Much to share!

It has been over a week since I posted last, and much has happened. God is good!The week began with new neighbours moving into the area, the Tans. They are 6 month volunteers with CRWRC, coming from Alaska. We will be working together in the same area, which is a huge blessing. We have spent much time together already and enjoy each other’s company. Now going to the market and town does not require a call to the taxi or several days of prior arrangement. Friendship is also a wonderful addition!

Work is going well. Right now I am involved in working with the staff at the inpatient unit. It is a ward of up to 30 patients at a time. Often, due to the shortage in staff, there is only one nurse working for the whole ward. Needless to say, there are days when we will both be very busy. I am really enjoying getting to understand more and more about the diseases and medications that they use in this part of the world. I have benefited from the fact that the charts the staff write in are documented in English. This has helped me understand some of the history behind each patient and the treatment regimens. Since everything still remains quite new, I am asking a lot of questions and I know that right now this is how the Lord is using me in the clinic. I am asking some of those “why” questions, right now out of naivety, but am also helping clarify some of the treatments that the doctors are prescribing. It has been a sharp learning curve as at the beginning everything was new, but now that I have become more familiar with the illnesses like malaria. Everyone at the clinic is welcoming and I have enjoyed creating relationships with some of the staff. This coming weekend the Nursing Officer has invited Margaret and Gordon and myself to her house. What a blessing! Please pray for the patients that I will care for while I am working at the health centre. Pray for their families and the trails that they also go through as family members may pass away or have to deal with the disparities of debilitating diseases. Pray for understanding as I am unable to communicate well with many of the patients, pray for guidance and perseverance on days when I am frustrated with the language barrier. Pray for the staff as they too have to deal with pressures from work and home life.

I have gotten into good a routine here. Days are filled with trips to the local market where we spend most of the time trying to communicate and understand what the seller is saying. Each time it gets better! Even starting to barter down prices that seem high. Bei kubwa! (Too much) Punguza! (Reduce) I have started also washing clothes by hand, wow I don’t know how people wash all of their clothes, by the time I get one towel washed, I am exhausted. I am learning quickly! Cooking dinners has been exciting as now the Tans and I will be splitting that job. Will be nice to have them over to my place and share time in fellowship together. Lunch has been a wonderful culture experience as I go to an African family’s house, just behind the health centre. I have been welcomed in to their home and enjoy learning new Swahili words for my 30 minute break. We have had wonderful times of laughter and enjoy learning new things about each other. Right now all of the children are home from school, so it has been busy as they have nine children under the age of 24! A full house for the Christmas season. Getting into the Christmas spirit has been quite different this year, but last Friday there was a missionary fellowship and being surrounded by others all singing Christmas carols was a wonderful treat! The Tans and I hope to head up to another friend’s place for about a week to celebrate such a wonderful time of year! Snow, cold weather, and a Christmas tree aren’t what make this time of year so special. Spending time with friends and remembering the reason for the season will be what we focus on this year. It will be hard to be away from my family, but I know that the Lord will provide during those harder times. And a phone call home on the 25th will help!

Today I was reading through Romans and came across a verse that I had memorized with my small group all the way back in high school. Amazing how the Lord reminds us of parts of the Bible later on in our life – Praise the Lord!“We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because He has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with love.” Romans 5:3-5I know that there are going to be problems and trials in the future. I have experienced some since I have come here, but I am confident in the Lord that He will use those times to work on me. I pray that I will be open to His working in my life so that I too can develop endurance that will strengthen my character and eventually lead to confident hope in salvation! Praise the Lord - Amen! Bwana asifiwe – Amina!