Awakened: Last Clinic Day

Today was our second clinic day in Ndofe and our final clinic of the trip. I truly can hardly believe it. We made it!!! We ALL made it! Our team (meaning Canadians and Tanzanians combined) have worked so very hard over the past week and a half. I am so proud of them all. Each person truly gave all that they had to see people cared for and loved. Today, we entered the day with only 180 index cards remaining, so we knew when we reached that point that that would be it. We hit 180 people around 3 p.m. and then we had to say "no" to the many remaining outside...that is by far the hardest thing to do. It is never, ever easy to turn people away. Over 8 clinic days though, we saw 1,600 people - that's 1,600 people who were touched and provided for in new ways. Thanks be to Jesus.

I confess I am tired and can't remember all of the memorable points of the day, but I have four that I actually wrote down!

The older lady who sat down to be triaged - I spoke Swahili to her and she didn't really reply. So, I asked Sundy, one of the Tanzanian Nurses if this lady could hear. She spoke to her and then replied to me, "She doesn't speak Swahili, she speaks Sukuma, one of the tribal languages". I looked at Sundy and said, "oh! Well, tell her I don't speak Swahili either!" with a little wink. That got a wee smile out of this dear soul before me. There are actually 60 different tribal languages that fall into the Urafiki Health Centre district, which is quite incredible.
Augustina - oh my! she was just adorable. More often than not, the children are quite afraid of it, or at least hesitant. Some are literally afraid and they draw away and I often wonder how many of them are seeing a white skinned person for the first time! Augstina seemed quite fascinated with me and she just kept smiling at me...she was such a bright spot in the day.
Kulum - a young boy missing his left eye. I am not sure what the full story was on him, but I would imagine the life layed before him will be a difficult one here.
Willison and his sister - Willison is 6 years old and has profound developmental delay, along with microcephaly. He appears to have great difficulty swallowing and he does not walk. His 13 year old sister brought him to the clinic and she is his primary care giver. Her Mother is quite ill. The reality is that his sister doesn't go to school (if she even was able to) because she is caring for Willison. Willison presented with a fever and tested positive for malaria and worms. I was trying desperately to get some Tylenol syrup and malaria medication into him but he kept bringing it back up - he has excess saliva and I think, likely has difficulty with thin fluids as well. We gave his sister the medicines in the hope that she would be able to do it at home. Some reassurance came to me when one of the Urafiki Nurses recognized Willison and said that he has received treatment at the Urafiki Health Centre in the past - at least we know that he could go there if he gets more ill. We're hoping (and requested) that the Pastor in the area check in on the family.

Sara Jane and I were talking in the van on the way back about the responsibility that children here carry. I may have written it before, but our children in Canadian would have no clue what hit them if they were to live a life in the day of an African child. These children ARE the caregivers and they really have no choice in the matter.

Tomorrow, we will wrap up things at the Clinic: organize the remaining medications and detail what is used for what, for the Urafiki staff. We'll sort through all the dressing supplies we brought and also detail their uses. In the evening, we will gather for the time with our Tanzanian friends - a time of celebration and send off. I love our times together. I am looking forward to singing all together, as Aron has promised me we will do that. The Tanzanians have remarkable harmony when they sing! It is beautiful, beautiful, beautiful. Then, on Sunday morning, we will begin our journey to Arusha, through the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro. It will be a spectacular way to unwind and just rest, while taking in the creation all around us. Tuesday, we jump on the plane!

Once again...thank you for your prayers. I am anxious to be able to post photos so that you can actually SEE the faces that your prayers have reached. These are wonderful people - each unique and each treasured.