THE MONTH ONE WOOD PILE!

I have now been here 1 full month. I am also a LIST MAKER. I love to check things off, so those of you who enjoy the same thing will enjoy this entry. My dear friend Robin has affectionately called this "listing the Wood Pile". This is for those (including myself) who want to know..."What the heck have you done in the last month???" Well...here we go:

* Met the 2 PT's here (both work at the Good Shepherd Home though one comes to Busega where I work for 2 days a week) We will start having PT meetings (starting tomorrow) on Monday AM's for discussing challenging patients, procedures, doing continuing education. 

* PT's will meet with the Medical Officer (similar to a nurse practitioner) 1 x week to discuss patient issues

* PT patients have been identified and medical charts are being coordinated (instead of intake, medical and PT being in 3 different spots) PT documentation started on regular patients

* The PT room was cleaned out of old broken walkers and wheelchairs and put in storage (they don't like to throw things away here) The room is 19.5' x 22'

* The closet was also cleaned out of floor to ceiling clothes donations (we found its a 9x10' room!!!)

* Training of a new Saturday local volunteer to help with PT. Her name is Florence. She showed up out of the blue on Saturday morning while I was thinking to myself "How am I going to get all of these kids seen today?". OK....THAT is a bit odd, don't you think??? She is a wealthy local woman who wanted her girls to see how other people have to live. The girls were about 8 and 7 and shy. This woman brought a friend from a local hospital who is in charge of procuring equipment. ANOTHER synchronicity as I had been looking for PT equipment. The friend is going to help me locate a local vendor. 

* Spoke with a seamstress re making bean bags for the kids for rehab along with waterproof aprons for the PT's and the volunteers to protect their clothing (I wash mine daily after work) 

* Father Raymond (who is overseer of Busega Bethlehem Home) has sent his masons and carpenters over to the PT room this week to start renovations of the PT room. I was told, whatever the children need we should do now and plan for the future. The Brothers want the best that Western medicine can offer their children. We will be putting in a door from the PT room to the bathroom (along with a ramps the bathroom is 2 feet lower) We are also going to put in a hand sink in the PT gym as well as another ramp to exit the room (again 2 steps). This will start in a week or two once the estimate is done. I hope this is something within my budget but then...it all seems to be working out. Mother Teresa used to say, ' if He wants it, He will provide the funds' and hopefully insight on my part to do it right.  

* One of the Brothers is now working on setting aside a rehab room at Good Shepherd Home as well. We might be coordinating 2 rehab room renovations at the same time. 

* Planning with the carpenter any furniture needed (mat table) shelving; standing frames and poles; installing a heavy duty swivel hook for sensory integration in the gym 

* Obtaining a quote from a local welder to make a set of parallel bars for the gym 

* Calling and E-Mailing any and all NGO's/businesses and hospital rehab departments here  I can think of to look for rehab equipment (mats, mat tables, parallel bars, standing frames, crutches, etc) 

* Purchased drums and a shaker for a group of disabled boys who are musically talented. Set up a music group for Tues and Thurs PM and Saturday Mornings to allow them time and space to write music to record and sell. They are thrilled!! The music is AMAZING! the day I delivered the drums, they sang and played me the most amazing music...all the masons were dancing outside the window...they didn't know we could see them. It gave me goosebumps. These kids have AMAZING rhythm, even the toddlers. If I leave Africa now or manage to accomplish nothing else, then my year would be worth it if for this alone. 

* Averaging 11 patient visits daily and a few injury consults. The children are making progress despite my lack of experience. We have autistic kids making their first noises and interacting with toys and other kids; we have children walking and moving under their own power for the first time. I have to wait another week to take pictures as Father Henry was called out of town again for another week. 

* 1/2 way through developing my English level I lesson plans (for the new Brothers), pretest and vocabulary list. I am to start teaching 3 semesters beginning in a week (I hope 2 weeks) Father Henry wants his Brothers to be able to easily communicate the word of God in English. 

The ball is now rolling in rehab and it is NONE of my doing! It is rather odd and I have been reflecting on this. I wonder if we may just be used for tasks unbeknownst to us. I can honestly say I am doing NOTHING to make any of this happen. It is as if my presence is allowing the creativity and the inspiration of the Brothers to kick in full force. I feel like I may simply be a pawn of God. He might have just placed me here because her heard the cry of the children asking Him for His help. I just happened to be a convenient placement. He is using me like people use figureheads with no power....just a place holder and a face for people to believe in and start their own changes.

I am overcome with the miracles that happen around me daily. I am wondrous why I am so lucky to be able to witness this. It scares me the responsibility that is set before me. I just wake up daily saying "This is your project, not mine. Make of it what you will. Give me the insight to make the right decisions and protect the children from any mistakes I may make"