Friday 11th June
"Let the cleaning commence....."

You will be pleased to know that the lady who died is at last on her way back to her village.

On Thursday, Pauline and I were discussing how we could get the hospital a little cleaner and came up with the idea “Clean Up For The Cup”.

So, we have divided the hospital up in to teams, given them colours and goals they need to achieve, to wash walls, beds, lockers, trolleys, equipment etc. So they have 4 weeks to clean up in, taking us up to the World Cup Final. We will be scoring at the end of every week. At the end, we will have a final inspection by one of the sisters, perhaps Sister Mary who all the nurses love (she has been the principal of the local school for the past perhaps 15 years or more, she is now over 80 years, a great lady with lots of good stories to tell). One of the Comboni Fathers (who run the hospital) will help her in this task. Not quite sure how we can make a cup, perhaps a cardboard cut-out, if I can find one on the net.

We then have to find some prizes for the wards. Just hope we have enough digital thermometers and scissors for the winners. My order had not arrived when I left and it will all be over by the time Ian gets here with them.

We announced it in assembly this AM and it seemed to go down well. We talked about how millions of people all over the world would be watching the games and how there would be a lot of educational material being screened between matches about AIDS/HIV and malaria - spreading the message of health and hygiene.

This led on to multiple use of antibiotics and super bugs, and people were going back to the idea of cleaning and sunlight, as Florence Nightingale had done all those years ago. So our main goal for the World Cup is to reduce infections and have a clean environment (well the best you can have in South Sudan!!)

Pauline had been up half the night making signs for each ward with their colour and team number; they all had streamers hanging down. Looked great.

As the cleaning staff do not speak or understand English, we met them separately with an interpreter to explain the game plan. They were very happy to join their teams especially when the nurses were going to be doing cleaning too.

Within an hour lockers were being scrubbed and left out in the sun to dry, walls were being washed, it was remarkable. I tried to say you don’t have to do it all in one day, you have 4 weeks, but it’s hard to dampen their enthusiasm. Will send photos.

Again, I think it will be quite a challenge to keep it going.

We think we will end with a big party and show them all the photos I am taking like we did last year. They love to see themselves ‘in lights'.

Not sure what film to show - Invictor would be good, but how to get it is a problem we might just have to have 'The Chicken Run‘

One of the fathers has been very busy these last few days arranging a large satellite dish to show the World Cup, not quite sure which group has sponsored it but it is a first for this area. It has been placed in the open air church near the market. Apart from the Cup, as I said above lots of educational stuff which is a wonderful idea, will be shown all over Africa. A great opportunity not to be missed. The dish will all be removed after the Cup Final.

The school pupils have been playing soccer every day after work - they had a competition going with the hospital soccer team. The other thing that the sisters (OLSH) have arranged is a big quiz at the junior and senior school. The questions are all on all the countries taking part in the World Cup. So they are learning heaps.

Tension is rising - 2hrs to kick off - South Africa v Mexico!!