It's been a little bit since I've posted last.  What has happened this last week?  Hodge podge of things.  Cheryl Ann and Christine made it safely to Canada.  Before that we had the lovely reminder why getting one thing done on your list for the day is an accomplishment here.  We went to the post office to pick up Cheryl's mail and any packages.  Two slips in her box.  So here you need to show proof of ID and sign and pay a few cents to get packages...if you are the person the package is sent to.  If not, major security issues arise. Never mind the fact that for us to get Cheryl's mail, she gave her her key and we brought a copy of her ID etc.  After 45 minutes and a call to a previous postal worker who would know Christine and pleading our case of leaving the country in 1 day and her just having surgery (did they want her there in a wheelchair?), even pulling the missionary/reverend card (would we lie?) and close scrutiny of Christine's passport, we got one package.  The other one could not be found.  Moral of the story, picking up your mail is watched much more closely then even getting into the country.  Ironically, Cheryl gave most of the contents of the package to us since she was leaving (yummy nuts etc).  

But onto brighter things.  Garden is growing. 3 of 5 of my moringa trees lived after transplanting.  The 2 I replaced are growing well.  They had quite the shock b/c they had been in little bags for around 2 years! Several had rooted through the bags into the ground.  Mr. Daka has great pride in showing everyone the trees and garden.  Tomorrow I'm experimenting with "tower gardens" out of old plastic sacks that hold the mealie meal (ground corn).  It's fun seeing people's minds stretched about gardening.  Pastor Zulu (leader in community health evangelism) said he sometimes forgets I'm a doctor because I'm doing so many other things, as I walked by him with shovel and pail of dirt in hand:)

Today I enjoyed myself by getting out of the city and traveled to Fringilla Farms, the site of Bethel Clinic run by Mr. Mutale.  I thoroughly enjoyed seeing patients again and being in the country.  It's fun to see patients while listening to cows moo (and smelling them always takes me back to Uncle Dan's farm) and peacocks and turkeys run around.  

Below are pictures of the other exciting news.  Our mobile clinic made it safely up from South Africa.  It is beautiful.  Inside is a patient bed (which we will have adjusted to do cervical cancer screenings), a sink, lots of cabinet space and counter space for a lab and a frig for vaccines etc.  I got very excited sitting in it, thinking of all the possibilities.  We can go into the bush, connect to a clinic and local church and reach people with healthcare and the Gospel.  

I just love the pictures already on it.  We will also do HIV testing and counseling.  Christine can drive it with her Zambian driver's license.  Now we need to get it registered as a clinic.  Praying it goes as smoothly as my licensing.