Catching a cold

Isn’t it a bit ironic that I would catch a cold when it is 38 degrees outside?  Well, I have been battling something for a few days, and today I had the full runny nose and sneezing and coughing.  I wore a mask doing rounds today, and that was even warmer that usual.  This too shall pass, as they say.  Rounds today was sad.  There was a lady that came in very sick over night on Saturday night and she ended up needing a caesarean.  Her heart was working even more poorly than the other lady I saw.  The baby came out fine, but she did not do well and died Sunday.  Today her family came in to take her away, and arrangements had to be made for the baby as well. 

The clinic was busy as usual, but I am getting more used to the routine and the protocols again.  There is a balance between using the resources available to you but not skimping if you can avoid it.  It is also hard to know if people will show up for visits like they do back home.  As said before, often we don’t see pregnant woman until they are 30 weeks along or more, and then it is hard to tell how far along they really are, or if the baby is smaller than it should be because of mom’s diet.  You just have to do the best you can

The traders know who I am and they stop me every time I go by.  I must have really supported the local economy well when I bought the Nativity set.  Oh well, they are nice people, and they are trying to make a living too.  I am not as good at bargaining as others are, perhaps if I buy anything more, I should bring one of the long-term missionaries along with me (apparently short term is less than 3 years, which does not sound short term to me!).  Eugene the Irishman who I got to know a bit from the LIFT team left me a note (I was on call Saturday and I couldn’t see them off).  He left me his email so now I have a new pen pal!

James 1:2-4 ESV

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect that you may be perfect and complete lacking nothing.