UGANDA

         I was able to take 2 weeks off of working on the ship and make a trip to Uganda. That may sound crazy, but it was an amazing experience. I’ll start from the beginning…

When I arrived on the ship in August I made some new friends, one of these friends lives in the U.K. and invited me to join a group from her church and travel to Uganda with them. Well, it didn’t take much convincing, but I wasn’t sure that I was going to be able to get the time off work. As it happened, I was able to get a 2 week vacation and so the planning started. 

Finally, April 3rd arrived and I boarded the plane and meet the Chinese guys in Brazzaville (that story is in my previous blog). After traveling for the day I reached Entebbe International Airport in Uganda, where the driver from the Bed & Breakfast was waiting. 

Colonial Residence (the Bed & Breakfast) was a lovely place to stay. The hosts were very welcoming and helpful, breakfast was excellent, the staff friendly, and the grounds were beautiful with a various trees and flowers. 

Room at Colonial Residence

I arrived in Uganda 2 days before the rest of the group coming from the U.K. due to flight availability and cost. I didn’t mind to much since I was able to have a couple days to explore the area. The first day I walked around Entebbe and checked out the Botanical Gardens. It was a beautiful walk through the gardens, plus it is also on the shores of Lake Victoria. 

Lake Victoria 

One of the many flowers at the Botanical Garden

        After leaving there as I was walking back, I got stopped by a local woman who wanted me to come into her restaurant and eat. Now, I wouldn’t have known what it was unless she told me, because to me, it looked like a wooden shed or barn. When you walked inside, there were tables and people sitting. The food was prepared out back a brought into you. It was a different experience, but I had food and water so I was happy.

The following day, I made a trip to Jinja to see the source of the Nile river. That was really cool, but I wasn’t able to get on a boat and to have boat ride on the Nile; which would have been really cool! After leaving the Nile river I went into town and walked around the craft markets of Jinja. There were some unique crafts for sale that I wish I would have had space to take home. Instead, I enjoyed chatting with the store owners. One of the shop owners, Ester, found out that I had been in Congo and asked what some of the differences were in the crafts that were for sale. The biggest difference that I noticed, was that they didn’t try to force me to buy something which happens all the time where I am in Congo. It could be as simple as the fact that I would stop look, and take time to chat with them. 

The Nile River

Later that night, I group that I was joining arrived and so I meet them at the hotel. After introductions and chatting, we went to bed. The next morning it was up, eat breakfast, and pack everything in the vehicle and drive to Kamatuza (around a 3 hour drive from where we were). On the way there we passed the equator, but of course there is a place to stop and eat, so lunch was on the equator.

I'm at the Equator! 

         Finally, we arrived at the school where we would be staying and unloaded everything. The first week was a lot of sorting supplies and organizing.  There were three containers of school supplies to sort and hand out the different schools. It was a lot of repetitive work. The second week was more exciting. After sorting out most of the supplies I was able to visit 3 different schools with supplies. 

One of the containers that needed sorting, it is already partially sorted in this picture

The first school that we visited

The second school that we were able to visit

The third school that I was able to visit.

There is also a pediatric medical center located very close to the school where we were staying and so those of us in the group that are nurses spent some time in the clinic. The primary thing that they treat is Malaria, but there is also a physiotherapy room and so I spent most of my time in the clinic learning about what they do for therapy. 

The best part of the whole trip for me happened almost everyday. I loved to play with younger kids in primary school. When the kids had break from classes where I was staying, more often than not I would be out playing with those that wanted to join in. Playing most often consisted of me chasing and tickling them, high-fives, counting, making circles, and whatever else we decided to do. 

Some of kids who liked to come out and play

The kids being just a little silly. 

Usually it was the same kids that would come and play, and so I may not have learned the names, but I could recognize their faces. One day we were able to go out into the village and hand out clothes to those who needed it. At one of the stops I saw a girl in her school uniform that I would play with, then a little later another one of the girls came by with her family in her everyday clothes and not in the school uniform but I was still able to recognize her. Needless to say, I started talking to and playing with them and let the other sort out clothes. 

I loved it there!!! There could be many reasons that I loved it there so much, playing with the kids, language wasn’t as huge of a barrier (English is spoken in Uganda as French is spoken in Congo), the people seemed more friendly, probably because I could communicate. It’s amazing what communication does. 

At first I wasn’t sure if I should go, but I am really glad that I did. It was an experience that I’m grateful to have had. 

Roadside market: this stand was selling potatoes

With all the rain the road turned to mud, and it was a little slippery in places. One of the cars that we were taking to our third school visit slid into the ditch. 

The kids would often start waving at us as we would drive by them on the road.

New Airport Friends

After waking up way to early (without my alarm), I left the ship. I didn't just leave the ship, I left the country. I'm no longer in Republic of the Congo, I'm sitting in Rwanda as I write this.

It's already been an adventure. I left Pointe-Noire without any problems and flew an hour away to the capital of Brazaville. While I was there, I needed to collect my luggage and recheck-in, during my 3 hour stay. No rush, I get my backpack and the. Head upstairs to departures. 

While, it's to early so I can't even get into the check in counter so I walk around looking for a seat...needless to say, there are none. As I'm setting my stuff down by the window I hear someone trying to get my attention. I look over and there was one person in the group of Chinese guy's sitting on the chairs that was offering me his seat. 

Initial, quick assessment told me he was the youngest of the group, and all the older guys appeared to be laughing and giving him a hard time in good fun...so after trying to refuse and he was still offering, I walked over and sat down in the middle of this group of Chinese men. Well, they of course were speaking in Chinese, which I don't know much of, or they also spoke French...also a language in which I don't have a large vocabulary. It is truly unfortunate that I really only know English, but luckily this young guy knew some basic English and so he acted as translator for the group. 

In the end, here is what I know, his name is Shi Long Nain, and he is 27 and has an older sister. English is his fifth language, and he is more proficient with it than any other languages I know. I did find it humorous, that he knew how to ask if I was married, when I told him the truth that I wasn't, he shook his head and said 'come to china, and you can be married in one month.' 

I passed on his offer, to continue on my way to Uganda. So then we started having an english/Chinese lesson, and I didn't make the best student, but we were laughing at my mistakes. Once it came time to part ways, the one guy offered me a 1.5L bottle of water, which again I ended up taking. I really enjoyed my time with them. That's the most interesting and fun part of my trip so far, and its only day one!

Extra! Extra! Read all about it...

Life has carried on, it doesn’t seem like much has changed since my last entry, and yet so much has. It was very anticlimactic, but something that I can now check off my bucket list.

Last Sunday (23 May), we had a very special visiter come aboard the Africa Mercy. President Denis Sassou-Nguesso, himself, came aboard for a tour of the hospital ship which many people call home. 

It started out as any other Sunday morning would, wake up for breakfast and pack your lunch. The only difference was, there was already an under toned hum of business. The main lounge area where everyone chills out, was closed from 9am until 7:30pm. Everything had to be set up and arranged so those areas were off limits for the day. 

What was even more amazing to me, was that this busy port we are docked in was shut down for the day. They weren’t loading and unloading containers, freight, and other goods. The road leading into the port had no traffic when usually traffic is backed up for half-a-mile!

The president arrived around 4:30 that afternoon. I will now answer the question that I know is burning in your mind, ‘did you meet the president?’ The answer is a very simple and honestly, ‘no, I did not.’ What I did do, was watch him walk up the gangway stairs while standing outside on the deck. I can now say that I’ve seen a president in person security and all. 

While all the major people were talking and the tour was taking place, what did I do…I ate dinner and then came back to the cabin and took a nap. It was great!

My Birthday

Everyone celebrate birthday's differently, some like big parties and lots of attention while other try to hide the fact that it is their birthday. I don't like to make a big deal out of my birthday, but it was yesterday and so I thought I would share with you what my birthday on the Africa Mercy was like. 

It started when the clock stuck midnight, and I was sitting in the ward working on my chart checks for the night. Yes, I was working a night shift. Then at 7 in the morning, when the next shift comes in to take over they all sing happy birthday to me before we pray and then give handover (or report). 

After I finished handover, I quickly went to drop off some stuff in my room before running up to breakfast. While I'm walking up to my room I see balloons hanging from the ceiling and signs hanging on the wall. 

The HAPPY BIRTHDAY banner 

The balloons outside the door

Anyway, I was able to make it to the cafeteria and get something to eat before they closed up for the morning. After eating, needless to say I went to bed!! Sleep was so nice, the room was dark and quiet and it didn't take long before I was sound asleep. 

The next thing that I knew, I heard someone calling my name. It was one of my cabin-mates and I was so confused as to why she would be waking me up. As it happens, there was an extra nurse and so they gave me last night off. That was a very pleasant surprise and so I rolled out of bed around 2 in the afternoon. After that, I got coffee, and socialized with different friends and then watched the sunset.

Another one of my friends made a cake, so I did eat a piece or two of really amazing sour cream cake laced with cinnamon and pecans. That is the extent of what I did on my birthday. 

I am going out tonight to celebrate some more. Since I thought I was going to have to work last night I didn't plan on going out yesterday. Tonight I'm going out with some friends for dinner and to celebrate a friends birthday that's today. Since they are only a day apart we decided that maybe we should go out and celebrate together with some friends. 

The one thing that I wanted to do yesterday I did manage to successfully accomplish...avoid the cafeteria singing!!! One tradition that is aboard the Africa Mercy is that if you are in the cafeteria on your birthday, your friends may ring the bell and announce that it is your birthday. Then everyone proceeds to sing happy birthday. My goal was to avoid that at all costs, I do not like to be the center of attention! 

There really isn't anything else to tell, but it was relaxing and enjoyable. 

The Little Things

Sometimes it's easy to forget the importance of the little things...for example, we currently have a patient who's a local retired nurse. It's absolutely great that we can help her. I've worked the last three days and have had the privilege of caring for her. 

'Beth' speak French, I've picked up a few words, but really I'm very limited to English. Even with the language barrier I feel as if we have made a connection. There's a mutual smile, and a wave for a greeting. Accompanied by a handshake and greetings exchanged in French. 

All of the sudden I found myself wondering, when I leave she asks if I'm back tomorrow. If I say yes then her face lights up with a smile, yesterday when I said no she looked sad until I told her that I would stop by and say hello sometime today (which I still need to do, and will do).

What surprised me the most was last night. After I came back from dinner it was time for the visitors. One of her visitors brought in local food for her to eat (I guess eating pasta gets old), anyway, at one point we made eye contact from across the room and she gestured to her food offering me some. Without even thinking, I declined having just ate and being full. The look on her face made me feel as if I rejected her. 

I wish I could say I went over apologized and accepted her offering. Instead of doing that, I had a patient that came back from PACU right at that time and so I was busy taking care of my post-op patient. 

When I finally stopped to think about it today, I found myself wondering when did this connection with Beth happen? I've been her nurse, but I can't say that I sat down with one of the translators and just talked to her about her life and got to know her better. Was it really the smiles, the greetings, and attempt at French. 

It makes me think of the saying, 'actions speak louder than words.' How true that is, but I don't know that I realized the power of actions until I depend upon them. I don't speak the language, at times I use actions to make my point. Sometimes the patients use action to explain what they need. 

Actions...what actions portray love and acceptance? What have I done inadvertently that is the opposite love and instead inflicts pain and rejection? Which actions are most prevalent in my life? What do my actions say about me? Do they reflect the love of God? Do they bring Him the glory? How about in your life? What do your actions say about you? 

Maybe the saying 'think before you speak,' should be 'think before you act.'

Helicopters and Jets

There was very cool opportunity that presented itself last weekend...so of course I jumped at the chance and now have a cool story to share. As most of you know, living on ship means that we are docked in the port. Well, this port is very active; ships are always coming and going. 

Right now, there is an Italian Aircraft Carrier that is docked in port across from us on a humanitarian mission. One day a question was posed...if it could be arranged, would anyone be interested in touring their ship. Lots of people were interested, over 200 people wanted to go on this tour. 

The aircraft carrier across is docked in port across from us

Saturday evening this tour happened. They had it set up so that 30-50 of us were in a group and then we were escorted around. We got to see the bridge, tower control, hospital, and walk out onto the flight deck next to the helicopters and jets. It was very cool, and the best part...they didn't care if we brought cameras and took pictures. 

Still in the bridge, our guide is explaining the compasses and rudders

Looking out on the flight deck from the control tower

There is the runway

Now we are out on the flight deck! 

Helicopter!!

It's a jet!

And finally, the picture of me in front of one helicopter. 

 All in all, it was a really cool experience, and over the last couple of days they have been coming to tour our ship in slightly smaller groups. One really cool thing that I want to mention, as I said before they are on a humanitarian mission and so they have offered to help us out by donating their time and some supplies!!! How amazing is that?  

February!

I know it's been awhile since I've last updated my blog. A lot happens and yet it has become normal life here. Eat, sleep, work, laundry and some socialization with lots of hello's and goodbye's. Constant change has become a normal part of life...I'd be lying if I said it was easy. 

Although, there are fun times involved with all the change. One day, we had a picnic with nurses and day crew from D-Ward, for those who wanted to attend. We packed up a bunch of stuff and drove the beach. 

After getting the fire lit with some assistance from the local people (apparently we weren't so great at starting an open fire on the windy beach) , we got the chicken over the coals and the BBQ began.

It took several hours to cook all the meat that was prepared and so the cooks took turns...these were the first 2 happy volunteers while the rest of us visited, and watched the sunset. 

Finally, after the sun set and it was dark out we finished cooking the last of the meat! It was a whole process, but it was fun.

The Sunset

Grilling chicken with headlamps for light :) 

It's hard to believe that January has come and gone...and now we are half way through February. Time seems to be passing by...soon I'll only have 3 months left, March, April, and May. Then, I'll eventually need to figure out what is next in my life...and that seems overwhelming! There are so many possibilities, that I need to slow down, not stress about the future and trust God to show me his direction.