Challenges, Tears and Excitement for today

Work started today on the fit out of the medical clinic. It was all action with Andrew R leading a team of budding young builders. He was in his element. The team of 19 students quickly assembled the stud walls reluctantly stopping for breakfast or breaks just eager to get the job done. It was very encouraging to walk into the building and see everyone busy and working together as a team to achieve the same goal. On the other hand Andrew W and myself were confronting many challenges in the Aids Hospice. Andrew with his thorough examinations continued to discover multiple problems that patients are trying to deal with. . It is hard not to get emotional as you see this level of personal suffering infront of your eyes. We are looking at giving education to the health team to encourage them with processes that we feel would improve patient care. Please pray as we prepare for this. Also pray for us as we take daily devotionals with the health team and for the Holy Spirit to be at work in this group to bring unity and a desire to excel . The infrastructure which is being built will be fantastic but it is so important to develop a team of compassionate and competent health professionals setting a high standard in the clinic. We really need discernment in this as we spend time with each person involved at this point of time and learn more about how things have been operating here.

Andrew W and Rowena started assisting in the AIDs hospice today, working alongside Fransisco who is Nurse/Clinical Officer in charge of the centre  and works alongside two other Nurse Aids . The centre has 28 inpatients including about 18 children all of which have HIV /AIDs and require antiretroviral drugs and nutritional supplements. The patients are also susceptible  to infections such as TB because of their lowered immunity. We started to see the patients today but were overwhelmed by the multiple medical problems. One lady had been admitted to the hospice weighing only 26kg and we discovered she was blind due to viral retinal infections and also had symptoms of peptic ulcer for which we started treatment. Another 12 year old girl with HIV had developed a fever and headache and had symptoms suggestive of meningitis . Most of our day was taken up getting her to St Josephs hospital for tests, waiting for attention from the skeleton nursing staff and getting transport arranged. Rowena had to stay with her in the ward for several hours because she had no other family carer and they would not admit her unless someone was  able to be with her to feed her and attend to her needs.  It has been very exciting to see the rapid developments in the last two days  toward getting an improved primary health clinic within Childcare, hopefully where some basic diagnostic tests  such as malaria smears will be available. ( see the chart  of rising cases in the community-- deadly to the children here) .   Irene has agreed to allow us to fit out an empty building which was constructed for another purpose. We drew up some  plans for 3 consulting rooms, a waiting room, a pharmacy and a small pathology lab plus a room which could be used for short stay or isolation cases. Andrew R went today with the building team to buy the supplies and they are planning to start construction tomorrow ! It would be great to see this facility up and running before we leave and have a place where the children from the school and other people in medical need can be seen in a more acceptable environment. It would also be an opportunity to establish some good policies and procedures which can be followed across the board.  Andrew R will  be working with the building team tomorrow and Andrew and Rowena returning to the hospice to work with the primary health team. We are praisng God for answered prayers and appreciate your contining support and prayers expecially for protection from malaria as the mosquitos are in abundance !

Measuring up for the fit out

Malaria statistics for Kitgum

Day 1 in Kitgum

Another awesome day in Kitgum. We were all unsure this morning as to what we were going to be doing but as the day progressed it was evident that our day was going to be full of different things. Andrew Rowe spoke in front of 2500 excited faces from the technical college in their morning assembly about how important it is to continue their study and that they have a future ahead of them also how our building practises compare to there's. It was great to encourage them as they think that by going to technical college they have some how failed it was great to encourage them and through my experiences they could see that being a builder or carpenter is not a failure. I have a new name now here in Kitgum I am called engineer Andrew. Andrew Wright and Andrew Rowe also spent time going over plans for the new hospital and medical clinic and looked at where it will be built with the staff on site. It was very encouraging to see how they want to put these things in place for the future. While we were doing this Rowena went and helped in the clinic they have for the children. We lost her for a while but sure enough she turned up with a medical emergency for our faithful leader. A young boy had sliced the front of his leg open and needed some stitches. So the medical experts went to work with a successful out come.Rowena seems to be in her element here helping, it was good to watch her for the first time doing what she loves. Then we spent some time talking to Francisca who looks after the aids hospice discussing the needs and the things that could be done there. We have all crashed now and looking forward to another day.

Safely in Kitgum

Thankyou to all who have been praying for us travelling on these roads. They are in a major state of disrepair. It really helped to have the 4WD we had used on safari to negotiate about 150km of dirt track which is the main road from Gulu to Kitgum. We set off this morning and almost left behind a critical piece of luggage --we have been tormenting Andrew R ever since that he was left in charge of packing EVERYTHING into the car this morning !  Fortunately as we got to the Park gates they told us we had left something behind-- it had money and passports in it !  Thanks again for prayers !
I think we have all felt today that we were transported through time and space from one world to another in the minutes it took to drive down the 15km entrance to the Chobe Lodge where we stayed overnight. The lodge is new and very beautiful , being perched over a picturesque reach of the Nile river where  the rapids are. There are hippos and warthogs and monkeys all around and we stayed in cabin style tents which were great although we were warned not to go out walking at night but to ring 0 for a golf buggy to take us to the main complex--cool !
We have received a warm welcome here at Childcare Kitgum Servants and are settling into our dormitory, unpacking our gear and getting oriented. We have electricity and internet access which seeems bizarre given the lack of basic sanitation, water and shelter iin the wider communiity here . There are so many contrasts here with the 21st century pushing its way into a culture which has remained unchanged for hundreds of years. For instance, on the way here we passed two bullocks pulling a plow and beside us an old busted up cattle truck filled to over capacity with people and goods and then seconds later a jaguar car passed us on the dirt road with two well dressed people on board . How crazy is that ?
Well, today is the beginning of the real reason we are here, to get involved in the Kitgum community and assist  Irene Gleeson and the local people  with improving health care quality and accessibility here. We'll keep you posted !

Boat ride up Nile in Africa Queen

Today we had a safari drive where we saw many of the wild African animals and then went on a boat ride up the Nile river to Murchison Falls. Andrew Rowe performed an excellent Hippo imitation in the resort pool after our river trip much to our embarrasment. Needless to say Australians will now no longer be able to stay over at Paraa Lodge Uganda. Rowena has upset the team as she was unable to successfully photograph one of only four rare Giant Kingfisher birds we passed on the river bank. Oh dear. Andrew W insists on singing the Lion King warthog song every time we see a WartHog in the scrub, which happened to be in excess of fifty times. Other team members and fellow boat passengers are sick of hearing " when i was a young wart HOG!" multiple times. Moses has also been feeling neglected as he has been excluded from quite a few team shots today.
 Despite all these testing experiences, team morale remains high!
Sorry, due to Uganda technological difficulties we have been unable to upload any photos .

Enjoying Murchison Falls National Park

On the way to Kitgum we are staying over at Murchison Falls National Park. We travelled for about 7 hours on the road today. Picked up in a 4WD by our driver, Grace. The highlight has been seeing the falls and cooling off in the pool here at the resort when we arrived. Tomorrow we go for an early morning game drive and a boat trip up the Nile river. We can hear the hippos grunting from our rooms.

A day in Kampala

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Had amazing day in Kampala today being taxied around through the chaos of what seemed like no road rules and every man for himself. Had the opportunity to meet with Dr Ian Clark a GP who has had many years experience working with the people of Africa and establishing effective health care. He was very helpful in giving constructive advice and encouragement to Andrew that will be very useful to take to Kitgum and future developments for the people there. Andrew was also able to obtain his registration today , that being a miracle in itself. We were told to come back at 4 o'clock and it would be ready and what do you know!!! One minute to 4.00 it was done. Unheard of in this country... So now he is all set ready to go. We went to a food court for lunch no sooner had we walked in and started to have a look at what we were going to have when you are confronted by a person from every shop in the food court with a menu trying to get you to buy their food. Once you sort through this and decide you get waited on like you are in a restaurant they take your order for the food and drinks then bring it to you. You can't get this service at the Carindale food court!! Us boys are loving this, also the lovely lady we are with.