Tuesday

I realize I am posting this on Friday - but the internet has been very undependable especially in the evening, and I am also having trouble uploading pictures so I am going to send what I can when I can.

I am not sure what Michael’s word for the day is because he fell asleep on the couch at 7 and is still sleeping – so maybe I will use the word “tiring” – I think it would be Maureen’s as well.  

Maureen left after an early breakfast to attend devotions and meet with the director.  Later in the morning she taught a Basic Life Support class using the mannequins for about 10 nurses.  We didn’t see Maureen the rest of the day except for a brief lunch break until it was almost dark.  Michael did visit the class a couple of times to take pictures and he really enjoyed hearing Maureen teach.  At the end of the day, Maureen said she looked up and saw Michael’s cheerful face in the door window waiting to help her clean up at the end of the day.

But what about the rest of the day . . .  well today was a more regular day, there were only 4 operations in the morning by Dr. Moyo (who served us dinner last night!)  They were for children with orthopedic needs, so today the mamas were busy taking care of their little ones.   I spent the day in the children’s ward, sometimes I would sit by their bed and draw with them – we had some matchbox cars that the boys like to draw.  I would start the drawing and the children would finish – or color in the drawing.  Some of the children had just come out of surgery and were in pain, I found I could be a momentary distraction by drawing or just talking to them.  Please pray for a little one named Lazuras – he didn’t feel well all day.

Using a simple coloring book, I tear out the pages for the children to color. Some of the pages have mazes, matching game, dot – to – dot that help the time to pass more easily in the hospital.  Markers are the favorite coloring item because of the bright colors.  I also had a small stack of blank puzzles that some of the children (and/or some of the mamas) decorated with Sharpies.  This was fun to share because it gave them an activity for later on to put the picture back together again.  One little boy named Clever (pronounced clee ver) who was very shy yesterday started following me around the ward because he loves to draw and he works very hard at his drawing.   Even though he speaks a difference language, we have enjoyed communicating through art and by the end of the day he was playing soccer with Michael.  I think he will be a great helper tomorrow – I am going to try and paint some murals on the walls in the playroom and a couple of other places around the hospital – please pray for me to create and paint well.

Micahe playing soccer with Clever before his surgery

Another little girl I kept visiting throughout the day was Charity, she has a wonderful smile and always enjoyed coloring new pictures.  Right across from her was Keegan, who slept all day after his surgery, so it was his mother, Mary who enjoyed having art activities to do.  Her English is very good, so I have enjoyed talking with her.  I am sure it is hard for the mamas to be away from their families because many of them have other children to look after back in their homes.

After lunch with Michael and Maureen (and yes, Michael did try shimea – “not too bad” he said) Maureen went back to her class and loaded up my art bag and headed back to the children’s ward.  Throughout the day I chatted with the “play room” coordinator,  and as the day progressed we talked about doing the murals, she is currently attending school for early childhood education.  I am looking forward to getting to know her better throughout the rest of my visit in Lusaka.  I continued to visit the children who couldn’t get out of bed today, Clever and two other little boys befriended Michael and they ended the afternoon playing soccer.

One interesting encounter happened just before dinner, Michael who has made many friends with the staff, was visiting with a man named Chris working out of a storage container just next to our guest house.  This man suffers from club foot, but he and a couple of other men are working (sort of a separate organization to CURE) to make equipment (chairs) for children with cerebral palsy.  It was such a blessing talking to this man who wants to serve well.  These chairs are made out of paper mache and then painted to seal them from extreme moisture.  They have worked closely with the doctors and physical therapists to develop the shape.   He also proudly plays wheelchair basketball and is even playing in a tournament in Livingstone (hometown of Victoria Falls).
 

One other discovery I made today was the gardens.  The facility grows many of vegetables and used to  feed the patients, their mamas and the staff.