medical team went to a village supposed to be around two hours away,
twenty minutes away from the construction site. We got lost however
and spent more than an hour driving to dusty red tracks in between
corn fields instead. At one point our van got stuck in the mud!
However, miraculously only 20 metres further up the road was a big
steam roller going about his business, whatever that may be on an
isolated small muddy track. It meant that we could be pulled out
quickly and soon we were back on the road.
We were able to help many needy people today. There was a lot of
malaria and eye conditions (conjunctivitis from the dust and
cataracts), urinary tract infections, welts, boils and worms. All
children were dewormed. Then also there were some interesting cases of
hydrocoele, cephalohaematoma, lipoma, Down's, blindness and cleft
palate.
Halfway through our work we were treated with fresh coconuts. It was
absolutely delicious to drink and eat.
I thought (read: pastor Love thought) it would be a good idea to let
other people write up something for the blog about their experiences
in the different teams. I agreed with myself. So here are Dan about
the microloans and Mr Whitaker about the construction team.
"This morning Skip and Keith visited the micro bank to train the staff.
Micro Bank is a non-profit organisation that issues loans and offers a
savings facility to those who would usually be refused elsewhere, or
more likely, to those small business owners who would never think to
use a loan or a savings account.
Skip and Keith covered basic principles on time management and client
relationships while also spending time sorting out general office
issues.
The staff appreciated their help and were enthused and motivated as
they grasped the vision that pastor Odai and Skip have for the bank"
Dan Rees
"The medical mission building is next to a pole-barn church a few
hundred yards outside the village of Noka. Our task has been t fit
timber rafters and finish with a sheet metal roof of about 100 square
metres. When we arrived the block work was almost ready (!) and we
were heartened that a local carpenter, Prince, was going to guide us
through the process.
The building has a porch area, general clinic area, two consulting
rooms and toilet facilities. It is in a great location, slightly up a
hillside, and within easy reach of several other villages.
The team are in excellent spirits, despite the heat and occasional
waiting to know what to do. There are no brackets, no bolts – it is
just four inch nails into everything – and lots of saving by hand.
The first day (Saturday) we had an avid audience of barefoot
youngsters (aged 7-9) watching all that we did – from a distance –
until at our lunch break they closed in on us! Delightful smiling
children full of fun and mischief – their mission is to collect our
empty water bottles –
no doubt to be filled and sold!
In England we would clothe a building with scaffold before ever
attempting roofing work, but the technique here is simply to walk
around balancing on top of the walls! Most of us bottled out, so we
built a number of wooden ladders to work from. The local pastor [in
charge of one of pastor Odai's churches] pops in each day to encourage
our labour.
Three days and we should have it done."
Rob Whitaker
Phrase of the day: "Is that a leopard?" It turned out to be Rosie
emerging from the bushes. Perhaps the pink skirt should have given it
away earlier. I am desperate to see some wild animals before I leave
Africa. Something like a leopard, lion or elephant. Even a warthog
will do. Animals other than ants and turkeys.
Coming up: Tomorrow we're leaving for three days to stay in
accommodation closer to the building site, before returning on
Thursday evening. The internet may be even less accessible there. The
medical team will move around each day to different villages. Tomorrow
morning there will also be a healing service and in the evening the
crusade will start for the next three evenings.
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