3 countries in 3 days

Zambezi river 

We started our morning at 6 this morning, I think we were the only people up, it was still dark and cold. We ended up getting frosted flakes at the market and we all had that for breakfast, little did we know we were getting fed like kings on this safari trip. At 7 a bus was at Jollyboys to take us to our destination in Botswana, it was 45 minutes to the border and then we got our passport stamped and took a speed boat across Zambezi River. When we got into Botswana we had to get our passport stamped again and we had to walk in this disinfectant for mad cow disease, it was weird and i didn't understand it, but I did it (looked like muddy water, I didn't want to get my shoes all nasty). Our new driver then took us to this little resort where we paid for our trip and they rewarded us with muffins, donuts, tea and coffee; I think lol or they just thought we should feed them for spending so much (well that's what I thought at least). The food was still warm and it tasted so good, the view was gorgeous-over looking the river and it was a great start to our day.

Our resort for our safari

Flowers in Botswana 

After tea we then started our tour on the water, the boat was like a big pontoon, holding about 35 of us (30 were Koreans, plus us four). We saw loads of crocs and elephants which was really cool. We saw hippos and water bucks (another animal with my last name, ain't that just cool). There were loads of different birds and antelopes that we saw too. The most fun was watching the Koreans just have a blast and taking more pictures imaginable. We started talking to them and they were all from South Korea and were in Africa on a medical conference, taking a few medical and nursing students with them. There was an American and I spotted him a mile away, he was not enthused with all the pictures and animals. I was chatting with him and found out he is from Indiana, what a small world. The Koreans just loved us, kept taking pictures with us, asked us for our emails, made the trip more fun. There was one girl that escaped from North Korea and got into nursing school in South Korea and has one more year left. Pretty crazy to think of what's happening there, we are so fortunate to be able to preach the gospel freely.

Around 12:30 our morning tour ended and we went back for lunch. Let me tell you, this meal was made for a king and his family. They had everything and it was all amazing and fresh and the four of us ate way to much, what us is new. The best part was, we got free wifi for an hour and that was a treat since we have been paying for it at Jollyboys. After lunch we got picked up by our afternoon driver on the land portion of our tour. He took us to a national park but they aren't caged in or anything, they live a normal life with some sand roads where the safari trucks did their tours. We saw more elephants, giraffes, some pumbas and zazoos from the lion king ( the bird and warthog). That was cool, of course I broke out in song from the lion king-" oh I just can't wait to be king." Saw more hippos and monkeys and more birds and antelopes and a few other animals that I don't know their name of-oops. Our tour guy was very funny and it was only the four of us so we got to mess around and get some sweet shots. Then at 4 our tour ended and he took us back to the resort place where we first started, got some cold drinks and then were back on the road back to Zambia. We got onto the speed boat again and got into Zambia, having to pay $50 to get back in, ridiculous! Then another 45 minute ride back in the bus back to Jollyboys, coming in around 6pm.

 



We went to the market again and got more food for dinner, like we need anymore food. We then walked to the bus station to buy our bus passes for tomorrow's trip back to Lusaka. Harriet is getting the bus by herself at 6 in the morning because her flight home is that evening and the 3 of us are getting the 10pm bus through the night and will be getting in around 5-6 Friday morning. We decided it would be cheaper to not spend another night here or a night at the flight house, Jennie and I don't have to catch our plane till the afternoon, so we figured we would go into Lusaka and shop around till our flight leaves. David will be staying in Lusaka for 2 more days and we will be flying back into Loloma.

Tomorrow we were hoping to do water rafting but it is to expensive so we are going to shop and go to the crocodile park, I hope to do one more post before I leave for girls camp. I will be there with Jennie and other women from Loloma from Friday- Tuesday and will be heading to Chit for a few days, volunteering in the mission hospital there. Then I'll be coming back to Loloma next Friday and flying back again to Lusaka and saying the night in the flight house before I head back home to Ohio on the 18th of August. It will go by quick, hoping to get in a few more life changing experiences before I go home. I am heading to bed now, almost midnight here and it's been a long day, good night and God bless!

Baboons, baboons everywhere...

Pretty close picture of the Falls

It is so cool to be able to be here in Zambia, it still feels like a dream. Today we all got up at 8 and started our day. I am starting to get use to a hostile. At first I thought why don't they have anything, but for the price we got it, I can understand why. It is a cheap way to backpack through different countries. We spent $12 a night, can you believe that price, it makes up for the expensive adventures we have to pay for. 

Rainbow- Gods beauty!

Another angle of the Falls

Today we decided to go to the Falls and just walk around all day and tomorrow actually do excursion. The bus left for the Falls at 10 so we had enough time to walk to the super market to get some food for the week! I couldn't believe they had a super market, life here in Livingstone is just like life at home just not quite as advanced. More people have cars and there are shops and restaurants, nothing like the village life! I am finally able to wear shorts and pants without the locals thinking I am a prostitute, almost all the women wear pants here and in Lusaka! At the market we got some apples and bananas and eggs, chocolate (of course), and a few other odds and ends. We made some sandwiches and packed them up for a day trip to the Falls!

Look how close we got!

We took a bus to the Falls and paid $20 to get in. The cool thing about Victoria Falls is that they have tons of walking paths, you can get up close and personal to the water and take trails down to go into the water. They have tons of paths the show different angles and views of the falls, worth the money! We took this trail called the boiling pot and it was like we were walking though a safari! The scenery was amazing and baboons were everywhere! We then found another trail where we could see the falls from another view and there was a picnic table so we decided to have lunch there with our home made sandwiches! You can't go wrong with peanut butter and honey on bread rolls! After we were done we were walking around till about 1 in the afternoon, we still had plenty of time for something else.

Baboons picking things out of their hair

A view from the boiling point trail

Walking through some trails 

Jennie decided she wanted to bungee jump off the bridge, I wanted to also but the price was insane, so I watched!! I am glad Jennie got to go, that was one thing she checked off her bucket list. The 3 of us decided we wanted to do the gorge swing which is much cheaper and longer for your money. My mother taught me well about sales and finding the best price. The gorge swing is like bungee jumping but your not hanging from your feet. We jump off a ledge and then we get to swing from side to side for a min and a half (longer then the bungee was.) Harry and I did it in tandem and it was a lot of fun, she was screaming the entire time. 

Jennie about to jump!

Harriet and I about to do the gorge swing

It was cool because we got to go into Zimbabwe also. I stood on the line of Zambia and Zimbabwe, in 2 countries at one time (so "walk to remember"). After we were done with that we bought some souvenirs and got a taxi back to Jollyboys! We made dinner-rice,eggs,tomatoes and some sausage! It was delicious and it filled us up. Thank goodness they had pots and pans we could use. After dinner I got a nice hot shower ( I felt like I was in a dorm-using flip flops and all). Now I bought some wifi to write some emails and update my blog! It was a great day, tomorrow we are doing an all day safari trip in Zimbabwe, I'll buy more wifi tomorrow to let you know how that went! Now off to bed, have an early morning tomorrow!

On the line of both countries!

Lounge area

Our hostile!

The wheels on the bus go round and round

First want to say I added some pictures to the last blog I posted yesterday. I am happy to report that after 14 hours of traveling we made it to our destination!

We left at 7 this morning on the plane from Loloma to Lusaka and the flight was very smooth, David actually got to fly the plane for a hour. The great thing was I didn't get sick, I'm not as much as a whimp as I thought! Last trip I'll blame it on the bumpy ride! We then arrive at the airport around 10:30 and get a taxi to the bus station, where we were over charged! We then had a guy just pop his head in our window shouting at us, wondering where we were going! So next thing I know is we are being ushered to a huge bus! We pay about $20 American dollars to go on a 6 hour bus ride to Livingstone. We get on the bus and sit there for an hour before we actually leave. I don't think we will make out check in time at 4, we didn't leave till 1. Once we got on the bus we drove for about 2 hours on back roads and detours, I thought oh no not another trip where everything goes wrong, God was teaching me patience again! So I sat back and relaxed, well tried to with no air condition and a crying baby next to me! Ya, it was one of those bus rides, sweating for the first 4 hours and freezing for the last 4. Ya the trip actually took 8 hours instead of 6, on the bright side I got to see a lot of Zambia.

In the plane

After a few hours we stopped for a bathroom break, the one on the bus was broken. We go to the bathroom and get this- it is k2 to use the bathroom I have never seen anything like that in my life, thankfully David had some small cash on him. We then got back on the bus with our sweaty clothes and tried to enjoy the rest of the way. I decided to make friends with the little girl next to me!! So was so cute, she kept playing with my watch and my ring and petting my hand! I was playing peak a boo with her and she was just giggling away!!

The little girl playing with my watch

At 6 it got dark, then it got cold and 

David had my blanket, which I then found  out when we got in that he didn't actually use it. After this trip I will have a lot of laughs from all my travel stories!! About 9 we finally pulled into Livingstone and I almost started clapping!! I said goodbye to the little girl and she grabbed my hand and held it for a sec and said bye bye.

We look out the window in the bus and this guy looks like he is yelling at us, he is making a driving motion. We figure out he wants us to use his taxi!! We got out and he took us to his car, k20 total, a good deal to take us to our hostile! We check in and she takes us to our room, 2 bunk beds in the 5 by 5 room, I though it was going to be bigger. Haha I need to not make assumptions anymore, I am always wrong. 

Here is our fabulous room

We got changed and went to get some food. I got lukewarm soup and really good garlic bread and some water, hey anything tastes good when u haven't eatin in hours! We had to buy some wifi and then pay for some bedding and by 10:30 we were ready for bed. I have never been in a hostile, I didn't realize they give you nothing. We will have to go to buy some pots and pans and some food for out meals here.

Now that I am looking around the room I am wondering where the tv is and everything else they said we had- I mean we didn't even have bedding, the wifi is k20 for 2 hours and they have 2 toilets and 2 showers for everyone. I am going to learn how to rough it! I guess it goes with the experience, you can't go to Africa without getting malaria- check, riding on a bus with no paved roads- check and going to Victoria falls- check!!! Looks like I have done everything and more some,im sure ill have more adventures to tell you hopefully tomorrow with our trip to the Falls!! Off to bed, night!

Scenery on our bus ride

Everyday Friday

The kids playing with hula hoops

The kids eating their snack 

I am happy to say that today will be a much happier post from last time, as the weekends are always great here! Friday morning instead of going to the hospital, Harriet and I got to go to the nursery, oh, how I love the kids here. The kids are so fun and loving you can’t help but just want to hug and kiss them all. The nursery is part of the church and has two classes, the first one for 2 hours with the 6 and 7 year olds and then 90 minutes for the 4 and 5 year olds. When we came across the lawn all the 6 and 7 year olds were playing with hula hoops, just running through them, rolling them, and skipping through them, all just loving it. Harry and I introduced ourselves and we shook all of there cute little hands. After about 15 minutes of playing we went inside and sang songs and the recited what they were wearing all in English, I was very impressed. The kids all recited their numbers, colours, verses and much more. The kids had a little snack then got to play, they all wanted to play ball with me and I made them recite their names (there was 30 of them). The kids then did puzzles, painting, drawling and blocks, now I remember why I liked preschool so much. As the class was ending they all had to recite their verses and answer questions to Bible stories, it was so good. At 11 the bigger kids left and the little ones came in, now these kids were too cute to handle. They keep wanted to show me all there work, tapping me and saying “teacher, teacher” and wanted me to put their name on their paper (I could not understand their names, nor could I spell them-yikes, not a very good teacher. That’s why I went into nursing.) I wanted me to play with them and touch them; they were more open then the older kids. Then we had a break and I played ball with the kids again, this time it was like a riot, the kids kept pushing each other down to get to me, it was quite comical. At one point I had to break up the kids, so I decided I should play something else. I got out an instrument and started playing with it, then all the kids started singing and dancing, it was adorable, you know I got that one video. After I taped them, I let them see it and they just loved it and laughed and laughed. They had there snack then went inside to recite Bible verses and answer questions about the Bible story. Even at 4 I couldn’t believe they were reciting them in English and Lunda. At 12:30 they were done and I couldn’t help it but I had to give them all hugs goodbye, I wish I could go there another day; I finally got most of their names by the end of it! To say the least I had a very enjoyable morning!

Making cookies

I then went to the hospital for the last hour before lunch and just helped here and there. Becka then told me that Robert was leaving and was looking for me to say goodbye- is that not so cute! When he saw we he ran up to me with a huge smile and went to shake my hand, I said “oh no, your getting a hug.” I gave him a hug and shook his fathers hand goodbye; I am really going to miss him. I am very happy that he is finally leaving the hospital after over a month! We then had lunch and I came back and had a nap. That was my first one for the week, I am finally getting use to getting up and the high attitude, it only took me a month. Then for dinner we went to Daisy’s for girls night had an omelette and cookies, and then watched a movie with some kettle corn, my favourite kind of popcorn. I guess you can say I had a very good Friday, I wish everyday was like that, but you can’t and life always gives you some struggles. Without trials, we wouldn’t need God, and a life without God, is no life at all.

Admiring the river 

Saturday morning, Harriet and I slept in till about 10 that felt good to not get up early. We went over to Julie’s and Rebecca’s after breakfast to bake some desserts for Saturday and Sunday. Harry and I got to decorate the sugar cookies, mine we not the creative, Harriet worked harder on hers, I just wanted to eat the frosting (typical me.) For lunch we went to Daisy’s and had our shima for the week, with chicken, beans and Chinese cabbage, it was delicious and I had 2 lumps as they call it! I was so full, well not full enough to not have dessert; there is always another pocket for dessert! After lunch we thought it would be nice to go visit Jean, our friend we met on the airstrip a few weeks ago. This girl is so sweet, always so happy to see us and never wants us to leave. We gave her our address so we can write each other; she wants us to send her pictures of us. Around 3:30 Harriet and I went to a ladies Bible study and we talked about Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead. It is pretty amazing that even after Lazarus being dead for 4 days; the Lord was still able to raise him. Even Mary and Martha didn’t think He could after spending so much time with Him, He is always surprising people. You would think we wouldn’t be shocked at the things He does for us by now, yet every time something amazing happens, you think…wow, and you did that for me! How do I deserve that, and we don’t that’s the amazing part. We don’t deserve anything He does for us, but He enjoys giving to us and making us happy, what a loving God we have. For example just today I was saying how I couldn’t afford the plane back from Victoria Falls and I didn’t think I would make it to girl’s camp now. You know what God did; He provided a way for me to go, by having a Christian pay part of it for me, just so I could go to girl’s camp. I told her there was no way I could let her do that. She said it is already done; it was already on my heart before you even told me about it! She told me, accept His will, He wanted you to go to this camp! Is that not amazing, He already had a way for me to go before I even knew I had a problem to begin with. I can’t even explain this feeling, after all He has done for me, and He still gives us things we want, my God is just so amazing!

Saying goodbye to Robert 

David and Jennie arrived around 5 tonight and we all got to catch up before dinner at Julie’s. We had pumpkin soup and corn chowder, now that was good. I am going to go home and move into my place and not have anything, how tragic. After dinner we had cookies and carrot cake with tea and then played a bunch of games. We played Pit, Phase Ten, Blitz, and missionary manners, we all got very competitive, got a chance to win a few games. Around midnight after the electricity went out, David, Harriett and I went out to look at the stars and see some shooting stars, it was so clear with no lights around, if only a picture did justice! Another great night of fellowship and food (can’t forget the food, when I am around.)

David on the River

Sunday we went to Worship around 11:30, not before David came to our house wanting some of my Starbucks coffee, the Kenyan blend (what a perfect kind for the occasion.) After worship this morning we had a great lunch of spaghetti and bread then came back home to get ready for our picnic at the River. We all packed into 2 cars and off-roaded to the river at 4 o clock. We made a fire and went exploring, it was a perfect night out for it. For dinner we roasted hotdogs and had cookies, tea and pasta salad. By 6 it got dark and we all sang around the campfire for a few hours, it is always great to get together and sing gospel hymns. The sunset was breath taking and I will miss not being here for 2 weeks. We got back home and all got packed up for our trip to Livingstone tomorrow. If we leave by 7:30am we should hopefully be in Livingstone by 4-5pm, first a 2 hour plane ride then a 6 hour bus ride. David will probably bang his head in being with 3 girls for a week! Hopefully I can write again in Livingstone, they have wifi at the hotel!!! Hope everyone had a great weekend, like I did! God bless!

More pictures from the river 

Are you ready today? (tue/wed/thurs)

Just alittle bit of \Africa, a few huts in the old folks village

The poor little 8year old boy

Today was a very sad day, thinking about what happened today just breaks my heart. Working in the medical field you know going in to it that you are going to have good patients and bad, and that you will have patients that will get better and some that don’t. Today there were 3 deaths and since I have been here I have seen a good number of people die, but today it was different. The first one was a little 8 year old boy. We got in report that he has been having seizures and been having a terrible fever and since yesterday he has been unconscious. I assessed him yesterday and it was not good, we couldn’t get the temperature down and couldn’t wake him up, gave him multiple drugs (that we actually had) and the boy was not even reacting to pain and his pupils weren’t reacting, and that’s never good. The parents spoke English so I was able to tell them a little bit but they didn’t fully understand. When we came in this morning we found out that he has just passed away, wow that’s sad, only 8 years old. Then there was a little baby just born a few days ago, I didn’t help with this birth as it was during the night. But the little infant was sick and we did a Malaria slide, and it was positive and then this morning we found out yet again the little child died also. Two deaths and it was only 8am, both so small and helpless.

 

When we are doing rounds we come to a 20 year old guy and he is much worse then yesterday. The nice thing about doing rounds on all the patients daily is being able to see them progress or digress. This man, I guess you can call him a man came into the hospital yesterday with pain in his hip, that’s all. They did an x-ray and nothing was wrong with it. This morning we came back to check on him and he looked much worse, the pain was all in his chest now and he was breathing very heavily. When you palpated his abdomen you could hear how dull it was, just full of air, his stomach was very distended. But from what, he has had nothing to eat or drink, he has bowel sounds and we gave him no medications yesterday besides pain relievers, how did he get like this in one day? The 20 year old couldn’t take deep breaths and could barely talk; I even noticed some white dots on his face today that wasn’t there yesterday. We all tried putting an IV in, we finally got it after about 8 tries (ya we poked him that many times, the doctor could barely get one.) In the US if we cant get it after 3 tries we stop and the doctor comes and tries, if no such luck then a PICC line is inserted. Poor kid was cringing in pain, his skin was so tough. We got an IV in after about 15 minutes and gave a bolus of fluids, we took him to get an x-ray and ultra sound and still found nothing.

 

Around 11 we went for a tea break and I decided to play with some of the kids and make sure that Robert was doing his exercises. For about 30 minutes we played catch, basketball, and Frisbee, it was great he was making such improvement. Around 11:30, I look over and find many women crying in hysterics, so I go to find out who it is about. The boy from the morning was doing much worse and we have no idea why. The nurse, Jimmy and I try to prop him up to help him breath and change the fluids bag, because it was empty. I feel his pulse and it is very faint, then decided to listen to his heart and lungs and they are also very faint. The NG tube we just inserted was draining a lot of fluid that wasn’t bile and it just did not look right. I went to get the doctor because I was getting concerned now, he said he would be there in a few minutes. I checked the guy’s pupils and they were fixed and dilated, that’s definitely not good, I look over and I don’t see him breathing. The doctor comes in and I tell him to listen to the boy, I don’t think he is breathing. My heart is now beating very fast, praying that this boy didn’t just die in front of me.

 

You cant even tell that the girl has 6 toes, on both feet

                                                     The infant has almost double thumb
                                                     

Sure enough the kid died right there, I looked at the clock, and I said it is 12:22. The doctor said time of death 12:22, and I had to just walk away or I was going to lose it in front of all the other patients. I walk outside and I just start crying, even now as I am writing this I can’t help but cry. I feel so helpless, we tried and nothing helped and we have no idea what happened. The doctor thinks that the family gave him something last night and wont tells us and he reacted to it and went into shock and just couldn’t come out of it. As I am crying outside, all I could think about was that this guy was probably not saved, and he was now down in hell. I wanted to do more, CPR, give him drugs, do something, but they just cant at this hospital, and I just hated that. I cried for about 30 minutes as I could hear the screams and cries from inside the hospital from the family. 20 years old, so young and he came in with hip pain. It just goes to show you, you never know when you will die and go into eternity, you think you have till your 80 years old, but today just shows you that’s not always the case. 3 boys all 20 and under died and they had no idea today was going to be there last day on earth. I feel ashamed, how many people do I come in contact with and don’t tell them about the one who died for their sins. Jesus died for my sins and saved me from eternal damnation in hell, and all He asks of me is to be a disciple and tell others about that good news, that there is way to heaven and it is through Him. My heart is very heavy and hopefully I will learn from this and tell others about their Saviour!

 

                                                               Just playing with the kids

For the rest of the day I had to keep myself occupied or I was going to break down again. I helped Martin with a few procedures and helped a few of the nurses put in catheters, IVs and NG tubes. Martin had a case where the little baby girl had 4 extra digits, one on every limb. That was pretty cool to see, he stitched a few kids up, took some sutures out, drained a head wound, interesting things to help him with for the rest of the work day. At 1:30, Harriet and I were out of there on our way to lunch, and I couldn’t really talk much or I was going to cry again (ya I know some of us girls are emotional.)

 

                                                   My favroite hot sauce , I put it on everything

After lunch, Tim took us to the older village to go and chat and meet the older people who are kind of outcasts. Tim did all the translating but they were very happy to meet us and loved having company. One of the ladies was a leopard and I didn’t know people still got that, I figured that was more just Bible times, guess not. We went to all the people shaking their hands and just chatting. Tim told us that they were so happy to see us, no one ever comes to visit and it is always nice to see a friendly new face. I guess you never think something so small could brighten up someone’s day.

 

                                                   Just holding a uterus, dont I look cute

Later in the night was the youth bible study, I was happy to see the boy with all the questions here again. After it ended he came up to me and handed me his questions, I was surprised to see he had almost the entire page filled. I started from question one and worked my way down. He was listening very good, making comments and asking more questions. I did the best I could to make it as simple as possible for him, but with only Gods wisdom. He asked me for some bible verses for him to read and I let him know I would have them for him next week. It was nice to see him so interested; also while I was talking to him, many others were listening too. I hope I helped, but it is up to God now. Maybe next week I will be able to talk to him more, maybe tell him how I accepted Jesus. How He changed my life and how now I have eternal peace and happiness, knowing one day I will be with my Lord and Saviour, the one that died for me!

 

During surgery

 

Thursday I was in the theatre all day. I saw 3 more women get their tubes tied; a woman got a hysterectomy and the doctor finished with Robert getting his final suture and finishing up his arm. I was very pleased that he was knocked out enough that he did not make a sound nor did move, but boy will he be in pain when he wakes up. I will be sure to visit him with a lollipop tomorrow! Harriet and I had a nice dinner with Julie and Becka and we finished up the rest of Anne of Green Gables! I am ready for the weekend so we can finish planning our trip to Victoria Falls! I am off for now, hopefully I can write one more post before we leave on Monday!

                                                  This is an ant hill!!! can you believe it