Bere 2018 #4
The sun set with a cloudy sky and then a downpour hit! I had just been out on the road leading to Lai out near that special tree where there is better cell service with 3G. It was a little hit and miss, as it dropped the call with my wife a number of times in a few minutes of talking. But I think I was able to send emails. So hopefully you received #1-3. I was out at that special place when Dr. Sarah got a call that a special delegation was at the hospital from Ndjamena, and wanted to talk to the head medical doctor to answer some questions and fill in some paperwork that they had. I had chosen to take all the hospital call tonight as she has not been off call for 3 months. So doing non surgical call I hope will not be to taxing for my brain. Anyway since I’m on call, I decided to go meet with the delegation. I hopped on the motorcycle and made a hasty retreat back the 10 miles or so to the hospital. Just as I got there the downpour started. There were 3 doctors here and a couple others. They were here in a program with an NGO that works through world health organization with regards to maternal and neonatal health. They wanted to do a short evaluation of the hospital and fill out some paperwork to turn in to the NGO. They said that the materials or education that is lacking would be funded through the NGO to improve maternal and children’s health. So the one I went with, wanted to see the OR and write down how many sterile packs we had for C-sections, hysterectomies, repairs of episiotomies, suction apparatus for retained placental products, oxygen machines, baby incubator… Then he asked what kind of doctors worked here and that there should be a OB/GYN, surgeon, pediatrician, anesthetist, general practitioner, midwife… Hmmmm. Currently there is only me and Dr. Sarah. Last week it was only Dr. Sarah for most of the last 3 months. For each of the OR packs they asked if all the instruments were inside, I said that we had 2 of each but that the normal number of clamps in each one is about half of the important ones. They asked if the scissors were sharp. Definitely NOT! So they registered 1 for each. Later on, we all got together and summarized their findings of the three partially filled booklets. Then they wanted the hospital stamp on a fourth empty one and my signature. So I signed a blank page that they will fill out later, another Hmmmm. I think I’m jaded from working in Cameroon. We had similar situations in Cameroon, and money was sent to our hospital in Cameroon but never made it to us. One of the times we were to get money, the medical director of the district took the money and bought himself a nice new 4×4 truck. So jaded, I am! After about 1.5 hours, they decided we were done and since it had rained they wanted a hotel or place to pass the night. There aren’t any in Bere nor rooms ready at the hospital that I’m aware of. So I sent them to ask a worker. They left and I did too.
While I’m here I’ve hired a guy to cook for me. He has cooked for other missionaries. I do not like cooking and here everything takes a long time to cook. Pluck the rocks our of the beans, pick the bugs out of the rice, go buy some vegetable so put in the beans and maybe some tomato paste, then its time to cook. This may take hours as the beans are super hard and dry. So between the time effort and my dislike for cooking I’ve hired Joshua. So I get “home” this evening and there is the local millet paste, a peanut sauce with green small leaves, and deep fried okra. Yum, I like all of it. Also a loaf of fresh bread. I put some peanut butter on that. Wish I had some butter, but the local margarine is awful tasting. So I had my fill then went back to the hospital to check in with each of the nurses to let them know that I was the one on call and to not bother Dr. Sarah. So I’m praying for rest tonight! As I write I can hear a sheep bleating directly behind my house, frogs croaking near by and crickets chirping. This is nature.