Sunday, August 22, 2010

Here is a journal entry from 6 weeks after I returned:

            I guess this trip has changed me. I don’t like life over here. It’s too fast paced. Too many distractions. I told Michelle last night that the experience doesn’t seem real anymore and that it was nice to hear her stories that afternoon during her mission story to her church. She responded with, “Really? That seems real to me. This doesn’t seem real.”

            Our environment should not dictate how we do ministry. There are considerations, but still. Over there I led in morning devotions, prayed in front of the group, did special music in multiple languages, told a children’s story, and gave Bible studies with an interpreter. And in 3 weeks after returning, I preached two times, sang Zambian songs in front of churches and my co-worker…but my heart did not feel right on trip and it feels worse now. Lord, help me be the ministry I was/could have/should have been over there. There’s a work you have for me to do at Eastern this last semester. Don’t let me back away. Don’t let me hide behind nursing work. In fact, increase my faith in your provision. You brought me to nursing and will give me the necessary desire to get through it. Help me take my own sermon personally. No matter the circumstance, whether ministry or nursing, you will give me the words to say. My heart needs to be right with you, and I need help to achieve that.

            Thank you!

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

            When we finally landed in Washington, DC, we had to go through customs. At different stations, we got questioned as to what we were doing in Zambia and what IMPACT stood for. Witnessing opportunities!! We made it through here and checked our luggage into our next flight, and looked for a payphone to let our parents know we were still alive. My aunt questioned why I was so late in contacting her. I had to remind her that going through customs takes time. We got a little snack to eat before going to our next terminal. When Michelle was eating her fruit, she said, “Mmm, cantaloupe! Mmm, strawberry! Mmm, watermelon! Mmm, grape!” We only had a few bananas and oranges on the trip. So when our first plane meal had carrots, cucumbers, lettuce, and tomatoes, we were both excited!

Rome to Washington, D.C.

 The symbol for the airline

Written on the sleeve of our shirts

We had the boxcar to ourselves

 

            Again, I slept the whole flight from DC to Detroit. Fell asleep before we took off, woke up when we landed. The only thing I remember about the Detroit airport is the sign that says, “Once you pass this point, you cannot reenter.” We were a little hesitant about passing it. Due to a miscommunication about our pickup from the airport, Michelle and I had to take a taxi. My first time. It wasn’t bad, actually.

We made it back to her place at 3:30pm. Then began our attempt to adapt back into American civilization. First things first: take a half hour, warm shower and scrub off all that dirt! It was everything after that that took some getting used to. But a couple weeks later, we were unhappily readjusted back into our normal, busy routines, trying to keep that mission-minded focus that we’d had on the trip.

Together, we survived the experience of the life time!

Monday, July 12, 2010

            When we got to the church in Lusaka at 4, we stayed on the bus and slept till devotions at 5. Then it was time to unload the bus. After unloading is when people started leaving. It was easier when they left one at a time. Michelle and I stayed back and recorded some of the missionaries singing some of the songs we’d learned. The IMPACT song, “Show Me The Way,” and “Tumweke.”

That wasn't something I was about to try to balance with no hands!

  

Miriam, Musaka, myself

Around 10am Cindy, took us into town to buy some souvenirs. We had to exchange money first. The exchange rate was $1US=5,000 kwacha. The first thing we went to buy were chitenges. We went to downtown Lusaka. At one of the chitenge stores, Indians were running it. Someone must have tried to order in a Zambian language because he responded with “Speak English.” I smiled because that’s what I had been saying for 2 weeks. The next place we went was more than a little scary. We were never afraid for our lives, but this was like a trading post. Everyone had their little souvenirs that they wanted to sell. They knew we were American, therefore had money, and they wanted our business. We had limited money, limited time, and didn’t know what to buy or how to bargain (well, I didn’t). 

The Shopping Mall

 

Downtown Lusaka

Michelle, Nasilele, myself

(I miss you Nasi!!!)

            At 1pm, Uncle Lazarus took us to the airport. That’s where we found some postcards and were able to experience a safari (by the pictures on the postacards). After taking group pictures, and Lovemore licking his finger and wiping his eyes, pretending he was crying, Michelle and I headed for our flight. Of course, we bought some more souvenirs in the airport before we actually boarded! We didn’t talk much on the plane. 1-I got sick. 2-I was tired. I’ll spare you the details and just say that I slept most of the LONG flight home.

 Our farewell party: Uncle Lazarus, Michael, Michelle, Marleen, Cindy, myself, Lovemore

Sunday, July 11, 2010

            At first we were told to get up at 4:50 for cleaning then group devotions at 5:30, but no one actually got up till 6. We cooked our last meal of nshima and IMANA before catching the 10:00 boat. 

Cooking IMANA on our outdoor stove.

We had to use sticks instead of coal the last couple days, so we weren't cooking inside!

 We found a couple toads around the house as we were packing. Most of the missionaries and all of the children were grossed out by Michelle, Lovemore, and myself touching and even picking up the toads. They wouldn’t even let us come near them with it. While packing and playing with toads, there were people going in and out of the house picking up the free clothing and we would give some specific items to the children outside.

That's as close as the children got to us holding the toad

Lovemore got to be pretty brave with the toad!

Jones wasn't to impressed!

 
Passing out clothes to the villagers

             We took a freight boat this time, not the post boat. Chama and Tecla were estatic to see Michelle and I again, as they thought we were already in Lusaka heading home. While we were loading the boat, a pastor was performing baptisms. He went from island to island as they were picking us up and performed the necessary baptisms with our Bible study contacts! 115 baptisms in 3 weeks!!

The Freight Boat

Baptismal candidates on Chishi Island

Baptismal candidates on Mbabala Island

After saying their vows as a group, they filed into the water and were baptized one at a time.

            The boat ride was used as reflection time and connecting with the missionaries we hadn’t seen in a while. I saw some guy wearing a University of Michigan baseball cap. That was kind of funny! When we got to Samfya, we loaded the boat onto the bus (and surprisingly, everything fit), had a group meeting, then headed south. On the bus ride each team gave a report of the work they had done in their village. This is where Lovemore announced the official changing of our names. Michelle was now Michelo Hamidoton and I was Elina Gondwe. Thankfully there were no movies playing on this bus ride so sleep was successful!!

Mushinka wanted to be heard!

Supervising the packing of the bus

All of this stuff (plus) had to fit in the bus

Sometimes we weren't sure if it was going to work...

 

Brothers Reunited:  Mushinka and Mwewa

Saturday, July 10, 2010

Last Sabbath in Zambia. We leave the islands tomorrow and fly from Lusaka on Monday.

            Something that has come up at least three times since being on Chishi Island(team Remnant Seed) ‘Don’t be too busy doing ministry that you don’t save any souls.’ We included that in a skit we did for Sabbath School this morning. Cindy, Michelle, Mwewa, and I were drowning. Someone acted as the pastor walking past us too busy with Bible study to save us. Then Musaka saves Mwewa. Then Alfred saves Cindy and Cindy comes back to save me. Michelle drowns. The story was to follow the saying “Saved to Serve.” The other saying above hits me more. Before the skit, we had an interview explanation of what IMPACT is and sang the IMPACT song. After the skit, I did the health talk. I spoke on meal timing and sizes again. I was more confident this time. 

During Sabbath School class, I sat with the kids. I didn’t understand much. Alfred told them the story of Elijah(Elia), Ahab(Ahabu) [which the kids pronounced Hahabu], and Jezebel. Then they recited songs and verses they knew. A little boy, names Joseph, knew almost everything, in English too. Church Service was about Noah. It was given by the crusade speaker, Elder Hastings. The end of the world will be like the flood. Will we heed our warning and prepare and help others prepare?

 

Part of the congregation at the church service. This was our warmest day. Yes, I wore sunscreen. But, no, we weren't sweating.

On the right: Joseph

            Between Sabbath School and Divine Worship, Michelle passed on the information that the little girl we cared for the previous morning had died upon arrival to the hospital. I was okay until we actually got to the funeral. We heard half the message, in Bemba, then they closed the blue diamond painted coffin and carried her right in front of us on the way to the burial site. I almost lost it, but all the children were staring at me. I almost lost it during the burial too, but again, for the sake of the children… The men took turns as 5 at a time buried the casket. They piled it pretty high. Everyone else was still singing from when they left the service site. We left before the end and continued further down the road to pass out clothing to the designated needy. During the burial and on the walk, I kept thinking about the little girl. We knew what needed to be done,but did not have the necessary supplies. I just wanted to go home, hug a pillow, and cry.

            We stopped by the service site on the way back to give our condolences. Cindy had asked me to share a little encouragement with whoever was gathered. I was more willing than nervous. But our guide did it himself. I actually really wanted to. My first full Zambian funeral, that of a patient, and speaking during the service. That’s a story! After his sermonette(in Bemba, so I don’t know what he said) we all greeted the mother and father, sitting in two separate groups, with the traditional funeral greeting of ‘I’m sorry,’ ‘Mwachuleni.’ The father responded, in English, with “God bless you.” Then we continued back to the camp passing out clothes. He really did seem content just that we cared enough to try to help their daughter.

            We learned a lot on that walk. If people have sticks in their front yard with a wrapper or container on it, that meant they had that item for sale. One person had sugar but everything else was alcohol. We also learned that the copper crosses that people talk about with devil worship are actually gold X’s. And if anyone tries to steal one off the island, the boat won’t leave the dock. We were actually told on Chilubi not to tell people when we were leaving because they could pray that our boat sinks. I never thought of that before then, nor on the boat between islands.

 

Alcohol advertisement

Cassava plants can get 7 feet high!!

            Around 9pm it was time to cook again. And until 0130, we cooked IMANA patties, fritters, chapatti, ground nuts, and cassava and made sure we had everything in our inventory (dishware, electrical equipment…). Even with bright lights and music blaring (we had a generator) that was a long night. I gave devotions at midnight. I shared the boldness of Peter and John that I’d been reading in Acts. Even after being arrested multiple times and told not to preach, they prayed and kept preaching. Our life is not on the line, but how boldly are we spreading God's word?

 

 Cindy and Musaka cooking Chapatti

 

You have to make a mess in order to clean. Notice our leader relaxing on the chairs?

Friday, July 9, 2010

Jones led group devotions about Isaiah 55 where we are told to buy milk and honey without money. He said it meant something like, Jesus already paid the price we just have to accept His gift. We must buy things (spend time) from heaven, not from the earth. We must be totally surrendered to God.

After devotions, Cindy, Michelle, and I went back to the clinic. The girl had been able to drink something and even urinated during the night! But her respirations were a bit faster, heart rate still within normal limits but faster than the night before, and her temperature was lower. We told them to keep her covered, head up, and fluids as tolerated. Then we prayed and left. The nurse had come in when we first got there and then went to call the ambulance. I thought it was called the night before. The ambulance didn’t come till 1pm.

            After visiting the clinic, we had breakfast, personal prep, then cooked for the rest of the day. We peeled and fried sweet potatoes and potatoes, added sugar to the leftover nshima and fried it, made IMANA patties…we were cooking for both Friday and Saturday.  During song service before the crusade, Michelle, Musaka, Jones, Mwewa, and I sang ‘Leaning on Jesus.’ It worked out! The message was on the Spirit of Prophecy. After the crusade, Michelle led in evening devotions and we prepared for the morning church service. 

 

Our outdoor stove. They are cooking sweet potatoes.

We stayed in the Parish near the dock

The path from our house to the lake

Thursday, July 8, 2010

            During breakfast, JJ and Lovemore were video-recording people’s testimonies. I tried to escape it but it didn’t work. Then ECYC members brought all of our stuff to the boat to head home. We took a lot of pictures at the dock! It was a sad sight as we starred across the water at each other, getting further apart. Although tears never came in my eyes, they could have had I thought about the fact that probably the only way I’d see most of these people again is if I returned to Zambia.

Tecla and I

 

Herris wanted to jump in after us

            But those thoughts changed when we got to the first island. Michelle and I realized that since our departure date was different from other ECYC members, we didn’t have to leave the mission so early. When offered the choice to stay at this next island, we immediately accepted! That was the easiest decision of my life! We didn't know any of them nor did they know us. Only Jones had met us the week prior. But they hadn’t had any health care providers yet and Michelle and I really didn’t want to leave the islands yet. So we grabbed our stuff, said a surprising good-bye to the rest of the team, and joined the team on Chishi Island.

Welcome to Chishi Island

            Since the other missionaries were on outreach, we hung out with Jones, helped him collect water…As the missionaries returned and saw us at the house, the only reason they knew we were on their team was because of the uniforms. We helped them cook dinner and learned some new songs. Before the crusade, Jones led the children’s program. Any child who came to the program was fed nshima, beans, and soychunks. I don’t know how often they did this, but I really appreciated it! We fed about 20 children but unfortunately they were hoping for more.

 

Isn't he cute?!

 

Jones leading the children's program

 

Some weren't fond of the soy chunks. One of these boy ate two servings of everything.

            During the crusade, Michelle and I were requested to go to the clinic to see a sick child. When we walked in, I heard her squeaks on exhale and immediately thought of the baby Dr. Tim had taken care of the week before. This girl was 3 years old and dehydrated and hadn’t urinated all day. The family was told that the discoloration in her hands meant low blood. We were not able to test this girl’s blood. Her temperature was low, respirations fast, and heart rate normal. I brought a pocket size assessment guides we referred to and Michelle had her “Justin Case” medical bag.

Cindy, one of the Zambian missionaries, had been interpreting for us. She had told us before that people just needed someone to care. We encouraged fluids and blankets and told them that we would return in the morning. The ambulance couldn’t come that night because it was a speedboat that would take her to mainland and it was too windy that night. The rest of the team joined us after the crusade for prayer and song and we left.

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

Praise the Lord we didn’t get bitten by whatever they told us was there. When we first got to the camp, Lily welcomed us with the phrase “Welcome to the house of termites!” I actually slept quite well flat on my back.

            Michelle and I got to the hospital at 8 and took pictures of the compound until the doctors showed up, the patients had eaten breakfast, and everything was ready to remove the eyepatches.

Results are immediate. They could see as soon as we removed the patches! Some, for the first time in a long time. Then we distributed the next dose of antibiotics, a round of eyedrops, and clothes to everyone, the doctor prayed, and most of them went home. 

 

The sign on the front wall of the hospital

 I don't think this room has been used in a while...

 

Want a bath?

 

Maternity Ward. Other than the OR, it was the only room we found stocked.

 

 

Checking pupil reaction to light

Distributing antibiotics

Our medical team. Missing Michelle(photographer)

           After everything was packed up, we stopped by the local market. It was a few children selling things like potatoes, sweet potatoes, peanuts, etc. Back at camp, we waited for a ride back to Muchinshi. It was time for the members of ECYC to leave the island. I got to try fried and boiled sweet potatoes. Boiled are better, but both are really good! Patrisha (Zambian missionary) then invited everyone to attend the funeral we hear going on. Apparently, as foreigners, the villagers know we are in town, it would be rude Not to attend the funeral. This reminded Michelle and I about the procession we’d seen on our way to the hospital that morning. People carrying a body in a blanket, followed by the mourning family. We arrived when the men were burying the body and the women were singing. We followed everyone to a house where we sang and prayed with the mother of the girl who had died. Patrisha told us that funerals usually happen on the same day as the death, since they have no morgue, and most don’t use coffins, or at least not full or solid ones.

            When we got back to camp, we continued waiting for a ride. We’d sent our luggage in a van already and were told that the van would try to return, but we might either have to walk the ~22K or wait till Early in the morning to get a ride. Just after 5, Michelle and I finally convinced everyone to start walking, if the van didn’t come for us, we might be able to make it by nightfall. 45 minutes after we started, the van came to get us. It actually died upon reaching us but thankfully he’d already turned around and they got it running again!

 

We really didn't like just sitting around...

Beautiful!! What we would have missed had we not started walking!

 We got back to Muchinshi in time for the crusade so we dropped off our stuff and headed over. After the service, on stewardship, I found out that Michelle had been in the back praying. Two girls went to her group and asked for prayer. They were having problems with spirits. For one girl, the shoes she was wearing, she’d gotten from her friend who was a devil worshiper. So they had her take them off and Michelle gave her her shoes. I bet that’s an experience she’ll never forget. 

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

After breakfast of two bread rolls and tea, we packed and took those leaving to the dock(the med students and the South Africans). As everyone then went on outreach, Michelle, Daniel, the eye team, and I waited for a van to Santa Maria. The eye team was a team of doctors from the capital who offered to come perform free cataract surgery for the villagers. This is why it was part of our health screenings. If someone was found to have cataracts, we made sure they made it to Santa Maria for their surgery.

Some of the missionaries

Of course the children wanted in the pictures too!

Lovemore brushing his teeth in the lake

It was good to see Lily and Angie again! There was quite a big compound for the hospital. They actually have a functioning Operating Room! They do the best they can at keeping sterility! We didn’t have masks or hats on before entering the room. Their scrub-in station has no running water, just a pitcher of water at a sink with a bar of soap. But they had special shoes to wear in the OR and the green towels for sterile stations. All in all, one ant on the floor, sterility was pretty good.

Scrub-in Station. See the bar of soap on the right?

Operating Room

Getting our instructions about the surgeries

As for the surgery itself, I was a little grossed out. Needles, fluid, knives, tweezers stuck in the eyes. Cut some layers. Inject blue dye. Go in and pull the lens out and put a new one in. The lens is supposed to be clear. Some were thick yellow due to cataracts. After walking in and out of a few procedures I was okay. The doctor did 12 patients that afternoon. Us missionaries guided the patients between pre/post op and OR. We had to make sure proper documentation was made and that everyone took their meds, were fed dinner, and had a bed to sleep in at the hospital that night.

Pre-Op: Sister Sosa administering the numbing agent into the eye

Dr. Mumba performing surgery

The Office: the bed next to pre-op

Post-Op is the crate in the corner where the photographer is standing

Sleeping quarters for the patients