Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Continued Sept 10th into the 11th!
Hi all,
Sorry I guess I could have continued on the last page about arriving in London.
Well we arrive in London at night and we had about 30mins to freshen up and we are off for our taxi tour of London.
Kim and I shared a room, and we are excited to wear fresh clothes and Kim her boots, he he he.
We hope in the taxis and start seeing things, although our drive really doesn't tell us where we are, so thank goodness Sarah was there to explain.
We had a wonderful dinner, I had my fish and chips, yum yum!!! It was Kim's birthday so we all celebrated with more wine and laughs!!! It was a nice finish to this trip!!! All good fun =) We have become wonderful friends that shared this journey together =)
We had off to bed at the Holiday Inn, and let me tell you those beds were absolutely fantastic!!! HA HA HA.
We are out like a light!!!!
The next morning we are up and ready to go home!
We have a bit of time to look around again in the airport, I love Heathrow lots of shops. Its time to board, and its not a full flight of course being Sept 11th, and its nice we have a seat in between us to stretch out!! But of course there are mechanical problems, so we don't take off for an hour and a half, kinda worrisome!
But we are on our way and we are all exhausted so we sleep and rest most of the way.
After some difficulties in Chicago for me, apparently I am a scary Canadian Nurse so I needed to be detained for questioning, we say our goodbyes and run to our next flights, since we took off late we were all almost missing our flights. It was so hard not having enough time to say goodbye, but I have a feeling its not goodbye!!! Friends for life!!!
Well I am home safe and sound, a journey it was and I will remember this for a lifetime!!! Thank you to all that helped me along the way, I can't say how appreciated it was!!!
I hope someday everyone can experience Africa the way I have! Its a life changing place indeed =)
Hugs to all,
Mindi
Sorry I guess I could have continued on the last page about arriving in London.
Well we arrive in London at night and we had about 30mins to freshen up and we are off for our taxi tour of London.
Kim and I shared a room, and we are excited to wear fresh clothes and Kim her boots, he he he.
We hope in the taxis and start seeing things, although our drive really doesn't tell us where we are, so thank goodness Sarah was there to explain.
We had a wonderful dinner, I had my fish and chips, yum yum!!! It was Kim's birthday so we all celebrated with more wine and laughs!!! It was a nice finish to this trip!!! All good fun =) We have become wonderful friends that shared this journey together =)
We had off to bed at the Holiday Inn, and let me tell you those beds were absolutely fantastic!!! HA HA HA.
We are out like a light!!!!
The next morning we are up and ready to go home!
We have a bit of time to look around again in the airport, I love Heathrow lots of shops. Its time to board, and its not a full flight of course being Sept 11th, and its nice we have a seat in between us to stretch out!! But of course there are mechanical problems, so we don't take off for an hour and a half, kinda worrisome!
But we are on our way and we are all exhausted so we sleep and rest most of the way.
After some difficulties in Chicago for me, apparently I am a scary Canadian Nurse so I needed to be detained for questioning, we say our goodbyes and run to our next flights, since we took off late we were all almost missing our flights. It was so hard not having enough time to say goodbye, but I have a feeling its not goodbye!!! Friends for life!!!
Well I am home safe and sound, a journey it was and I will remember this for a lifetime!!! Thank you to all that helped me along the way, I can't say how appreciated it was!!!
I hope someday everyone can experience Africa the way I have! Its a life changing place indeed =)
Hugs to all,
Mindi
Sun Sept 10th
YAWN!!!!
After a quick nap we are off to their airport, so early that it is still dark out, man oh man!!!
We are all so tired but eager to get going home. We load up the bus for the final time and head to the airport.
Well we get to the airport and Charlie realizes that she had forgotten her passport and wallet at the hotel so she had to go back there once the bus came back to pick her up.
Airport security it bad, 2 major flights heading out at the same time so going through took sooo long. But after an hour we get through. I head up to start shopping as do the others. Still waiting for Charlie to appear. She finally comes back about 45 mins before the flight, PHEW she made it, she had all of us worried.
I was able to get a couple of Chitangas, the skirts the women wear there, and some silver earrings in the shape of Africa. Love it all!!!
Well we are off at 9am or so, a 10 hour flight ahead of us...I hate daytime flights, can't sleep although extremely exhausted!
Well goodbye all, can't wait to see a bit of London!
Hugs Mindi
After a quick nap we are off to their airport, so early that it is still dark out, man oh man!!!
We are all so tired but eager to get going home. We load up the bus for the final time and head to the airport.
Well we get to the airport and Charlie realizes that she had forgotten her passport and wallet at the hotel so she had to go back there once the bus came back to pick her up.
Airport security it bad, 2 major flights heading out at the same time so going through took sooo long. But after an hour we get through. I head up to start shopping as do the others. Still waiting for Charlie to appear. She finally comes back about 45 mins before the flight, PHEW she made it, she had all of us worried.
I was able to get a couple of Chitangas, the skirts the women wear there, and some silver earrings in the shape of Africa. Love it all!!!
Well we are off at 9am or so, a 10 hour flight ahead of us...I hate daytime flights, can't sleep although extremely exhausted!
Well goodbye all, can't wait to see a bit of London!
Hugs Mindi
Sun Sept 9th
Good Early Morning!!!
Well we are up very early to start our drive back to Lusaka to hit the plane tomorrow. Its 0730 and its time to get in the bus and get going. The hardest time has come and it is time to say goodbye to the Hands at Work people. I just hate saying goodbyes!!! Robyn, Alisha and Catherine we absolutely amazing to have met and talked with, I truly enjoyed being with them through this journey. I don't think this could have been the same experience without them, I am truly thankful!!!
Well after some tears we were off to start our travels to Lusaka, a 5 hour bus ride, eek!!! It wasn't bad at all, it was nice seeing the Zambian countryside, I really don't remember this drive coming down I guess I slept more than I thought, ha ha ha. We had a quick stop in Kabwe where we did before for our bathroom break, none of us wanted to stop for lunch we just wanted to keep going and then have more time at the craft market.
We arrived at the craft market at 1230 so we had an hour an a half to shop, so all of us we excited!!! I unfortunately had no money with me so I went to the ATM to get money out, but after I took apparently too long to figure out the exchange, it took my card and since it was sun, I could not get it back. Lets just say I had a few choice words to say and some tears, but I called my bank right away and canceled it and then bought some money off the girls. Still very upsetting tho!!
I bought a couple of items at the craft market...it was a nice little market, bargaining was allowed and expected so that helped me out a bit.
After the market we headed off for our game drive. It took a bit of time to get there, a horrible bumpy road and it was almost sunset when we had gotten there. We had a quick bathroom break (BTW it was the nicest bathroom we have had so we were all happy), and then we were off on our drive. It was so pretty to watch all the animals and it being sunset, fun times.
We headed back to the mall where the craft market was to eat dinner, and finally after this day, we all enjoyed some wine!!! I for sure needed it!!! It was a nice restaurant, and I had Kingslip fish again, I loved that last year when I was here.
Then we headed back to the Zebra house for our last night, not a bad place for one night. Kim and I shared a room, and truly we passed out when we got back there. We were up in 5 hours, so head over to the airport, we wanted to get there early to get thru security and then we could shop for a bit, I was happy since then I could use my credit card there, yay!!!
Night night, our last night in Africa =)
Well we are up very early to start our drive back to Lusaka to hit the plane tomorrow. Its 0730 and its time to get in the bus and get going. The hardest time has come and it is time to say goodbye to the Hands at Work people. I just hate saying goodbyes!!! Robyn, Alisha and Catherine we absolutely amazing to have met and talked with, I truly enjoyed being with them through this journey. I don't think this could have been the same experience without them, I am truly thankful!!!
Well after some tears we were off to start our travels to Lusaka, a 5 hour bus ride, eek!!! It wasn't bad at all, it was nice seeing the Zambian countryside, I really don't remember this drive coming down I guess I slept more than I thought, ha ha ha. We had a quick stop in Kabwe where we did before for our bathroom break, none of us wanted to stop for lunch we just wanted to keep going and then have more time at the craft market.
We arrived at the craft market at 1230 so we had an hour an a half to shop, so all of us we excited!!! I unfortunately had no money with me so I went to the ATM to get money out, but after I took apparently too long to figure out the exchange, it took my card and since it was sun, I could not get it back. Lets just say I had a few choice words to say and some tears, but I called my bank right away and canceled it and then bought some money off the girls. Still very upsetting tho!!
I bought a couple of items at the craft market...it was a nice little market, bargaining was allowed and expected so that helped me out a bit.
After the market we headed off for our game drive. It took a bit of time to get there, a horrible bumpy road and it was almost sunset when we had gotten there. We had a quick bathroom break (BTW it was the nicest bathroom we have had so we were all happy), and then we were off on our drive. It was so pretty to watch all the animals and it being sunset, fun times.
We headed back to the mall where the craft market was to eat dinner, and finally after this day, we all enjoyed some wine!!! I for sure needed it!!! It was a nice restaurant, and I had Kingslip fish again, I loved that last year when I was here.
Then we headed back to the Zebra house for our last night, not a bad place for one night. Kim and I shared a room, and truly we passed out when we got back there. We were up in 5 hours, so head over to the airport, we wanted to get there early to get thru security and then we could shop for a bit, I was happy since then I could use my credit card there, yay!!!
Night night, our last night in Africa =)
Sat Sept 8th
Good Morning!!!
Today is all about the caregivers. We are having a luncheon in Ndola to say thank you for all their help.
We head into town and get set up at a restaurant. They arrived around 1 and we had a wonderful lunch with them and then played bingo with them so we could give them prizes. We also taught them a first aid class so that they could handle the little things that may come up throughout the year since no other medical team will be coming through. It was fun to see them here in a different environment. One hard thing that I saw was how a couple of the women only ate a bit of their meal and then they hid the rest in their bags, so sad, so I gave them my piece of chicken and another one left over.
After the lunch we had bought some more football items to support the teams for our families back home. Man the town was completely dead once the game had started!!!
WE passed the football stadium, wow crazy to see all the people!!! SO fun to end this trip seeing all this excitement!!! =)
WE had our last dinner out in Luanshya at an Indian restaurant compliments of Hands at Work. Such a yummy meal! WE all talked about our week and truly how tiring it was but so so happy we were able to come and see this as well.
Back at the Sisters it was time to pack up, all of us happy to get home, but all of us sad to be leaving!!! Man I just love Africa, wish I could stay!!!
Off to bed, have to rest up for all the traveling coming up =)
Today is all about the caregivers. We are having a luncheon in Ndola to say thank you for all their help.
We head into town and get set up at a restaurant. They arrived around 1 and we had a wonderful lunch with them and then played bingo with them so we could give them prizes. We also taught them a first aid class so that they could handle the little things that may come up throughout the year since no other medical team will be coming through. It was fun to see them here in a different environment. One hard thing that I saw was how a couple of the women only ate a bit of their meal and then they hid the rest in their bags, so sad, so I gave them my piece of chicken and another one left over.
After the lunch we had bought some more football items to support the teams for our families back home. Man the town was completely dead once the game had started!!!
WE passed the football stadium, wow crazy to see all the people!!! SO fun to end this trip seeing all this excitement!!! =)
WE had our last dinner out in Luanshya at an Indian restaurant compliments of Hands at Work. Such a yummy meal! WE all talked about our week and truly how tiring it was but so so happy we were able to come and see this as well.
Back at the Sisters it was time to pack up, all of us happy to get home, but all of us sad to be leaving!!! Man I just love Africa, wish I could stay!!!
Off to bed, have to rest up for all the traveling coming up =)
Friday Sept 7th
Hello Everyone!!!
Well a bright an early morning for us as per usual and we are off to do our second clinic day =)
Our bus is full and no room to move but that just means we have tons of stuff to give out for our patients today. We are all excited for this day again, I think we love the clinic days, even though they are long, they are so rewarding.
We arrive and the lines are amazing, a lot longer than the first day. Today we made sure it was known to be a mostly women's and children's clinic time. So they lined up before we arrived with women and babies in one line and the children in another. The are men there but not as many as the first day.
As all the other nurses start setting up the school for their assessments, Shirley and I and the guys head over to set up the tent to get ready for the classes. Takes a bit but after a half an hour we are all set up. We have a quick prayer and we start the day.
We hand out our bags to the ladies that we at the last class, and that set off all the women and all they wanted were the bags and not to listen to the class at all. It was so sad and frustrating to watch. But Hands at work wants them to know that when we come it doesn't just mean gifts it means that they will have to learn something too. It takes about 45 mins to an hour to get them settled to even listen to the class. So we brought all the bags back into the school and then waited for them to sit down and quiet down for the class. After a bit they did and we had the class. They asked very good questions, and we seemed to accomplish a lot. I was so happy =)
Well then it came time to hand out the bags, our interpreter tried to help and take names down, but that honestly took another hour to do that, and we had to pull her out of the all the ladies surrounding her. It was awful, all the fighting, women get nothing there, they have to act like this. So finally we decided that we got enough names and then we hid in the bus and a nurse walked them over by 2 and we handed them out that way, away from everything. It took a long time!!! I can't describe how this made Shirley and I feel, exhausting and overwhelmed!!!
Finally we finished this up and it was already time for a quick lunch, we didn't even have time to help out the other girls with their assessments, cause we were off to teach the next class for the teens. Well the same thing happened their, they all started the fighting too and didn't want to listen to the class. So we just sat there again for an hour waiting for them to calm down and so we could finally teach the class. After the class we gave out the bags there, and there were fighting, but we were finally down! Man just exhausting all around.
We didn't have time at all to help in the clinic, we felt horrible!! They were so busy that at 4 pm we finally just had to say we were done. We told the few that we left that we were packing up because we had finished our medications and supplies for assessments. Hard to say no more, but we had to get going. We were all so tired and exhausted!!! To say the least.
We headed off on the bus after saying our goodbyes to Maranatha, what an experience we had!! I can't figure out what all to write here to describe it all, but truly I will never forget this village and the people, and especially the children!!!
As we head thru Ndola to get some snacks and whatnot at Shoprite, we actually shopped thru the window of the bus. It was football season (soccer) and Zambia was going to play Uganda the next day, so we bought some of their teams jerseys to support them. =) That was so fun bargaining throught the window of the bus HA HA HA!!
We get home and have dinner and have a debriefing about our experience here. We all talked about our time here and the wonderful memories we will have, we all shed some tears and talked about how we would love to do this again. They told us we were the best team that came this year, we all got along great and since all of us had different nurses backgrounds that was truly a help with all the patients that we had seen. I believe in 2 days we saw 400 patients or so, not bad for the 6 nurses doing all the assessments!!! YAY guys!!!
Hard to think we will be leaving soon =(
Hugs talk more soon
Well a bright an early morning for us as per usual and we are off to do our second clinic day =)
Our bus is full and no room to move but that just means we have tons of stuff to give out for our patients today. We are all excited for this day again, I think we love the clinic days, even though they are long, they are so rewarding.
We arrive and the lines are amazing, a lot longer than the first day. Today we made sure it was known to be a mostly women's and children's clinic time. So they lined up before we arrived with women and babies in one line and the children in another. The are men there but not as many as the first day.
As all the other nurses start setting up the school for their assessments, Shirley and I and the guys head over to set up the tent to get ready for the classes. Takes a bit but after a half an hour we are all set up. We have a quick prayer and we start the day.
We hand out our bags to the ladies that we at the last class, and that set off all the women and all they wanted were the bags and not to listen to the class at all. It was so sad and frustrating to watch. But Hands at work wants them to know that when we come it doesn't just mean gifts it means that they will have to learn something too. It takes about 45 mins to an hour to get them settled to even listen to the class. So we brought all the bags back into the school and then waited for them to sit down and quiet down for the class. After a bit they did and we had the class. They asked very good questions, and we seemed to accomplish a lot. I was so happy =)
Well then it came time to hand out the bags, our interpreter tried to help and take names down, but that honestly took another hour to do that, and we had to pull her out of the all the ladies surrounding her. It was awful, all the fighting, women get nothing there, they have to act like this. So finally we decided that we got enough names and then we hid in the bus and a nurse walked them over by 2 and we handed them out that way, away from everything. It took a long time!!! I can't describe how this made Shirley and I feel, exhausting and overwhelmed!!!
Finally we finished this up and it was already time for a quick lunch, we didn't even have time to help out the other girls with their assessments, cause we were off to teach the next class for the teens. Well the same thing happened their, they all started the fighting too and didn't want to listen to the class. So we just sat there again for an hour waiting for them to calm down and so we could finally teach the class. After the class we gave out the bags there, and there were fighting, but we were finally down! Man just exhausting all around.
We didn't have time at all to help in the clinic, we felt horrible!! They were so busy that at 4 pm we finally just had to say we were done. We told the few that we left that we were packing up because we had finished our medications and supplies for assessments. Hard to say no more, but we had to get going. We were all so tired and exhausted!!! To say the least.
We headed off on the bus after saying our goodbyes to Maranatha, what an experience we had!! I can't figure out what all to write here to describe it all, but truly I will never forget this village and the people, and especially the children!!!
As we head thru Ndola to get some snacks and whatnot at Shoprite, we actually shopped thru the window of the bus. It was football season (soccer) and Zambia was going to play Uganda the next day, so we bought some of their teams jerseys to support them. =) That was so fun bargaining throught the window of the bus HA HA HA!!
We get home and have dinner and have a debriefing about our experience here. We all talked about our time here and the wonderful memories we will have, we all shed some tears and talked about how we would love to do this again. They told us we were the best team that came this year, we all got along great and since all of us had different nurses backgrounds that was truly a help with all the patients that we had seen. I believe in 2 days we saw 400 patients or so, not bad for the 6 nurses doing all the assessments!!! YAY guys!!!
Hard to think we will be leaving soon =(
Hugs talk more soon
Monday, September 24, 2012
Thurs Sept 6th-KIDS DAY
Good Morning!!
Well have a bit of a sleep in this morning, we get to leave at 1000 YAY!!!
We get all packed up with games and toys and we are off for kids day!
As we drive in the kids just start running and screaming, man that is so fun to see and hear. I love the kids!! We get off the bus and they start grabbing our arms and holding our hands and they do not let go. As we wait to get organized and decided where to play all the games, we start singing songs with the kids and start jump around and whatnot, so fun.
We then start the walk to the field where we can play all the games. It is a bit of a walk and all the kids are still holding our hands, I have two little girls on one side of me, and then 3 teenage girls from our class yesterday on the other side of me holding my shoulders. We get to the field and it is right beside the "white man's" house. Apparently a white man from Europe bought this land, he is a doctor in town that bought this land, right where the village has buried their loved ones, he actually pulled up their graves. So so Sad!!!
Well in his field we had an area for sack races, bean bag toss, pin the tail on the donkey, jump rope, face painting (this is what I did), duck duck goose and running games. We were expecting 155 or so kids, 400 came!!!! Still cannot believe how many came!!! WOW
We tried to as many faces that day but the paint was running out, and it was getting tough, all the kids were crowding and being loud and pushy. So after a couple of hours I took a break, LOL!!!
After we finished their games, we headed back to the school where we had bought lunch for the kids enrolled in school. It was tough, we had to try and get them in the school while others were fighting too. It was alot of pushing and shoving, its was so hard to see, but after a bit, we got the kids in the school. Boys went to one room, and then the girls went to the other. The lunch took awhile to get to the school so we had to try and keep the kids busy, that was rough, ha ha. Finally lunch came, so many boxes, 170 or so, all for the kids and us. We handed out the lunches to the boys first, they were the most settled down they were easy. Man when we got to the girls side, the were so loud and then they would try and hide the fact they got food, girls are so used to fighting for anything this is what they do. So sad to see. Then we handed out the pop, and they had no idea how to open the bottles, never thought of that, that they wouldn't have any idea what they were. Crazy!!!
I forgot to mention, that before we gave out the lunches we had all the kids wash theirs hands and they were even fighting over that, so so sad.
After we ate lunch we handed out toys, girls received necklaces and toothbrushes, and the bot received matchbox cars and toothbrushes. Also they got suckers, and lots of other fun things. After this we gave out some new clothes for each. Boys tshirts and shorts, and the girls received pillowcase dresses that were made by ladies all around the states. So cute to see all of them get all the clothes, the dresses we adorable.
This was supposed to be a shorter day so we could pack up for Clinic day tomorrow. We got home at 7pm, 3 hours late. WE are all sooooo tired, truly!!! WE devoured our dinner and then start the packing for tomorrow. The baby bags are finally finished, I hope we have enough for tomorrow, just not sure! We have 5 suitcases full, so fingers crossed.
Well good night! Its been a long day =))
Well have a bit of a sleep in this morning, we get to leave at 1000 YAY!!!
We get all packed up with games and toys and we are off for kids day!
As we drive in the kids just start running and screaming, man that is so fun to see and hear. I love the kids!! We get off the bus and they start grabbing our arms and holding our hands and they do not let go. As we wait to get organized and decided where to play all the games, we start singing songs with the kids and start jump around and whatnot, so fun.
We then start the walk to the field where we can play all the games. It is a bit of a walk and all the kids are still holding our hands, I have two little girls on one side of me, and then 3 teenage girls from our class yesterday on the other side of me holding my shoulders. We get to the field and it is right beside the "white man's" house. Apparently a white man from Europe bought this land, he is a doctor in town that bought this land, right where the village has buried their loved ones, he actually pulled up their graves. So so Sad!!!
Well in his field we had an area for sack races, bean bag toss, pin the tail on the donkey, jump rope, face painting (this is what I did), duck duck goose and running games. We were expecting 155 or so kids, 400 came!!!! Still cannot believe how many came!!! WOW
We tried to as many faces that day but the paint was running out, and it was getting tough, all the kids were crowding and being loud and pushy. So after a couple of hours I took a break, LOL!!!
After we finished their games, we headed back to the school where we had bought lunch for the kids enrolled in school. It was tough, we had to try and get them in the school while others were fighting too. It was alot of pushing and shoving, its was so hard to see, but after a bit, we got the kids in the school. Boys went to one room, and then the girls went to the other. The lunch took awhile to get to the school so we had to try and keep the kids busy, that was rough, ha ha. Finally lunch came, so many boxes, 170 or so, all for the kids and us. We handed out the lunches to the boys first, they were the most settled down they were easy. Man when we got to the girls side, the were so loud and then they would try and hide the fact they got food, girls are so used to fighting for anything this is what they do. So sad to see. Then we handed out the pop, and they had no idea how to open the bottles, never thought of that, that they wouldn't have any idea what they were. Crazy!!!
I forgot to mention, that before we gave out the lunches we had all the kids wash theirs hands and they were even fighting over that, so so sad.
After we ate lunch we handed out toys, girls received necklaces and toothbrushes, and the bot received matchbox cars and toothbrushes. Also they got suckers, and lots of other fun things. After this we gave out some new clothes for each. Boys tshirts and shorts, and the girls received pillowcase dresses that were made by ladies all around the states. So cute to see all of them get all the clothes, the dresses we adorable.
This was supposed to be a shorter day so we could pack up for Clinic day tomorrow. We got home at 7pm, 3 hours late. WE are all sooooo tired, truly!!! WE devoured our dinner and then start the packing for tomorrow. The baby bags are finally finished, I hope we have enough for tomorrow, just not sure! We have 5 suitcases full, so fingers crossed.
Well good night! Its been a long day =))
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