So many scenes here are idyllic, peaceful and picturesque. The woman washing clothes in the pila is Sonia, a long time employee of the hospital and a good friend. She is a success story- trained from the local pueblo in surgery, sent off to the city to attend LPN school, returned to us and is now the Triage nurse. She adds sparkle to each day with her loving hugs and sense of humor. I frequently pass thru her little enclave where all the family lives to climb up higher to visit another employee.
I just love seeing their everyday life, sitting and laughing with them over the antics of the little puppies under the pedal sewing machine (which is currently hemming John's pants!), the chickens jumping up on the couch.
The week after returning from the flight out to the Mosquitia, John and I journeyed inland 6 hrs with 4 young ladies to the mountains for another Health Promoters Conference where John did several days of teaching on OB GYN issues for the group. I enjoyed the extended downtime in a bed and breakfast surrounded by nice gardens and a wall. It was SO nice- and the sink did not fall off the wall! There was electricity and it was SO clean. A sharp contrast to the motel we stayed at in the Mosquitia. We left ahead of the girls to get John to the airport in San Pedro for a flight to the US. We were able to meet up with Dr. Leon in the motel there, as he too was leaving the country and I put them both on the plane before heading into the city to pick up the girls at the big bus station there. I had their company back to the hospital.
Then began a week "alone"- if one is ever alone here! While John maximized his time to be with our son Jake in Tulsa, and pay short visits to Kate, the kids, and Dan, I said goodbye to Norma, the other RN that works with me as she was leaving for a 4 month furlough. Did some things for John's patients during his time away, but more or less just kept things running! Enjoyed a bit more time visiting with friends in the campo, and even had the adventure of a bus ride with 40 others from the church out further towards the end of the road for an evening of singing with other area churches to the roar of the generator that fueled the 2 lites and the amplifier!
Joni, the young boy below,reading his Bible early in the AM, came home with me so I would not have to drive alone in the dark from the church. He has been in our Sunday School class for several years, and have seen grow from a wimpy, retiring dirty kid to a well-groomed, confident, guitar-playing young man, competently memorizing his required verses and taking big responsibility. Being raised by his Gran, a local illiterate midwife, since his mom was killed, he is now working as gardener and cleanup man for our sunday school champa with dirt floors for 6 weeks to earn his own Bible. He and 2 others persisted in a program we put together and memorized 35 verses to earn a children's illustrated bible, but he wants an adult Bible too.
Well, its almost midnight, John and I have been at the hospital with a young friend in labor with her first. John is now headed for the city with her and her husband. Off to bed.
No comments:
Post a Comment