Headed out of Mbingo...sniff, sniff!!

LAST THURSDAY IN MBINGO 2012

We are at the end of our month here in Mbingo. It is very bitter sweet to think about heading back to MO. We had discussed not coming back next year and taking the year "off". But, after being here again we are both ready to commit to another trip. (DON'T TELL GRACE!!!)

I am looking forward to my own bed. It is really difficult to sleep well and on a good schedule here. Last night was about the worst besides the first couple nights with jet lag thrown in. The crows where scratching at the zinc on the roof ALL NIGHT. Next year...you think I can get a BB Gun through customs?!?! Toby was also in bed with me, since B is out of town, which didn't help my sleep any. Tonight B will still be gone so I'm thinkin' Joe and Toby together in my bed and I'll sleep in their bed. Margaret told me the crows were out because the moon was full last night. I'm prayin' for clouds tonight. More specifically, clouds with no rain, as I also have to get clothes washed, hung, and dried before we head out Sat morning. Lots to do.

As I said, Brian has taken off, left us here to fend for ourselves. Dr Nana had to go to Yaoundé (the capital) to get his visa so that he can travel to the US for a med conference later this summer. B decided he had done enough surg and wanted to go with him to check out how thing run at the embassy. He left yesterday morning, should be back sometime tonight or tomorrow night, you know it's Africa. I'm planning on tomorrow night. He likes to do things like this. It never fails when we have to get packed to leave somewhere, he always seems to disappear. Leaving me to get everything together. I told him I was leaving with or without him in case he doesn't get back in time. But as I was lying awake in bed last night, I realized that he has all of our passports in his back pack that he had on him when he left. Asha! As long as there are no African hold ups (you know, like an emergency oil change that has to be done RIGHT NOW so that we make it home, but putting us behind schedule by 2 hours)! I'm sure all will be fine. :)

I think Grace has just about perfected her baby carrying techniques. I told her that she had really "Africaned Up" when she walked in with Toby strapped to her back. She won't be weak anymore if she keeps that up. I did have to intervene when she started to strap Joe to her back. I am not interested in a trip to triage here while B is gone, or any time for that matter.

As you can see Susan is doing very well. She is such a great person. She is so patient with Toby and his Go Fish obsession. The rest of us are about Go Fished out! Today we visited the Pediatric Ward again to take goodies. She had such a great time. On our walk home, she and Grace kept saying how much fun it is to do that. I told her that I think she should be a pediatric doctor or nurse when she grows up. She said, "Yes, that would be nice!"

I know that you are probably tired of the pics of the sick kids, but it just warms my heart so to see these kids smile and laugh. You can tell some of them are really sick by the look on their faces. And to see them smile...it's a God thing! One of the doctors stopped us today and thanked us for all the goodies. She said that the puppets and dolls (made by Joe's art club) were a big hit. She said that the kids were all so happy after we left that day. We have some bubbles, bracelets, and paddles left that we are going to leave with that doctor. We thought that she should get to be good guy too!

We also stopped by the maternity ward to drop off the blankets that Donna sent with us. The nurses were very excited to have new blankets. They let us come in their "nurse station" and watch them work on a new baby. As we were walking out I noticed that they had an ear piercing gun lying on the table. You know, like the ones they use at Claire's at the mall. I know that they tell girls and boys apart by the pierced ears, but I figured they did it later. Of course I asked about it, since I thought it kinda strange. And yes, they pierce the girls' ears as soon as they are born. All of them! I tried to talk Grace into letting them pierce her ears again. She has wanted to get a second set. The nurse said she would do it for her. Her reply, "No way Jose". We all laughed!

The funniest thing happened after we left maternity. Outside on the veranda (where they watch the "football" games on one of the only tvs on the compound) they were getting ready to have their weekly breast feeding clinic. They teach, encourage, and help new mothers with nursing. As well as educate them about the risk and benefits (malnutrition, HIV transmission, etc.) of nursing. There were probably 30ish women there in the area and at least half of them were breast feeding their babies. As I'm sure you can imagine, modesty is not an issue here. You get what I'm saying. There were breasts every direction you turned. I really wanted to turn around and see the look on Grace's face but I didn't want to be obvious and embarrass her more than what I knew she already was. After we were around the corner, Gracie let out a big breath and said, "Mom, did you see that. It was like a breast feeding party!" We laughed again!



Lesson learned!



Susan is so sweet.  She plays Go Fish with Toby more than anyone else.  He loves her!!

Check out this little guys face.  His left arm is severly burned and he can't use it.  But he was working so hard with the other hand to learn how to play with the paddle ball.  He was too cute!



Bubbles are deifinitely a favorite, for kids and moms!



Thank you to Donna Whittle (and her mother) for the blankets for the babies in the maternity ward.  They were very happy to get them.

Ok, I think it is time for a quick siesta, then another french lesson, organizing toys that we are going to "dash", try to wash the boys' blankets for the trip home, try to get Tobs to eat something (We have started struggling with this again. He hasn't eaten anything substantial in three days.), and play a few last games of Go Fish.

I'll try to get one more blog in before we leave. I know that B has some stuff he could tell you about...if he were here. If I don't get time in before we leave, I'll let you all know when we reach Paris!!!!

Happy Thursday All!
amy lea

"How Great Thou Art"

O Lord my God! When I in awesome wonder

Consider all the works Thy hand hath made.

I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,

Thy power throughout the universe displayed.

 

Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to Thee;

How great Thou art, how great Thou art!

Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to Thee:

How great Thou art, how great Thou art!

 

When through the woods and forest glades I wander

And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees;

When I look down from lofty mountain grandeur

And hear the brook and feel the gentle breeze:

Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to Thee;

How great Thou art, how great Thou art!

Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to Thee:

How great Thou art, how great Thou art!

 

And when I think that God, His Son not sparing,

Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in;

That on the cross, my burden gladly bearing,

He bled and died to take away my sin:

Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to Thee;

How great Thou art, how great Thou art!

Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to Thee:

How great Thou art, how great Thou art!

When Christ shall come with shout of acclamation

And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart!

Then I shall bow in humble adoration,

And there proclaim, my God, how great Thou art!

Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to Thee;

How great Thou art, how great Thou art!

Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to Thee:

How great Thou art, how great Thou art!

Joey's Turn!!!!

I went with my Dad to the operating room. I got to watch my Dad do hip replacement.  It smelled bad. It was very bloody, but I wasn't scared.  I saw the tubes sucking blood and there was a bunch in a box.  My Dad kept asking me if I was going to faint from the bad smell, but I didn't faint.

My Dad also showed me what he found in the OR yesterday.  I couldn't believe it was in there.  Someone brought two of them to work and they got out of the bag in the locker room.

I was bored so me and my little brother made some Skylanders out Lego's.  It was fun. We had a great time.  We made a bunch of them.

I have been watching Naari cook.  And one day he tried to make me Fufu/Jamajama.

I can't wait to go to Parker and Peyton's lake house.

See you later alligator,
Joey

Africa, Where Everybody Knows Your Name

I apologize for not staying up with the blog this last week.  We have been busy, the internet has been spotty, and when we are in the house Susan has been using the computer to catch up on the entire Scooby Doo story seasons one, two, and three.  It is funny to watch Susan when she is watching the shows.  She will be laying there quietly watching then all of a sudden bust out laughing.  Then I start laughing.  Then she looks at me like I'm weird?!?!  But, she has been getting increasingly more restless the last week as she is feeling better and is venturing out with the kids more as her pain allows.  I have to again let you all know, that she inspires me in her courage and bravery.  You would never guess that she is three weeks out from major spine surg.  B even says that any patient in the states would still be complaining, doing not much of anything, and wanting pain meds.  Not so with Susan.  She actually wanted to go hiking with us yesterday, but her dad said no.  After the hike I was glad...it was hard for all of us. 

I know B posted some of the pics yesterday from what's been going on lately.  I won't repeat, but maybe add to the narratives.  So, Saturday we headed out on another hiking adventure. Our family and Pastor Mendi joined us.  We had decided to take some of our kid goodies along with us to hand out to the kids that live up the mountain.  We frequently see them outside playing when we are on the start of our hikes.  The have very little and all work hard.  The kids living behind us have it good compared to the families in the outlining villages.  They were so excited!  The boys all loved the little cars, bubbles, and the little girl in the picture with Grace was too precious.  I'm thinking maybe we will make another trip up there this week before we go. 

On with the hike... It started out good, a little tough, grasses over our heads, path about 6-8 inches wide where they had just laid a new irrigation line from the falls to a new collection reservoir, no rain, it was good!  We reached the summit above the falls and took a rest.  Grace was the only one who really needed a rest.  The boys are now nicknamed, "billy goats" cause they are hiking champs.  Pastor kept stopping every 10 yrds or so and marveled at God's beauty, he couldn't believe it. There are apparently no hills/mountains in Gambia.  And there is not as much rain, so not as green and lush either.  After our rest is when B decided we needed to descend from our perch to the base of the water fall.  He assured me there was a path.  Oh there was a path alright, but it hadn't been walked on in probably 5 years!  I was not too happy with him at that point, bush whacking is not for me.  But halfway down our mile decent... we might as well finish, we've come this far.  We reached our destination point with a good view of the fall.  I worked my way through uncharted grasses to find a spot for a good photo (trying hard not to think about my new knowledge of the pythons habitating the bush that I was crawling through!!)  When I found the right spot, it was actually the WRONG spot.  I had stepped on an ant hill.  Yes, red biting ants in my pants!  The saying here is, "ants in your pants...pants on the ground".  I did the ant dance, did not drop my drawers as pastor was with us, did my best to squish them inside my pants as they bit me, and decided that I'd had enough!  B made me take one photo with the kids, then we headed up the very steep and slippery mile climb back to the summit point.  I was very motivated to get out of the brush, Grace cried the whole way back (she was way past done with this adventure), and the boys were loving it.  It is clear now that there will be no more hikes anywhere where there is not a clear recently traveled path!  We made it home just before the rain (which is usually how it works).  I forgave B once we got home and remembered that he had brought One Amstel Light from town on our way in and it was still in the fridge.  It was just what I needed, that and  a shower! 

So, there have been some other things that almost don't faze me anymore, but thought you might be interested to hear about them.  "Everybody knows your name"!  It's come to my attention that I really have to watch what is said and done while in the hospital compound.  It was a little unnerving at first when I would hear random patients call my kids by their names.  We usually share "good morning/afternoon/evening" or ashas with most people we pass through the hospital on our way to meals/church/children's ward/etc, but there has never been any formal introductions.  So you could probably imagine that it was kinda weird last week when I started to notice that before we would even get to certain patients sitting in the corridors that they would say hello to my kids, calling them by name.  Toby is their favorite.  I think because he will not look at them, let alone talk to them.  They don't understand (or I don't know how to explain it to them so they understand) that he is just extremely shy. So it has become a game if you will, who can get Toby to talk to them or cry.  Then yesterday as we were walking to lunch a patient, who I recognize as having been here since we have, said "Hello Grace".  I asked him how he knew her name since we have never introduced.  He said that he just knew.  So I said, "Well then I probably aught to know what your name is?"  "Yes, madame. It is Charles".  Not sure why, but that made me feel a little better.  At least we are now acquaintances and he's not just the strange patient who stalks my children! :)

I had a funny thing happen yesterday.  I was in the shower after our hike.  I had my eyes closed washing my hair and then I heard a lawn mower.  Yes, you heard me right and that was my thought exactly.  Actually it took a minute.  At first it didn't even enter my thoughts that it be out of place, but when I opened my eyes and remembered where I was, I was like...WHAT?!?!  The neighbors, Dr Bardin and his wife, have acquired a lawn mower.  It was just one of those, "things that make you go hum" moments.  And then I found $20.  Actually, no I didn't, but I did for a few moments go outside just to smell the fresh cut grass.  You know, those are the little things you don't even realize you miss.

Joe made me wash his tennis shoes today.  We were talking about what all we needed to do this week to get ready to start packing up on Friday.  Shoes were on my list, so I said ok.  But then he told me that he wanted them to be clean so that he could give them to Collins.  Why I asked?  Collins, one of our hood boys, is leaving tomorrow to go to Bamenda to visit his family.  He will not be back until after we leave.  Collins has one pair of shoes, they are pink hello kitty sandals with a hole in the front where his big toe hangs out.  Joe said that he could just wear his flip flops home, he didn't want Collins to have to wear pink hello kitty sandals anymore.  I was very proud of my Joe and his kind heart.  So, I washed his tennis shoes and we are fan drying them so they are ready tomorrow morning to give to Collins.

This is Collins, aka Bucket Head.  I had to snap him four times before he would smile for me!

We had a visit from Chaplain B the other day.  He came to our house just to welcome us.  He lives in the houses behind us and is Courage and Collins grandfather.  He wanted to tell us how much he has enjoyed having our kids around.  It makes him very happy that they seem at home here (which they have been just making themselves at home in all the hood houses) and love to play and share with the hood kids.  He was at our house for about an hour.  We had good conversation.   I think we both learned a lot.  He told me a story of a missionary family (let's call them the Smiths) who used to live here with their kids.  They were here in Mbingo for a couple years and then decided to move back to the states when their kids turned high school age.  The Smiths' daughter who was 9 at the time did not want to leave.  She asked the Chaplain if she could stay and live with him and his wife.  His answer was no, although he said that he would have taken her in a heart beat.  I of coarse inquired into why he told her no.  He said that as long as the Smiths had lived here, she would still have too hard of a time adjusting to living with him and his wife.  He told me that there were four reasons why she could not.  There was the food (he knew as missionaries we do eat some local food, but it would be hard to eat it every day), the bathrooms (we are used to indoor plumbing and would not like using an outhouse everyday to use the toilet and for showering), school would be very hard to transition to (most missionary kids are home schooled or go to boarding school in Younde, the capital), and finally sleeping arrangements (they all sleep together and have only small beds, their quarters are half the size of the two bedroom duplex we are in right now).  Because of these four things he had to tell her no...and break her heart.  As Americans, we are too soft.  He did not want to make her life harder or uncomfortable because he cared that much for her.  We are to accustomed to our life and amenities.  I know that he is right as it has been an adjustment for us to live here.  Although it made me sad at the same time.  Today the Smith girl is grown up, and has visited Chaplain B many other times on short missions on her own.  The other thing we talked about that we both found interesting came from conversation from a question from Chaplain to me.  It was, "How much does it cost a family to get married in the US?"  I hesitated for a moment and then realized that he was talking about a dowry.  When I told him no gifts, he could not believe it.  He was surprised that we would not require money from a man wishing to marry our daughter.  So, we got the whole story, process actually, on how a marriage is done here in Cameroon.  As much as it amazed him that we didn't "pay", I was amazed that they do still practice this.  We both ended with a good laugh.  Maybe I'll send Gracie to marry a Cameroonian man when she is old enough, make a little somethin' somethin' off her!

Speaking of Gracie getting married, she had her first marriage proposal today.  It came from the man working on the electric line outside our house.  I think that he really was just teasing her as it was amusing to all to see how worked up she got.  When she told him that she was already engaged to Jesse and showed him Jesse's picture he replied, "but what, how you turn down my affections for you?"  It made me laugh.  I told her to tell him for 150,000CFA and 5 chickens it would be a deal.  She didn't think that was funny.

Today we saw the "cart of death" rolling up the drive from the morgue.  I don't think that I have talked much about dying here.  It is hard for me to see and hear.  Yet it happens every day.  Here, mortality is dealt with more than I care to think about.  There is one cart that they use to transport the deceased to the morgue (which is on the front end of the hospital compound).  Every time I walk through the hospital, I look to see if the cart is where it is supposed to be.  Along the side of one of the corridors in the middle of the hospital.  Today it was gone, we met it on our way to the house.  The other thing that just penetrates right to my bones are the death cries.  Not really cries, but whaling.  It is almost a song, but one you don't want to hear.  The first time I heard it was outside the children's ward on one of the first days we were here.  There was a group of women gathered outside the ward door.  At first I thought they were laughing (but it was loud), then I thought loud singing, then it hit me and I knew.  My heart sank.  Now when I  hear it I know right away what has happened.  I don't really know how to describe it so that you would understand.  It is a very loud unique, whaling, LuLuLuLu, chanting, crying.  As soon as you hear it , you too would know...the sound of death in Africa.  I was awaken by the death cry the other night.  Outside my window, women were passing on the walk way to the hospital.  I couldn't go back to sleep.  B said they were still crying when he went to work a few hours later.  And I already told you about the casket in the taxi(word on the street is that sometimes they strap the casket to the back of a motto).  If there is no casket, the family will take the deceased home on their laps in the cab or propped between two people on a moto.  One day last week Grace and I heard a loud commotion coming from a large group of people that had gathered outside the morgue.  We of coarse went to investigate.  Come to find out, the family had not paid all of the bill to the hospital and so the hospital was not releasing the body to the family.  It was quite the ordeal.  There was a bright purple casket outside the morgue with the family all yelling around it.  Then there was the hospital guards in front of the door.  We stayed back, didn't want to get in the middle of that one.



Cart of Death

Enough about the sad stuff.  Today Joe summoned me to come outside.  Nari had shown him how to make "helicopters" out of mango leaves.  The kids all had one and my boys were loving it.  Nari then started making them out of paper and all the hood kids were racing around with their propellers.  Great fun when you don't have toys to play with!

Back side of hood houses.  Notice girl with her helicopter.  Check out the boy on the bike.  It is the only bike for all the kids in the 10 houses.  It belongs to Efron, Gracie's friend Becky's brother.  All the boys took turns trying to learn to ride it.  It amused me to watch them.  FYI-girl's don't ride bikes here!

Boys running with whirlies.  They run all the way down the row of house then circle around to the front to run back. 



Here is the front of the houses.  Kids running between the house and the cooking huts.

Toby and his mango leaf helicopter.

Ivolene, shuckin' beans.

 Grace has been learning baby carrying Africa style.  Becky has been giving her lessons with the little guy she babysits for.  Today Grace walked around with her pillow pet strapped to her back.  Angela be ready...she thinks KD is next!  The amazing thing is watching the younger girls carrying the babies.  Joycie, Margaret's niece, who is 7 carries baby Collins who is 1yo strapped to her back like this all day long.  This is why they think we are weak!  They are strong and it starts young!



You can see Joycie with baby Collins on her back.  He is half her size and she totes him around all day!

The other night I was walking home from graduation dinner and noticed another amazing African sight.  It was the sky.  The stars were the same as they always are, but there was something different.  I realized after standing and staring at the sky for a minute that it was the sky itself that was different, not the stars.  The stars seemed brighter because the sky was so black.  It was blacker than I have ever seen in my life.  There was no moon, no light polution, and because of the deep black, the stars just popped out.  It took my breath away!  I wondered why I hadn't noticed it before, the beauty of it all.  I decided that unfortunately I must have been to preoccupied to notice.  When B got to the house about 30 minutes later, he commented on the same thing.  He tried to take a picture of it, but that didn't work so well.  I guess it was a once in a moment sight.  I am glad I got to see it...the blackest night sky with twinkling lights.  In my wacky brain, it kinda reminded me of prom with the ceiling draped with black paper and dotted with Christmas lights.  But only 1000 times better!

So, I think I'm about done with my stories and I'm starting to get tired.  You are probably tired of reading!  I do want to comment real fast to Brooks.  We took the homemade dolls and puppets that the art club and you and your mom made to the peds ward the other day.  They were SO HAPPY!  I wish I had more to hand out.  Next year for sure!  The smile on this kiddo's face says it all.  Thank you Brooks and Kay for working on this project for the kids here!

And one last note to my  mom...You had a visitor the other day.  Lovely and Bless stopped by to say hi.  She was visiting for her sisters wedding and wanted to see how we all were.  She said to tell you hello.  So, HELLO!

Ok, a lot to digest in this one.  Gracie and Joe both want to blog tomorrow, I'm not sure what they have cookin'.  So, till then..

Au revoir

amy lea

The Big Falls

LOTS OF PICS TODAY-----

We started our last week in Africa with a big hike up the mountain to the big falls we didn't make it quite to last year.  There is not a path that goes all the way to the big falls, but it gets close, so with the same spirit as last year, I figured we could make it.


Handmade 2x4 on way up

We stopped to share some love with kids up the hill that don't get as much attention as the close in kids.



Grace made a friend:)

Toby on had one brief lapse, where he talked Pastor Mendy into carrying him.



Grace was not really impressed with the path, the height of the grass or her group leader (Dad)

View from the top, almost to falls

Top, still have to decend into valley of falls.

Pastor Mendy just kept repeating "God is Great" as he couldn't believe how much he could see!!!

After about a mile of "bush wacking" we made it to the falls.

Grace still wasn't happy even after we made it back to the top, had conquered the falls and were on the way home.  :(

Managed to make a visit to the children's ward...  I'm pretty sure this is Amy's favorite activity..

So Funny to see things done on African Time.  This is view of graduation dinner at 6:35, dinner was to start at 6:30.


This is the very formal graduation that occured Friday, 3 graduates.  But they had everyone from the tribal chief, the regional mayor, the district health doctor, the regional director of labor and safety, and all the big wigs from the CBC (Cameroon Baptist Convention)  Was pretty good (long) afair, short apparently for their standards but 3 hours to graduate 3 residents, holy cow!!

UMKC connection (Me, Dr Palmer, Dr Reisz)

I wanted Joe to do some work, so I had him help Nari pick up the grass clippings, before it was all done, Amy jumped in and we used the soccer goal to move a big quanity of the weeds.

Susan (Blue Top and Skirt) 2 weeks and 1 day out from 20 screws in her back!!!!!  Amazing



Joey and Big Collins

Some of the Neighborhood views, the kids, the rooster on a leash and 7 year old Josie with 1 years old Collins on her back, who was there all afternoon, including when she pulled the clothes off the line when it started raining...they are tough.



SWIMMING UP STREAM

It has been raining CONTINUOUSLY since Monday.  Cabin fever is setting in at the Ipsen house, C3.  Our little house is getting too close for comfort and the tension has been getting high.  Yesterday the kids decided they'd had enough.  They had watched their share of Scooby Doo, couldn't build any more lego designs, and played one too many hands of Go Fish.    The rain doesn't faze or slow down the local kids, life goes on as usual and they don't understand why my kids didn't want to come out (continuous knocking on the door and "Momma Joe/Grace, when can Joe/Grace come outside?  What are they doing").  So on day three of being housebound, it was time to join thier play in the rain.  Volleyball and army men as usual.  I said great, let me send you out with some soap...one less bath this week! 

Brian has still been working hard and trying to make sense of all the crazy advanced medical problems with lack of treatment here.  He comes in and just shakes his head, no words.  It is hard to see him so frustrated.  He is a fix it, get it done, and move on kinda person.  I am too, but he more than me.  So I know his frustrations are valid and great.  I wish that I could convey these to you all in a way that you could truly understand...swimming upstream.  But I think that you really cannot understand unless you've lived it, smelt it, touched it, heard it, and seen it.  The realization that we have a hard time admitting to is that here in Africa, it is what it is.  A recent example, yesterday the surgical staff went home early and today started after 1pm because there were no surgical gowns for the surgeons.  With all the rain, laundry service has not been able to keep up.  The scrubs and gowns are not drying fast enough.  Completely avoidable situation, BUY A DRYER!!  Instead they went to the hospital in a town over and borrowed the needed gowns.  It took four hours today to get them in.  Asha!  We can do our best to help in the ways we can and that is it, that is all we can do.  The docs can heal who they can in the time they are here, they can teach their skills, but they can't change the system and way of life that is Africa.  And not just Africa, I'm sure it's the same in all the places in the world that are suffering from poverty and  like struggles.  Ultimately  there just has to be acceptance of the circumstances and faith in God as THE HEALER and author of the peoples lives here.  He knows better than us and will provide. 

Myself, I haven't minded the rain even though it's a bit dreary. I finished a great book, did some reflecting of our time and work here, and enjoyed the cool snugly days not doing too much of anything (which is a very rare thing for me). There were two downsides to my lazy days though. First, my laundry WILL NOT dry and we will run out of clothes sooner rather than later. Second, I don't have much of anything interesting to blog about! 

  

 So, since I have nothing else interesting to blog about, today you get my thoughts.  Bear with me, or just don't read it if you start getting bored! I don't like to get too serious in my thoughts, but in these rainy days of quiet reflection, all these issues and happenings here, (aka...life in Mbingo, Brian's medical frustrations, Grace's lessons in living as the minority, our longing to feel at home here, find our nitch, and make a difference here, the reality that our life is easy no matter how hard we feel it is) I have decided on one thing.  That is, that all of our expectations cannot be too high.  In all aspects of this journey, I continue to fall back on "it is what it is" and we just have to decide what our role in that is going to be (at least that is what I tell Grace).  Unfortunately, in the end we may receive more than we give or at least feel that way. 

  

What we give...

I have to start with this, an asterisk if you will.  God has blessed our family in more ways than Brian and I could ever imagine or have asked for.  We are here by His mercies, grace, and love.  What WE have to give... nothing, we are just the vehicles by which His blessings are delivered.  That happens where ever we serve.  My prayers here are for the continued healing and blessings to a people and culture that is in our eyes broken and in constant need.  Needs that are greater than we will ever know.  And by we, I mean you too!  We as blessed Americans will never know the misery of life in Mbingo, Cameroon or other places like it.  What we can deliver here is hope, hope that there are people in the world that are able to and willing to lend a hand, knowledge, aid, love, and caring.  Even when it feels insufficient  and insignificant to us.  To take care of the people that are in greater need than ourselves. " For there will never cease to be poor in the land. Therefore I command you, ‘You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land.’"  Deuteronomy 15:11.  When we are willing, the Lord will deliver what is most needed.    

 What we get...

The knowledge and lessons learned here are most valuable and I/we have taken them to heart.  These are the lessons that we will prayerfully pass on.  In getting, we can continue to give.  Most importantantly I hope to teach and give these gifts and lessons to our children.  That is why I am writing these thoughts down, collecting my thoughts for them.  And if any of the rest of you benefit, grow, or learn from our experiences,  gifts, and my thoughts, then as Susan would say..."That it is a good, that is nice"!  When I think about specifics, many scenarios come to mind.  My story and lessons are many.  For instance, the very kind and friendly man who wishes us well every time we see him throughout the day.  His job at the hospital...collecting all the trash (from ground and buckets) and hand separating it into compost and burnable.  Despite this job that disgusts my children, you can tell he has a joyful heart and is thankful for having the job.  One day I hope to see him without his nasty gloves on so that I can hug him!  There are the ladies that hunch over every day with their bent shovels weeding the entire drive of grass and weeds.  They also remove all the moss that grows on the concrete curbs of the drainage ditches.  Such a tedious unending hard task, they do it with a smile when I would just buy round up and be done with it.  It goes on and on.  They are not too proud to do what needs to be done to survive.  I know that I've said it before, life here is about survival.  Surviving, I can't even begin to tell you how I "survive" because I will never know.  No matter how bad life gets for me/we/us, there will always be an opportunity to make it better.  I had a friend of Gracie's ask if she could wash our clothes for us, so that she could make some money.  I told her no, I wouldn't have anything to do then.  Her response, "you can just sit and rest".  I don't want to be the white man that sits and rests.  This brings me back to "in getting, we can continue to give".  My challenge from here forward for all who reads this is that this question be asked, are my needs greater that of someone else?  If no, what am I/you going to do about it?  Then ask, is it ok to say yes to the first and no to the second?  Think about it.  God has commissioned us to love our brother as he has first loved us.  Even if you feel your contribution to the survival of a brother is insignificant.  It still is what it is!  It still gives them hope!  It is still loving your brother!  It is still what we are called to do!  So do it!  Give what you have to someone who's needs are greater than your own.  The giving and getting outweigh the frustrations and challenges.

Ok, my brain is done spewing. 

One funny story real quick to end my madness.  This goes back to too many hands of Go Fish.  (Mom you will appreciate this one!)
So, B and I had a dinner that we attended last night for the graduating residents.  We left the boys under Grace and her friend Becky's charge.  When we got home, the boys were both asleep and in bed.  I went  in the kids'  room to tuck Toby in and put his pull up on.  He started crying in his sleep.  I asked him what was wrong and he said, "I wanted to play Go Fish".  (We play 30 times a day, he LOVES it!)  I said no, you are already asleep.  He sat straight up in bed, cried harder and said, "No I'm not.  Please, I want to play Go Fish".  Fine...We played Go Fish in Toby's bed, then he laid his head on the pillow and went back to sleep.  :)  And then Grace found $20!

Oh, I have to go.  I think I hear the ice cream truck!   -al

Crooked, Crooks and Chicks

So much going on, but lots of the same...

Orthopaedic Ward

Dr Nana was gone again Monday and Today to meetings in Bamenda, so I had to run the clinic and theatre (operating room) myself and it amazes me how many absolutely crazy crooked people are around.  Just person after person after person coming in with one crazy bent, twisted contorted appendage after another.

We have done spine surgery the last two mornings.  Lumbar decompression yesterday and a L1 burst fracture again today.  It was going very good and I was very proud of Dr N, as I really didn't do or touch much and tried to let him do it all.  We then got to the decompression and there were nerve roots hanging out, so the young man is likely to have some permanent nerve deficits.  It kinda soured the end of the case and I pray he will still have a good outcome.  He should hopefully be able to walk, but we will see.  "The nerves be spoiled" as they tell the patients about how surgery went.  We are operating of a chief of a village about 8 hours north of here tomorrow for stenosis/slippage, should be a good case.  Have another scoliosis on for next week and pretty much have a spine everyday till I'm gone. Dr Nana has several spines booked for after I leave as he wants to "stay hot for the spine." He is excited to keep it going which is good.  The case we did today was sent from the biggest general hospital in Douala (5 million people), which is crazy that they don't have the ability to care for that kind of spine injury. 

The boys, Gaudee' (Godlove) and I took a exploratory trip up the mountain yesterday.  We had hiked Sunday down to the airstrip and from there hiked the back way up to Dr Sparks house.  There was some bushwacking, tree swinging over a river involved so Amy didn't appove.  I'm so proud of how good a hikers' I have.  The pictures from the air strip show the waterfalls I'm going to have Amy hike to, the one on the left is the one we went to last year, the big one on the right is the target for this year.  I found a path up a waterline they hand dug in the hillside this spring to follow up to the top. The boys and I sat on the rocks between the two, so now all I need to do is get Amy up there and the final decent to the base of the big falls should be achieveable...Saturday.

View from airstrip of two falls, red is our hike path.

Top arrow is where we sat, lower is where I'm getting Amy to Saturday.

Waterline trail

View from top

We had some excitement this weekend which is where the crook comes in.  During church Sunday an out-of-towner broke into one of the missionary's houses on the other side of campus.  Smartly he knew most everyone would be in church, but, he picked the wrong house though, the head of building/construction for the region and he actually had an alarm on the house, so when it went off, neighbors responded and apprehended the guy.  We knew nothing of it until we went home from church and there was a huge gathering and commotion going on a the hospital reception.  Everyone in Mbingo wanted to see the face of the thief, eventually the police took him from security off to jail.

The last is part of things you only see in Africa.  Chicken in a bag in the hospital waiting area:)

All are good, Grace still homesick and bored,  Boys just fine.  Amy worried about what she is going to wear tonight to the "formal dinner" for the graduating internal medicine and surgery residents.  So I must go as dinner starts in 30 min.

-  Pa Joe  - 

 a.k.a Father of Joey (my name from the neighborhood kids, I apparently didn't respond well enough to Uncle, so they decided PaJoe worked better;)