Life in the Fast Lane

Quite a Week

Whew!  We have been hard working missionaries this week!  Humanitarian work and medical work have kept us running hard day and night.

Medical Events

Monday night Elder Biven drove us north in the dark (keep in mind there are no street names here and no house numbers), miraculously arriving, with no wrong turns, at apartment of an Elder who had been fighting heat stroke all day.  We went bearing water, bananas, and encouragement, all of which were invaluable.  Our first text had come when the Elder's temperature hit 103, and then after an hour of unsuccessful attempts at intervention he texted again.  There are no emergency services here as we have them in the US.  So we went to see what we could do to help. He had gotten his temp down to 100 by the time we got there, so things were going in the right direction and he did recover completely.  This capable Elder had just had a long, hot day with no running water in their apartment.  The water supply here is unreliable and that happens.  Missionaries are resourceful, they go and find water sources just like the Cape Verdeans.   But it takes energy to haul water up a steep hill in the heat..... running water is not something we can take for granted!  Which is why the humanitarian projects dealing with water have been so exciting to be involved in.  
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A couple of days later there were missionary episodes with gastric distress and respiratory infections, some of which needed immediate treatment.  There were some heroics by young missionaries (19, 20 years old), one of whom was fearless in seeking help for her sick companion.  This North American missionary was calm and focused as she texted "Just in case, I should probably be prepared and have the ambulance/emergency services number, can you tell me what it is?"  Yeah, there are no ambulances here.  You find a way to get to the street and hope you can hail a cab.  She was very brave and we were incredibly blessed.  Her companion has now recovered.  It is so comforting to know that the parents and friends and extended families and wards of these young missionaries are praying for them and their safety.  Their prayers are answered, things generally work out, even here, where medical care is pretty raw.  

Eye Examinations

On Friday, We also took 19 beautiful Cape Verdean children to the hospital to have their eyes checked.  We had so much fun talking to them!  The doctors and staff, as well as the teacher and parent who accompanied us, were wonderful to work with, and we were pleased to be there. There were many hours of waiting at the hospital with these good kids and they were very patient.  I confess that late in the morning I lost focus briefly, perhaps it was the heat, and my thoughts turned to lunch.  Truly at that very moment a Catholic sister in her nun's habit appeared and introduced herself to me.  She was from East Timor, which is so far away. She spoke to me in Portuguese, explaining that she is also here serving God's children, and she encouraged us in our service.  Then she went on her way.  It was a surprise, and inspiring, to have an angel appear when I was running out of steam.  Not long after that it was time to load the Hiace (kind of a mini van) with the 19 schoolchildren and the adults so they could return to school.  It was a good morning.

Daniel with Patient

Wheelbarrow Fun

On Saturday, we met with Paulo, at his house, to discuss the building of chicken coops for Assomada district.  As we left we saw these youngsters having fun with a wheelbarrow.

Wheelbarrow Fun

Oops.

Kids are kids the world over.