Finally Out in the FIELD!!!!

Can you tell I'm excited?!?!?! We had another meeting with our CARE team and headed out to the Misungwi District Hospital and met some more amazing people. Take a look at our photos links to "meet" them yourselves!

So, am I ever without an amazing adventure? Not yet! We stopped at a restaurant to eat and while the setting to me was "questionable" (as in, "Goodness will they have food that will not make me sick?), we were thrown into the environment without a life-vest. See, in this restaurant, there were only about 10 tables and all of them were either partially or completely filled. You pretty much need to sit where there is an empty seat, whether you know the other person sitting there or not. So . . . . Adam and I teamed up and sat with a gentleman sitting by himself. When the waiter came to take our order, and the blank stare of "I did not understand a darn word" the gentleman quickly started to interpret for us. With his aid, Adam and I were able to order our food. He then proceeded to help us name everything on our plates in Swahili. I think I already forgot most of what he taught us, but the gesture will never be forgotten. That is the nature of the people here: sincere kindness to those in need, and boy were we in desperate need of help!

On our way to Misungwi, we are fortunate enough to stop on the side of the road because we got a flat tire. This gave us the opportunity to meet a local woman and her children. While they were somewhat fearful of us, they were neither rude nor did they run away. Once the tire was like new, we continued with our trek towards the hospital.

At the hospital, I got to see firsthand our friend Jane in action. The keen eye of this woman is incredible. She is part of the CARE team we met yesterday and is a very experienced mid-wife. In a matter of seconds, while in the expecting mother's room, she noticed a mother in need (while the rest of us had continued walking not noticing the subtleties of a woman in labor). She quickly reacted and aided the woman into the labor room, and I know if she had been given the opportunity, she would have delivered the baby herself! The kindness and experience held in this one woman makes me hope that when I have a baby, I can have someone just as kind and knowledgeable.

For yet another adventure, post a blog for Dr. G and ask her about the outbreak she almost volunteered to work on!