Some of our boys playing outside of the community…
July 27, 2006
Showing off his personality in my sunglasses!
Sorting meds in our office building . . . with some helpers:)
The rainy view from my desk this afternoon
Kerempt (Rainy Season)
Sick Day
July 23, 2006
My former roommate (and current friend, of course), who taught me many useful things, has this great saying to describe how you really feel when you feel really crummy. I won’t mention it here, but will leave it to your imaginations to come up with something truly descriptive. That is how I feel right now! It’s Sunday morning, and I am sitting in my comfy fleece wear (looking positively scary) on my not-so-comfy sofa. Being sick is always unpleasant, and perhaps more so when the idealistic image of “home” and homemade chicken noodle soup and warmth and quilts and cool hands on hot foreheads seems so far away. I always hate missing church, and feel as though my week begins awry when I do. But I didn’t have what it took to get there today, and didn’t figure anyone would want to sit near my hacking self. So hear I sit, trying to patiently wait for this sermon to download so I can finally finish Pastor Mike’s Acts series. In the meantime, I am maintaining a constant infusion of hot drinks in what is turning out to be a vain attempt to keep breathing. If I decide to eat later, I have a pot of that aforementioned chicken noodle soup waiting in the fridge. When I felt much this same way on Friday, I decided to do something about it so boiled a chicken and the whole nine yards (minus the homemade noodles my grandmother’s would have had!). Campbell’s isn’t exactly an option here:) But I found some saltine wannabes a while ago, so I am happy. Simple joys:) Enjoy yours today
Hmm . . .
July 16, 2006
So I just checked the weatherunderground page to see what the temperature was here in Addis. I know, that’s weird; I do live here. But no one ever knows or cares what the temperature is, and I was curious. Thus my investigation on the website. Well, on their fancy little 7 day forecast, for the next 3 days they predict a 20% chance of rain. What?! I don’t know where the forecasters are from, but it is obviously NOT here. It is RAINY season, which means it rains EVERY day! Anyway.
Today I had the privilege of spending the afternoon in an Ethiopian girl’s home. She fed three of us out of the very little she had. Oh, was I confronted with what “hospitality” really means! Then tonight I was listening to a Tim Keller tape, about my favorite passage in Isaiah 58. He was talking about true justice, about loving the poor NOT out of guilt but truly loving as we have been loved. More thinking to do . . .
Heavy
July 12, 2006
Tonight I am weary. The past few days in the project have left me reeling a bit, finding yet again I don’t have all it takes to do this on my own. It seems as though every day there has been something that just drains and overwhelms me and leaves me grasping for reasons and answers. Monday it was a tiny, sick little boy for whom another staff member and I went to the government hospital to talk to the docs to try to get the boy’s antiretroviral (ARV) doses corrected. Yesterday it was one of our beneficiaries burdened under the weight and shame of spiritual oppression. Today it was another beneficiary who was denied her ARV medication because of arrogant and ignorant officials—thus now the chances of us being able to effectively treat her with the available resources are slim. There are always good stories in there too, and I am thankful for them. But they seem far outweighed by ones like these—harsh realities that affect real people. On top of these things, kerempt (rainy season) is here in full force and I think I am going to develop SAD!!
So I tell myself the call is to press on, to persevere, to see hope and seize it and share it. But “my spirit is overwhelmed within me” and my eyes are dim.
A Few Clinic Pics
July 6, 2006
Waiting to be seen
My favorite moment in all our clinic days! This little boy had been incorrectly diagnosed with polio. We had some PTs on the team, and they were able to work with him for awhile. Here he is with his mom getting to walk with a walker! Oh, there were many tears shed:)
A precious little girl named Heilemy
Giving IV fluids to a really sick little boy. He came back the next day
From Sea to Shining Sea . . . and Beyond
July 4, 2006
Last night my moping attitude was continuing as I started to think about July 4th, and the family, friends, cookouts, fireworks and just togetherness I was going to miss. I had no plans, and had decided I just needed to ignore the day and act like it wasn’t happening. But things changed when late last night I got invited to an Independence Day cookout. It was a joy to celebrate even from afar. The hosts managed to have more American decor than I have ever owned, and everyone contrived to pull together a pretty all-American meal complete with hamburgers, hotdogs, mac & cheese, fake pringles and lots of other good stuff. We were even joined by some Brits for our meal:) The crowning part of the evening was the country music playing in the background! It felt like I could have been in anyone’s backyard in the states as I listened to “Where I Come From” coming from the speakers!! The best part, though, was being kindly reminded that I am not alone and wherever I get planted there will be times of fellowship and community.
So to all of you who haven’t yet celebrated, Happy 4th. And corny song that it is, I do pray that “God bless the U.S.A”!!
Rain Everywhere
July 1, 2006
It’s a melancholy day, to put it mildly. I have now listened to Counting Crows 4 times and am starting on my 3rd round with Keane. We complement each other nicely right now.
I’m glad there will be sun tomorrow, that joy comes with the morning. Some morning.
