge & experiences we are gaining with each new day. Although situations are not always ideal and some days we are left feeling a little discouraged, we have learned to hold onto the small accomplishments along the way. Whether it’s sharing a moment with a mother and her newborn child, partaking in the thrills of laughter during a game of soccer, or witnessing the eminent joy as we hand out the donated gifts and photos taken in the year previous.

“Whatever the present moment contains, accept it as if you had chosen it. Always work with it, not against it.”- Eckhard Tolle

Cheers,
Hilarie, Caleigh and the MedOutreach Gang

Monday, July 11, 2011

Here, there, and everywhere!

The team is back at home base in Arusha, exhausted by the intense experiences we have had in Nkoaranga. Medical and nursing students alike were thrown into the fire. Under the watchful eye of Dr. Julius, we have had several incredible medical experiences. In one situation, Harpreet and I (Marc) scrubbed into a particularly complicated Cesarean section. As the lights of the operating room shone over us, and the pressure to effectively aid Dr. Julius mounted, we helped deliver a baby which weighed 4.5 kilograms. When the baby was born without a pulse and not breathing, it was as if those same operating room lights were shining 100 times hotter and brighter. The situation was suddenly filled with urgency, and in an instant Hilarie and Supriya acted in order to save the baby's young life. Supriya and Hilarie acted as if they had nerves of steel and started CPR. Staying calm, cool and collected, they successfully sparked life back into the baby within a few minutes, giving it a chance at a healthy life. When the baby started crying, the cool African winter air returned to the room, staff and students alike were collectively relieved. In the meanwhile, as the surgery continued, the new mother began to rouse. As the intensity began to peak for a second time, we assisted Dr. Julius finish the operation as the patient began to feel pain and move her arms and legs. Speed and precision of our work were necessities and the surgery ended successfully. A couple of days later, the team visited the new mother and child, and we were happy to see them healthy and together. We have had many notable experiences in Nkaronga; another big highlight of the week included Christina scrubbing into her first, but definately not her last surgery. We have been stricken by the differences between Canadian healthcare and the standards of healthcare in rural Africa. In Canada, it is almost unimaginable that a patient would have major surgery while aenesthetic wears off.

Throughout the past 2 weeks at Nkaroanga hospital, the dental team, consisting of our two dental students, Andy and Cara, was able to provide great help and service to the locals under the supervision of Dr. Frank Akyoo, a local dentist. A community clinic that lasted for a total of 4 long days (9am - 5:30pm) was put together with the help of the hospital administration. By word of mouth, the free dental service clinic spread like wildfire to the surrounding villages and towns. At 9am in the morning, there were at least 20 people lined up awaiting dental services. The line never seemed to die down until late in the afternoon, as people continued to flood the dental building. From elders to children, people waited patiently for hours to be seen in hopes of being relieved of dental pain. The problems ranged significantly from severe periodontitis to periapical abscesses secondary to dental infections to heavily decayed teeth. The majority of the dental treatments rendered were dental extractions, with some scalings and root planings as well as composite fillings. All of the patients that we treated were extremely thankful and appreciated our services. For Andy and Cara, this experience was certainly worthwhile and they were grateful to be presented with this opportunity to help people who would not otherwise receive dental treatment due to financial restrictions.

Prior to our departure from Nkoaranga hospital, we handed over a luggage-bag full of medical and dental instruments and supplies that will certainly benefit the hospital and all of its patients. The donation of these supplies was made possible thanks to our fundraising efforts as well as MedOutreach donors and supporters. We are thankful for the opportunity we have had to learn and assist in Nkaronga hospital, and look forward to using these experiences to advance our skills as medical and nursing students.

In addition to our incredible medical and dental experiences, the team had many other highlights during our Nkoaranga adventures. For the two weeks we spent in Nkoaranga, the eight of us shared the hospital guest house with four other volunteers from England and a mysterious spirit named Stanley. Stanley visited us on a nightly basis, making strange noises and causing a ruckus. The creepy sounds kept us on edge and one night even drove Marc out of his bed to escape into the girl's room for safety. The unexplained happenings all seemed to stem from the attic... So to face our fears and for the chance to meet Stanley face-to-face the group spent one night in the attic... and survived!
To make matters more interesting the power outages in Nkoaranga were numerous, often and added to the haunted experience. Within the darknesss of our house, we still had to complete our daily tasks such as cooking, cleaning and showering. With our headlamps and flashlights to light the way we were able to cook romantic, candlelight dinners and enjoyed our cold, refreshing showers. After long days at the hospital and no power at the house, we often travelled to cafe Tanz-Hands in Usa River to enjoy nice home cooked meals. By the end of our two weeks, the staff at the cafe became family, greeting us with warm smiles and banana chocolate milkshakes.

Our main mode of transportation in Nkoaranga was the dala-dala. We often rode it down the massive mountain to Killala and Cafe Tanz-Hands. The dala-dalas are packed, mini mini-vans and one day when there was no space inside we climbed onto the roof and travelled in "high class" to Killala. We also explored Nkoaranga by foot, venturing up the beautiful mountain to Urisho Village. Along the way, we met many of welcoming hospital staff and even accompanied a family to the top carrying their children on our backs in the traditional Tanzanian way. The view at the top was absolutely breath taking but the view for the villagers was quite surprising as they had probably never seen Canadian visitors in Urisho. Despite getting lost on our way down, Christina's strong sense of direction and pocket full of candy, aided us in getting local children to help us find our way.
Besides our mini adventures and hikes, we spent most of our free time visiting the orphanage behind the guest house. From the first day to the last, these kids won our hearts over and their contagious laughter and smiles lit up our days. Approximately 25 toddlers and infants live in one house, under the care of Mama Pendo and only 3 other staff. One thing we realized during our visits was how fortunate we are back in Canada, to have what we have, as these kids have close to nothing. The orphans share their beds, toys, clothes, food, everything ... and for them to be able to smile and appreciate life as much as they do is a lesson for all of us. We were able to make a few donations (thanks to Corunna Church and Mrs.Singh/Jump Rope for Heart) but our biggest contribution was being there to share our love with each and every one of them. We really fell in love with these kids and for some of us these kids have been the highlight of our trip so far. Although it was hard to leave, we hope to go back and visit.

We send our love to all those back home! We are safe, happy, stomachs fully satisfied and looking forward to work with Dr.Mhando and Dr.Tekley in the following weeks.

-The Medoutreach Gang

Saturday, July 2, 2011

Nkoaranga Adventures

N o power - 4/5 nights without power

K ids at the orphanage - behind our house where we spend our spare time

O opherectomy - marc and supriya each assisted on this surgery

A ll sharing one bathroom (12 people)

R oosters - 24/7

A ir drying laundry - takes 8 days when at 100% humidity

N o running water - the one night we had power...

G owgate aneasthetic (local aneasthetic) injections in the dark

A ll 8 (+2) crammed into a 4 seater taxi

Nkaronga Hospital
The team has spent the past four days volunteering and learning in the rural village of Nkaronga. As students, our healthcare experiences in Canada are limited, however many of us are striken by the differences between the small rural hospital of Nkaronga and what we have experienced in Canada. In class, it never dawned on me that people would undergo surgeries we learn about without a general aenesthetic, having to bare the brunt of their illness while awake and in pain. During my observerships, I never realized that surgeons accross the world sometimes have to scrub into emergency surgery while the running water of their hospital is shut down for the day. At the risk of being cliche, I truly have a newfound appreciation for some of the drugs and procedures we get for free in Canada.
I have decided to lead off with care in the hospital such that it will be more difficult for me to complain about our living arrangement: 2 rooms. 8 People. 4 additional Roommates. 1 Bathroom. No running water presently. No electricity at times.My bed is on wheels and sinks into the center of the room. We have two mysterious pets, a dog and a cat, who come and go as they please. To be a little more candid, I woke up the other day with a spider bite on my backside which I am reminded of every time I sit down. You think I may be miserable, but the truth is that aside from some mild homesickness and a literal pain in my ass, I have never been better. The group has been getting along and facing every hardship, either instrinsic or extrinsic, with enthusiasm and gusto. We have been learning every day during rounds and in the operating room theatre, helping to treat illnesses which have been ignored and neglected while they ought to have been treated within weeks. This truly has been the experience of a lifetime, and it makes me now more than ever appreciative of the people who have supported us and our plush lives in Canada. As always, share your comments, and keep in touch.
-Marc Lipkus and the Gang

Kilimanjaro Mararthon




Before kicking off our official Medoutreach mission of learning and donating to healthcare in Tanzania, the team decided to participate in a charity run in the town of Moshe in order to contribute to one of the local hospitals and challenge ourselves. Caleigh and Christina ran their first marathons ever at the base of kiliminjaro in what I could only describe as pure grit and determination that drove them through every single gruelling hill and turn. They may not have fared as well as the Kenyan winners of the race that ran their marathon in 2:23 minutes (a world class speed) but they both did Medoutreach proud. The two amazing nurses of our group are still feeling the rigors of their marathon, but the pain is blunted by glory, pride, and sheer strength. Andy, Harpreet and I (yours truly, Marc Lipkus) decided to support our two fearless leaders by participating in the 10 K run. While Andy swiftly finished his run and doubled back to help the rest of the team, Harpreet and I challenged ourselves by pushing beyond what we thought possible and finishing our first ever 10 kilometre runs. Although we were dwarfed by the accomplishment of the two nurses, and our muscles and blisters have healed long before theirs, we have also tasted the sweet nectar of victory and are proud of what we accomplished in Moshe. The night of the marathon, we picked up Cara and Supriya to embark on what has thus far been an incredible journey. Stay updated on what we are experiencing, and feel free to share your opinions and insights with Medoutreach, with our family and friends, and with the world. Hi Mom!

-Marc Lipkus and the Gang

Friday, June 24, 2011

Arusha to Moshi

Today we required transportation from Arusha to Moshi to participate in a Marathon/ 10km run at the base of Mount Kilimanjaro, benefiting the people of Moshi. Through familiarizing ourselves with the streets of Arusha we came upon a "bus station." This is not your typical bus station. As we are "Mzungus" (White-tourists), for obvious reasons we were swarmed by the locals trying to recruit us to take their bus. After quickly exploring the "bus station" we left the area a little overwhelmed and uncertain about this new mode of transportation. Through exploring other possibilities and speaking with Mamma Mhando we felt comfortable and reassured that this was to be expected but all the same, is a safe route to take. Not to mention, 2500 shillings per person (=$1.60) for a two hour ride to Moshi. Not bad.

After packing up our gear we began our trek down to the station. On the way we stopped at a "local" restaurant/bar/club/patio/park, etc to grab a bite to eat. As 6 white Mzungus we turn a lot of heads as we made our way to our table. After much confusion and a "slight" language barrier we managed to order and began plotting our plan as to how we would conquer the bus station and remain as camouflaged and unnoticed as possible- a daunting task.

We came to an agreement that only 2 of us Mzungus would enter the feeding frenzy as the others anxiously waited from afar. Once we received the signal to go ahead from Andy and Hilarie we knew it was game on. Single filed, we briskly walked to meet our counterparts and climbed aboard a bus.

Slightly skeptical, but happy to be aboard a half-empty bus we settled in and spread out throughout the bus. Oooops. Little did we know that they would wave people in off the street and fill up the bus beyond capacity. By beyond capacity we mean, 40-45 people in a 28 seater bus. Cozy much? Plus all of our bags on our laps. Harpreet got sat on. 2hours later, we arrived at the Moshi bus station, happy to find our hotel around the corner. After settling in, and updating our wonderful blog, we're excited to be here and looking forward to the weekend events!

Caleigh, Christina and Hilarie

Thursday, June 23, 2011

Day # Nnay





Or at least, we think that's how you spell FOUR in Swahili! It's been four days!!

Lots has happened in this time! We were welcomed into Dr. Mhando's home, and he has been so incredibly hospitable! The world needs more people like him. Him and his family treat us like their kids :)

We met at his home two days ago, where Mama Mhando had prepared some amazing dishes for us. Yummy corn from their backyard! Marc had two. The rest of us stuck to one. We discussed MedOutreach's history and our plans going forward. Some of us got an even greater impression of the fact that we're part of a legacy that was started by the first MedOutreach team. Dr. Mhando really has a very inspirational manner of speaking!

We're all very eager to begin work in clinics next week. Next stop: Nkoaranga!

In the meantime, we're made loads of friends here! Chief amongst them are Angel and her wonderful aunt who also live at our hostel. Angel is simply adorable and apparently sleeps with a little bouncey ball that we gave her.

More later! It's getting dark and we need to cross the dangerous "bridge" before nightfall. Else, we may be in trouble.. oops!

Lots of love,
MedOutreach

Saturday, June 18, 2011

... and we're off!

Our first post! So exciting!

We have just arrived at a lay-over in Amsterdam, after what I can only describe as a "cry-baby flight". Some of us really wanted kids prior to this; now we're not so sure. Thankfully, Justin Bieber's movie was provided as in-flight entertainment - this was a welcome distraction! It *ALMOST* drowned out the voices of three simultaneously wailing infants.

Personal updates from members:
- Hilarie: I slept the entire way
- Christina: My ears hurt
- Marc: Uhmmm... I asked for chicken pasta but I got veggie pasta :(
- Caleigh: Bieber-fever!
- Andy: Newest recruit to Bieber-dom. Along with his Merlot. Classy.
- Harpreet: Beat Andy at Tetris!! Mwahahaha

Currently trying to kill some time at the airport. Oh wait, we're starting a card game. Gotta go!

We'll keep updating!

Cheers,
The MedOutreach gang

p.s.: Andy would like you to know that we walked an hour from one terminal to the other. He exagerates.