ER: Dodoma style

Last Friday, Joshua Cousley (a 4-year old from another MAF family) badly hurt his finger by jamming it in the main gate on Compound A. Everyone rushed around trying to find medical equipment. We found steri-strips; various sizes of suture kit; a do-it-yourself Caesarean section kit etc., but unfortunately there was no one who could actually stitch. The wound was patched up as best as we could and then the plan was to medevac him to Dar the next morning (the injury happened in the evening and we can’t drive or fly at night). However, there just happened to be an American doctor having dinner at the Dodoma Hotel (as were all the MAF engineers). Thus a few phone calls later the doctor came, complete with local anaesthetic, and was able to stitch the finger up.

It really felt that God was in control; all the people that were needed were in the right place at the right time.

However, any doctors out there who would like to come and serve the missionary community in Dodoma, you would be very welcome.

Other news:

The children went back to school today (Monday). Bethany started reception and Joshua went into Standard 1. They both start at 7:45am, but Bethany finishes at 12 and Josh goes on until 2pm. They were both a little nervous, but Josh’s first words on arriving home were “Mummy, I loved it”. I had a screaming Caleb who was so upset that he wasn’t going to school too, that it took me 10 minutes to strap him back into the car. He can start next February when he is 3.

Joseph came to get my list for the market this morning, so I thought I would politely inquire how he was doing after the death of his son. I’m not sure whether he is more upset about the fact that his son has died or that his son dying has left him almost bankrupt and with 5 more dependents. The custom here is that when someone dies all the extended family comes to stay at the expense of the immediate family. Thus Joseph had to provide hospitality to a number of relatives and pay their transport costs to the funeral. All the money he was saving is now gone, so it is a big tragedy for him in more ways than one. I haven’t dared ask, but I expect it also included the loan I gave him to buy a cow. What do I do about that? Cancel the loan; re-issue the loan? Nothing is ever simple here.

We are currently making plans to extend Sarah’s house, to house more street children. However, if we do that we are wondering whether to renovate the rest of the house. She has the basic shell of a house, but it needs a celing put in, a floor put down, windows, doors, plaster and so on. Actually when I write it like that it doesn’t really sound habitable, but that’s the Tanzanian way. When a house is vaguely livable in you move in and improve it later if and when you can. I guess we do that in Europe too, we just move in a lot further down the process. Please pray for wisdom as to how best use our resources. Any comments welcome.

Please pray for Bethany who currently has an unexplained rash on her torso. Internet searching has yet to diagnose it as it seems to characteristics of many different conditions. However, it would be good to work out what it is so we can treat it and know if it is infectious or not. For those medics out there it spread around her torso in a kind of blistery rash. No pain like in shingles, slightly itchy but not very, no yellow crust like in impetigo, don't really have any other ideas. At least apart from the rash she has no other symptoms, so it probably isn't that serious. It started last Friday and no one else has contracted it. Any ideas welcome.