Smiles are free!!

Wed 23rd June

I am sitting in my room, it’s about 9-30 pm, and I still have some power in the solar system for lights. In the distance, I can hear the African drums beating - the locals must be practicing for some function next week. The frogs are croaking really loudly as there has been lots more rain, and the odd mosquito drones by.

Only a few hours ago, I was listening to the beautiful African kingfisher that was up in the tree, preening its bright blue feathers. There goes another big bang on the roof - sounds like gun shots, but it is only the fruit of the Lulu tree that hangs over the roof and regularly drops its bounty. It’s a wonderful shade tree, the locals collect the fruit and eat it, and the seeds they make the sweetest smelling cosmetic butter for face and hand products. Look out for it - it's divine.

You need a few good smells around here.....

The stars are out again, and a bright full moon shines. No torch required tonight. Drums still going. ....went on till 12MN

E--- (the Italian volunteer) had a terrible fright this afternoon. I was busy washing my uniform in my bucket when I heard her shouting ‘Anne, Anne' getting closer, ‘Quick, quick’. I opened my door and found her clutching her leg and her hand saying 'I have been bitten, very painful'.

She had been in the terrible latrine I wrote about last year, and suddenly felt all these bites, about 5, within about 5 seconds, some sort of bee or wasp had attacked her. She came flying out of there shouting, hardly time to pull up her shorts.

After a bit of first-aid of hydrocortisone cream and Stop Itch, things settled but she is left with 5 raised red areas on her leg, arm, hand and fingers. The problem here is you never quite know what got you....

This morning her hand was swollen and red, same as her finger, other area not as bad. She says ‘I am fine’ as we all tend to do - we are fine compared to others.

Today, Thursday, I had a busy day teaching in the classroom, 11am-1.30pm, 10min break. This was with the students in the school.

I was looking very smart with my theatre scrubs, rain coat and wellington boots on (all day). The rain has not stopped for about 10hrs - it's almost up to the top of my boots in places walking to the class room!! Topic today was The Importance of Fluids and Electrolyte Balance. Also had to cover fluid balance charts and IV drip calculation.........very appropriate!!

It might sound easy, but when the students have not had too many years of schooling, it can prove to be quite a challenge....there are always the few at the front who have it worked out in a flash, and the ones at the back who are lost. The problem is they are so proud they would not like to admit they had not got a clue. Slowly slowly!

Then at 2.30-3.30pm teaching the greens - bed-making, positioning and pressure sore prevention. Nice easy topics. This is all good in a classroom situation when you have a set of nice sheets, a bed cradle, etc. (my favourite place to be!!). However, I am a bit of a coward because it is very different on the ward. For example, it has rained all day today, so there will be no linen available tomorrow for bed-making (the laundry will not be dry), and the bucket with the rag to wash the bed will have gone to some other worthy cause.

So the hunting starts, it can take up to an hour to get equipment together for demonstration, and by then the nurses have gone for tea break and the moment has passed. As they say here ‘calas’ - 'enough'!!

Italy did not deserve to win. We did wander up to the cathedral to watch the game. A lot of sad faces from the Italian group, until the last quarter. The kids were having a great time playing in the mud and water outside, rather than watching the game. There are so many broken footballs laid around just now, every child is dreaming of being a football star!!

Looking around the adult spectators (all male apart from us), the ones that have a tee-shirt on are all ‘freebee types’ with slogans saying ‘We want a peaceful election’ ‘Peace in Sport’ ‘Join the HIV learning program’ ‘Fight Malaria’ 'I am a devoted Christian’ - they probably all think all clothes come with writing on. Most of the kids are in very dirty rags which I suppose have been passed down from the big brother or sister, as none of them fit. These kids have no possessions, but still have big smiles to make your heart ache!!