One of our best pieces of news yet.  The medical mobile clinic doesn't have to be registered!  That is the timely advice we got from a local medical doctor/pastor.  Since Christine and I are both registered with the medical council as long as we connect to a local clinic and the district medical office where we go, we should be fine.  We planned on working with the local clinics anyway along with the local churches for our outreaches.  This means we can start getting supplies and readjusting a few things on the inside.  Neither of us thought we could go on a trip before our furlough next spring, but looks like we might be able to.

I've had two lovely evenings this past week at different pastors' homes.  So honored to be included in their events.  One was Bishop Simunyola wife's surprise b-day party and the other a thank you dinner at Dr/Rev Nyrienda's home.  Getting to know more people on a personal level is so encouraging.

Thursday was Zambia's Independence Day.  I had a quiet day at Bethel Clinic and Liteta Hospital.  Sadly the little girl with pneumonia passed away.  Amazingly enough she lived three more days after I left.  She was in respiratory distress for 5 days.  My consolation is that I tried everything I had available to me to help.  All the malnourished children I saw last week were still alive and doing fairly well.  I was glad to see them all still there.  My last patient of the day was a 3 y/o girl whose friend hit her head with a hoe.  The little girl was the bravest I've seen.  She only cried a little as I numbed (with unbuffered lidocaine) and stitched the laceration.

Today I joined Nancy, Archie and Christine for another Holy Spirit Conference at one of the churches that is getting a church building from the A/G soon.  It went very well.  We look forward to the conclusion tomorrow.

Today was one of those days that makes me stand in awe of what God has allowed the human body to endure and heal from and then kneel in tears when the body gives in and can endure no longer.

My sick little bronchiolitic from last week did miraculously well after one day of albuterol (inhaler with a rolled piece of paper for a spacer) and went home the next day.  The young girl with an allergic reaction (likely septra) took a major turn for the worse and passed away that night.  The little boy I was so mean to last time cleaning his ankle wound (fallen from bike) looked super...no worry about bone infection now looking at the wound..such nice pink new tissue.  He was running around smiling with only a slight limp.  He will be home in a few days.  Then 6 day old I saw in the morning being treated for sepsis/pneumonia, died before I could get an xray and start a different antibiotic. Felt inadequate in what I did, had available to do for her medically and then taking the grieving mom's hand and praying in English which she doesn't speak.  Death is such an enemy!

My last worry and prayer request is a little girl I spent most of my day treating.  She has pneumonia with prolonged respiratory distress. I am grateful God is not limited like I am.

The week in review highlights:  

Hospital follow ups. Man with the infected hand is slowing doing better. Still a long way to go. Two little girls with dehydration did beautifully and went home in a couple days. PTL! Got to suture and cast Friday at Liteta Hospital. Now know how pale an adult looks with a Hgb of 3.5 looks. These people are amazing.  The gentleman came in complaining he has some intermittent swelling of his hand/legs and some difficulty breathing when laying down and was a little tired.  With a Hgb of 3.5!  I didn't know you could still walk around (normal is 12).  In the U.S. people will say they are tired and come for a lab test and the hgb will be 9.  He should do fine after a pint of blood and some iron for home.  Was a little frustrated today. Outpatient clinic was so busy, and I wanted to help but can't speak the local languages. It was going to take the clinical officer more time to find a translator that stayed with me (one kept leaving to do other things) then to see patients himself. Wish I could suddenly speak Bemba or Nyanja.

Saturday/Sunday I joined Nancy and Archie and Christine for a Holy Spirit conference at a local church.  It went wonderfully. So enjoyed the fellowship with the Chainda Upper Room Grace Ministries church. What warm fellowship and believing for great things as they are empowered by the Holy Spirit to reach out to their community, Lusaka, Zambia, Africa and the world. Four young men newly baptized in the Holy Spirit.

Then my fun of the week on Thursday afternoon at Fringilla. 
What does a doctor in Africa do when clinic gets slow? Milk a cow of course!

This week I connected with Roger Cabe, Southwestern Medical Clinic Foundation director, to talk about my project Helping Babies Breathe.  They are going to be raising support for me to implement this neonatal resuscitation program for resource limited countries.  I'm hoping the link to the video works.  Sorry my voice sounds a little distorted at times (internet connections and bandwidths etc).
http://www.swmcf.org/index.php/swmcf-news/video-reports

     Have to give the update on the patients from last week.  The little boy with the hemoglobin of 0.9 is doing okay.  He was still in the hospital but his platelets and white count came back up on their own.  His fevers have gone away, and he is acting better.  In some crossing of communication (not uncommon here), the nurse said he is waiting to go to Kabwe for treatment for his retinablastoma (cancerous eye tumor).  Not sure that was diagnosed before or after I saw him.  So he still has a long road ahead, but I was so glad to see him alive. The little girl with sickle cell with fevers that wouldn't stop had her fevers stop after we stopped all her antibiotics for a day.  She went home three days later since no fever returned, and she was doing well. Her doing well certainly boosted my reputation...not that I can take credit.  "We treat, Jesus heals." is never a truer statement then here.  This week took care of two very dehydrated little girls.  Praying they pull through.
     Friday was a neat experience.  Christine was at Bethel Clinic while I was at the hospital.  I got a referred patient from her and Mr. Mutale each as I was working in the outpatient clinic at the hospital.  Love the team feeling and following up on patients.  The one she sent me was so in need of care.  An elderly man with an infected hand.  Two weeks ago a thorn lodged between his fingers.  He went to a clinic that gave him three days of some antibiotic.  It was not nearly enough.  He now needs cleaning and IV antibiotics.  I'm hoping it's not down to the bone.  He had a very gentle, non-complaining disposition.
     I also had a precious encounter with a woman in the outpatient clinic.  She was about my age and pregnant.  She has several other children.  Her first husband died and her second one recently left her for another woman.  She has almost no emotional support around her and great financial needs.  She came in with minor physical complaints but as I wrote up a lab order slip, she started sharing much of her story.  I felt impressed I needed to pray with her.  I had no medicine to give to help all of the problems or enough money to make them go away.  Normally I would pray with the patient after they get back from lab as we finish the visit, but I felt like I should pray right then and not wait.  After we prayed, she was in tears.  We just sat together for a little bit.  Her comment was, "God cannot leave me even though others might." She composed herself after a few minutes and went to lab.  By the time she returned, I was swamped with 2 different patients plus family members in the room--mild chaos.  I wrote a prescription for her in the middle of the melee and sent her on her way.  So glad I had the opportunity to pray with her first with plenty of time otherwise the opportunity would have been lost.
     On the lighter side,  I was asked if I wanted to help milk the cows at Fringilla on Thursday (has been a goal of mine).  The milking parlor is right next to the clinic.  I had to decline because I was the only one in the clinic and couldn't leave it empty (and open sandals and a light colored skirt).  Next time!  I'll make Uncle Dan and David and Mark proud.  (my Wisconsin dairy farming cousins)

I am sitting in a courtyard, stomach full with a yummy cheeseburger, listening to the bats chirp back and forth thinking I'm one of the most blessed people on the planet.  I just finished a well-paced day at Bethel Clinic at Fringilla Farms.  I saw a number of patients and had a precious time of sharing with Mr. Mutale about God's grace in our lives.  I also got to meet his wife and new 2 week old baby, Thumbiko, which means blessing.  Tomorrow I will head to Liteta Hospital for my second week of seeing patients on the pediatric and newborn wards.  Last week was an enjoyable challenge.  I am looking forward to follow up on the patients I met last week.  Cutest was a 28 week preemie born at home a few days earlier.  She is breathing and feeding well. Just needs to gain some weight.  Difficult cases of an 8 y/o boy with low white count, hemoglobin and platelets who was in a lot of pain.  Young lady with sickle cell (pain crisis resolved) but continuing to spike fever despite multiple antibiotics.  Little girl with bad burn on her leg and foot when she bumped water heating in a pot set on stones over charcoal on the ground.  Child waiting for several days in the hospital while family collects money for a CT scan to rule out/in a brain tumor.  I enjoyed working with both of the two new doctors there.  Dr. Ngongola has moved to Lusaka to do his surgical residency.  Very exciting!  He'll make a wonderful surgeon.
    I've had two good times of prayer with patients this week also.  One after testing him for HIV.  Worked to encourage him to turn back to his faith and find accountability people around him.  He was grateful for the word of prayer.  Tears in his eyes after we prayed.  I can be a little cynical about his pledges that I changed his life etc but am glad to point him back to God.  Another was an elderly woman with abd pain who we sent for further testing.  Was thinking it was gall stones.  She was worried b/c a friend died after gall bladder surgery.  She had a level of peace after prayer.
   Sunday I enjoyed impromtu time and dinner with a group of single girls from church.  Started working on my intern class with Nancy for my license to preach this week.  Enjoyed surprisingly cool weather while I weeded my garden Monday.  Thanks for all the thoughts and notes responding to my e-newsletter.  So grateful for everyone of you!