Thursday, May 31st

Thursday, May 31st

Hi this is Gayle.  What a busy day we have had today and our time is drawing to a close here in Mwanza.  A group went to Fonelisco Orphanage and they were excited to see the progress on the dining room that Hope Ministries is helping remodel for the children so that they have a place to eat.  Currently they are having to eat out under a tree.  We provided them with block, doors, plaster and paint.  What a blessing for these sweet children.  Sydney and Jasmine did their teaching projects on math and English, and the children really enjoyed it.  All of the students have done such a great job with their teaching projects and have touched the lives of these sweet children.  They had to say their good-byes and as usual was difficult for the team.  These children are so sweet and they get attached to them.

The medical team (Mark, Robert, Carol and Courtney and I) departed for the hospital.  We started the day with Mark holding a teaching session with the residents.  A couple of these residents are the one’s that are sponsored by Hope Ministries and will be graduating this fall.  They are currently studying for the final exams and really appreciated Mark’s teaching session.  

We then went on ward rounds and were  able to see all of our postop patients.  There are so many sad cases because of motorcycle accidents.  Mark and I did surgery on a young man that was a passenger on a motorcycle and had a head on collision with a motorcycle.  His foot was almost cut off and he was informed that the best option would be an amputation and refused so we cleansed well, packed the wounds and inserted a couple of pins to try to stabilize the foot.  When we went to visit him on ward rounds today he was counseled to have his foot amputated and we explained why.   It was so sad and my heart breaks for him and his wife.  I spent some time with him explaining that we would have to do the same even if this happened in the US.  

In the above photo the patients on one floor we all moved out into the corridor on their floor with there mattresses.  The rooms were being fumigated for cockroaches and rats.  They said there for a couple of days and were then moved back into their rooms.  The team was shocked when they saw this.  Never knew what we will see here.

We finished the ward rounds and then an orthopedic surgeon showed a power point presentation on a volunteer group that is going to go be conducting outreach clinics to help children with disabilities.  All of this will be done through volunteers.  I was so impressed with this program and the heart of these people in wanting to help God’s special children with repairing their deformities so that they will have a chance at life.  

The doctors at Kamanga Hospital and their wives invited the team out for a beautiful dinner.  It was a very beautiful outdoor restaurant and the food was delicious.  I so appreciate that they did this for us.  We were able to spend some time talking about future visits by the Hope Ministries team.  We have partnered with them to help develop their hospital.  I was touched by a comment by the director of the hospital who said “Mama Gayle you are a special angel that has been sent by God to help my people and all of us at Kamanga.”    I know why God keeps sending me to Tanzania, because I always have these “God moments” when I am here.