Mbarara in western Uganda. This city is an approximate 5 hour bus ride west of Kampala. It is higher in elevation than Kampala which makes for dryer, cooler weather and less mosquitoes. It was a nice break from the steaminess of Kampala beside Lake Victoria. The bus ride was somewhat uneventful...only with a white man’s bag being stolen. Sounded like a bag that help some important things. Arriving in Mbarara, the team ventured off the bus into the chaos on the sidewalk. Everyone waiting for their bags. There was minimal space to move around, especially with big bags. The team eventually found each other with everyone’s luggage accounted for. Then we started walking to the hotel. The walk took only about 5 minutes. The hotel called Kash hotel was nice. The beds were big, rooms clean, washrooms but no running water. Back to the good ol’ spit baths in a basin. After we dumped our bags, we treated Pastor Daniel S for Malaria. Poor boy was sick for about 4 days, unable to help with the clinics. Charles, Sara and I then ventured out into Mbarara to look for envelopes. The little packages and envelopes we were using to package drugs were slowly running out....so off we were on a treasure hunt that lasted approximately 3 hours.
Visiting half a dozen pharmacies, we soon learned that the they overpriced the envelopes....so we went for a hunt to find people on the streets who made envelopes. To find a person making envelopes in Kampala was easy compared to this hunt. After many different questions and inquiries, we quickly learned that finding these people would be difficult if not impossible. No one knew of anyone. So, we decided our best bet was to buy some from the pharmacy, choosing to only buy a few. Then it was decided to find paper and glue to make our own. After looking at the second place, paper and glue was bought. Back to the hotel we ventured. There we found the old Musau’s (health professionals) packaging drugs. We joined the pill packaging party and soon had almost all the pills packaged. Time for supper and bed!
The next day we woke early, ate breakfast consisting of white break, fruit, tea and omelettes. Sadly, I never did see brown bread in Uganda. Then after a lengthy bargaining session, Pastor Daniel K hired(rented) a vehicle for us. Eight of us and the drugs packed into the car. Now, in Africa jamming a car full of people is nothing. They are all used to, what they call, “squeeze”. Granted it was a 7 passenger car.....the two very “healthy” older Musau’s took one and a half seats each. This limits space.
One benefit of this method of traveling could be that when in an accident, the passengers will be the ones to break each other’s fall. And being that the car is so full, your “fall” would not be very far. J
Anyways, off to the village we were. The village called Ishaka.
When we arrived, I noticed how seriously Pastor Guma was. He had put up tarps for us to work under. The tarps were strung from different banana trees. The ground however was another story. You see, holding a clinic in a banana plantation, when it has rained the day before, proves for muddy conditions. Some men were able to cut some of the banana leaves and laid them on the ground for us....almost like a carpet. We set up camp under the tarps and started treating people. There was a speaker system present with music and the occasion advertisement and preaching from Pastor Guma. The system proved useful as it helped us call people to get their medications. More interpretation was needed when it came to the language in this area and Pastor Guma was very willing to step up and help.
As the people came, so did the clouds. Eventually it started to drizzle and soon poured! Three of us scrambled to get the drugs packaged while the rest of the team found refuge in the car. Driving back to the hotel was an adventure. The torrential downpour plus muddy road......well let’s just say I prayed a lot.
The next day was full of more patients. The word had spread and people came from far and near. Witchdoctors even showed their faces and heard the gospel preached by Pastor Guma. After seeing about 250 people over two days, the medications were once again finished. Turning people away again was difficult as this site proved to have more sick people. A seizure, more seriously malaria, a hospital trip for one patient was part of this place.
Let’s say it was very good to be finished. After sitting in a hunched over position for 6 days, packaging drugs, working with the local mentality and mindset had worn me out. The impact of the clinics, I do not know. But what I do know is that one pastor said the clinics took the church there to the next level. Being God’s hand and feet, loving people and taking care of them physically is all a part of God’s kingdom. It means something. My prayer, that the treatment we gave did not stay within the boundaries of the physical. But were felt in the spiritual as well. May God be honoured and glorified always.
No comments:
Post a Comment