Oh Uganda... Attorney and paperwork, budgeting etc...all out the window when we woke up to 8 sick children. One with the stomach flu, 6 with Malaria treatable with tablets, but Sarah is having IV two treatments today.
The electricity went out at the clinic just after 8 blood draws. We were reassured though that the lab guy knows how to use the "mirror way" too look at the slides. Each child was ushered in to to see the doctor, standing next to his desk for an exam. Two hours later, Sarah's IV had been started, but no prescriptions had been filled, so 7 miserable children were trying to get by squeezed on to the benches in the hall.
One nurse attends to every patient that comes in and is the receptionist, nurse, pharmacist and bill collector...and today its been busy, so we will wait. Each tablet is counted out and she simply writes the directions on the envelope. i.e. 1 x 3.
Once we got 7 sets of medications, I was sent home with those children to administer the first dose, get them settled in to rest with a bunch of books and went back to pick up Sarah and Janet. I've been driving our van the last two days...the driver's seat is on the right and we drive on the left side of the road. It works out ok, until I have to make a left or right turn. Which lane do I turn from, which lane do I turn into, where are the cars coming from and then the Boda Boda's...they kind of do their own thing so I'm always on high alert and with some very precious cargo on board, well you can imagine. Just a head's up So Ca...when I get home you might want to keep a very safe distance from me until I get reacquainted to western driving manners.
We are thinking about going into Jinja and just stocking up on the three things that are routinely given for Malaria, saving at least the time at the clinic for this routine and pretty obvious condition. I think this is the worst time of year for Malaria and it's not always so severe or frequent. With the rain comes the mosquitos and even with working very hard to keep everything clean and drain or sweep standing water, they just come and they come hungry. I really think my net last night just provided a private party to the ones that were lucky enough to be inside the net when it was secured. My face, arms, back of legs and even the palm of my hand was bitten up over the last three nights.
About 3pm Janet and I left the house and headed into town to meet with the lawyer. NGO vs CBO, purchasing property vs leasing. Terms of lease, property taxes, land improvements, types of ownership of property... information that will help us determine the best way to proceed in the future.
Janet asked me to drive into town, she is pretty nervous yet with all the crazy traffic. I count it a successful trip, when I don't kill anybody inside or outside the van, I'm not thrown in jail for any reason and nothing falls off from underneath after hitting unseen potholes.
We left the lawyer and came back to the hotel, where I checked back in for the next two nights. We sat outside the dining room and discussed, child protection policies, intake policies, employee reviews and discussed many other things that fall under no specific category. We made a plan for my last 48 hours here and no matter how much time there is...it's never quite enough.
She was willing to brave the traffic and head back to the house alone. There are three at the clinic with Sarah who will be done with her treatment about 6pm, so she had a pretty compelling reason to muster up the courage. Like a mother, I'll wait for her call that she got home safely. I'm praising God tonight that we got so much done, and so many children on their way to feeling better. If you have a spare minute, you wouldn't waste it in trying to come up with some solution to mosquitos that carry that darned Malaria. Our kids get treatment, they still are so sick so quickly with it...I can't help but think and pray about all of the ones who suffer without any relief from the painful symptoms.
Forgive me if I end abruptly and soak in a warm shower, get comfortable and prepare for tomorrow. I appreciate you all for speaking to God on my behalf while I've been here... what ever official business we got done today is nothing compared to what has been accomplished because of the prayer that has covered our trip.
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