Dzuwa clinic

Today we went to Dzuwa. We got a little bit of a late start because the pharmacist at ABC forgot to put the malaria medicines in the box I was taking to the village. Once we got there, it turns out that Ron was not able to organize a 'regular' type clinic day. So, we walked to the clinic building and gave him some ideas on setting it up, what he needs, etc. We also saw the new houses - one for the clinical officer and one for a nurse. The government will supply those employees if the clinic will build them each a house to the government specifications. They are almost done with the houses. The village hopes to have electricity by sometime next year. We had a nice walk around the clinic and housing area, then Ulema (Ron's wife) fixed us lunch - chips, eggs and tomatoes. A boy came to the house after falling off an ox cart - with a very dirty and deep abrasion to his knee. Jose got him cleaned up and bandaged. Ulema said that the word would soon be out that a doctor was at the Pastor's house. The 'big' chief came by to visit (more on him in a different blog) and we had a nice conversation (with Ron interpretating). By this time, the word WAS out that a doctor was at Pastor Ron's house. We started seeing patients in his living room. A church member came in and told us his daughter was sick at home. He lived ~9 km away, so after we saw all that had gathered, we drove to his village to see his daughter - house call, African style. Of course, we had the attention of the village children when we arrived! The daughter was ill, but not so ill she needed to be in hospital - we treated her there, along with her older brother who was also ill. On the way back to Ron's, we stopped at another village and saw a couple - I was able to go into their home to get the history of their troubles. While I was in the house, Jose made friends with the group of village children that gathered around the car. They all wantged to greet him and shake his hand. Then we drove back to Ron's to find another gathering of patients. We just left our medical supplies and medications in the back of the car and worked out of there... a real mobile clinic - ha, ha. We hoped to be done by ~4:30 to make it back before dark. The roads here at night are terrible! However, how do you turn them away? So, we worked until dusk but managed to at least get to the main road before complete night fall. We hope to go back in two week -ends and actually stay in the village for a couple of nights, so that we can do an entire day of clinic. More on that when - and if- it happens! Pictures: The children at the house-call village. The little girl we went to see. A couple of pictures of our impromptu mobile clinic, and lastly Ron, Ulema and Jose - turns out it was Ulema's birthday, so we shared - and left- the last of the chocolate cookies with them! Thank you Lord for a wonderful day!