Profound Sadness

Back in the cafe again for my Saturday coffee! The power company sent round texts last night to tell us we would be without power 7am - 7pm for the next 2 days......but we still have power. Is this their way of boosting their image? They tell us we will be without power, then when we have it we think they are marvellous? Oh, how cynical!

Our week has been overshadowed by very sad news. Some will know that our home church and local school have been supporting the family of Nsaba, our little one with TB. On Monday his brother Galashion was fine in the morning but complained of headache and stomach ache in the afternoon. They took him to the local Clinic who gave him a pill. On Tuesday he was able to walk around although still complaining of stomach ache. Tuesday night the pain got very severe but by the time the local Ambulance reached him, he had died. Unbelievably tragic. It is thought that he probably had many worms in his stomach and was given a pill to kill them however the mass of dead worms blocked his intestines which then ruptured. He would have needed emergency surgery to survive.

Sadly, many of the villagers are saying he was bewitched and are speaking words of fear to the rest of the family.

Geoffrey and I went to the burial. We took Nsaba as I hoped that would bring some comfort to the father. Also, I felt it would be good for the family to be together. After the burial, the father came and sat very close beside me. We could not communicate but I put my hand on his arm and I know he felt the sympathy. He was shaking with grief, poor man. Two losses in only a few months.

For those who know something of their story, Galashion was the 10 year old who was very active in working for money for the family - the one who carried water to the top of the mountain for 25p. We wondered whether he would want to go to school or would prefer to work. Apparently he loved school and had not missed a day this term.

On a lighter note, we have added to our numbers with 5 pregnant female goats and one Billy. These are a kind donation from a charity which wishes to remain anonymous. We had to send 2 men and a pick-up truck on a 12 hour round journey to collect them. By the time they got back it was late and dark. Where to put the frightened goats? They spent the night in the visitors hostel - not quite the type of visitors we had in mind! In the morning I stood at the door of the hostel and the whole length of the corridor was strewn with goat droppings. It took 3 men several hours to get it really clean again.

 

 

Having been released from the Hostel they spent a little time in the grounds to settle.

 

 

 

 

Then it was out the gate and turn left up the hill to their new home. The Billy is young and never been roped or confined before so is proving a handful. I am told he is not the best of specimens but all we could get. The first of the females should deliver around Christmas.

 

 

 

Here is Maureen, our prem baby star who started life at 800gms. She is now in Babies A and having to learn to get used to colder air than her incubator and Special Care Nursery room. She vomits when cold or undressed!

 

power issues again!

This is a brief blog to explain that we may not be able to blog so regularly. Sadly our wi-fi internet thing won't work and as I have an iPad, you can't attach a dongle. We will have to wait for a replacement from the UK with a visitor.

You are clearly getting better weather than us. We are back to heavy rain, spectacular thunder and lightning storms...and power cuts every day!!

Apart from one staff issue that started before we left in the summer, the Village managed really well. We returned to a very smart compound with plants edging the trimmed pathways. I have never seen Geoffrey's desk so clear, though he did put his hand over his desk drawer when I commented about it. Sonia handled the office brilliantly and Festo had the staff doing what they should be doing. I was very impressed and grateful.

Young Eva who was staying with us for a while was getting well trained in domestic skills. Her Foster mother never returned from her visit to Tanzania. The Foster mother to David, our little Batwa pigmy boy, has taken her now. Eva will be a brilliant big sister.

 

Ivan visited on Community Support day. He brought me a cup for porridge and sat himself down ready for it. It is lovely that he has not forgotten us.

Nsaba has forgotten us, sadly. He has grown too fat. I try to persuade them that fat does not necessarily mean healthy but they don't believe me. They think our reaction to overweight babies is very amusing.

 

 

 

 

We were delighted to meet Winniefred's baby daughter just 15 hours after she was born. We were all concerned for Winniefred to have a safe delivery after the trauma of her last pregnancy and birth. She had to have a Caesarian but all went well. Baby Nina is about twice the size of most of the babies we see in the Medical Centre.

 

The Medical Centre has gone quiet sadly. Maybe because word went round that a Doctor was not there?...maybe not.

 

I think I am about to run out of Internet time in the cafe so will finish here. We will be in touch again when we are able. We are both contented to be back and enthused to carry things forward.