The work has begun...

We started working in the Government Maternity Hospital this week and it is nothing less than overwhelming to be in a new environment surrounded by people who nod their heads no, all the while meaning yes. The confusion has set in. I thought that I would be able to adapt more quickly since I have been to India before, but sadly it is of no advantage.
The hospital is a culture in and of itself and adjusting to life in India is one thing, but adjusting to the hospital and life in India at the same time there just are not words to express what I think about that apart from... shit.
This week we are just trying to settle into the hospital and familiarize ourselves with where everything is located and getting to know the staff. Our main priority is building relationship and trust with the doctors so that we can start doing deliveries and practice the skills we have been already putting into practice the last 4+ months in Tanzania.
I am still just trying to process my time in Africa. The transition to one culture to an entirely different culture in such a short time is almost impossible to deal with emotionally.
God give me a heart to be here, because right now my heart is somewhere else.

Highlights of Africa

Looking back I have decided that there are three distinct highlights of my time in Africa.
1. Delivering my first baby. Baby Dale was born on December 1, 2010. There has been nothing like that feeling of touching that first baby and helping him into the world. You sense and experience firsthand the fragility of life. You see the breath of life as the infant takes its first gasp of air and you are in awe that you were a part of that moment. It is really a feeling that cannot be described in words, because none can really capture the beauty of the experience. Baby Dale is a miracle and an amazing gift not only to his family, but to me too. He was named in memory of my grandfather who died December 1, 2008.

2. Kenya. I was blessed to be able to go to Kenya for 4 days to do ministry and also to get visas for the Bangladesh team approved at the embassy in Nairobi. While Bek and Liz were at the Bangladesh embassy for the majority of the trip, Emily and I were able to do some teachings and ministry in several of the slums. The first day of ministry/teaching we were able to share about nutrition during pregnancy with about 25 women and then after that teaching we prayed for the women and then began a second teaching with the traditional birth attendants from the slum on Using Aseptic Technique during birth. It was a powerful experience. To be in a room with women who had years and years of experience in what may seem to you and I like impossible conditions for a woman to labour in was amazing. I literally felt like I was in a room full of legends. An amazing honour for both Emily and I. After the teachings Jannekah (our hostess while in Kenya) was explaining to one of the birth attendants and a local pastors about how I have a heart for Kenya and would one day like to end up there. The birth attendant responded by saying something along the lines of "why doesn't she just stay now?" In that moment I remember my heart felt as if it was going to leap out of my chest. Being in the slums and in Nairobi in general felt as if I really were home and as if I was meant to be there my whole life. To ever leave once arriving seemed as if I were to abandon my true love. I mentioned many times how I felt like Africa had become my home, but I didn't fully realize what that meant until I crossed the border from Tanzania into Kenyan land. I knew that is where my heart was. That is where my heart will always be.

3. Momma comes to Tanzania! My whole world changed when I found out that my mom was coming to Africa. I think it was in December when my mom called me and told me that she was definitely coming to Africa. At that point she hadn't even told my dad. There had been talk about her coming, but after communicating through email earlier with my school leader, she didn't feel that my schedule was going to allow for her to be there and be able to see me much. I don't know what changed her mind, but she just knew she had to come to get at least a small glimpse into what my life in Tanzania was like. I remember that when she had called to tell me it was a moment in outreach when I was seriously considering giving up. It was hard and our team was not in a good place, so with my mom coming it was really the only thing at the time (besides my commitment to what God had called me to) that was going to keep me in Tanzania. It was amazing. We worked it out where she could come during the second to last week while I was there, because my schedule wasn't as busy and we would be approaching debriefing week.
I went to the airport with Bethany to pick her up and even as she came out of the arrival doors I couldn't believe she was there in Africa... with me! We did a lot while she was there and I am sure both of us were exhausted at the end. The second day she was there she went to the hospital with me. That was pretty overwhelming and difficult for her I think. She saw two deliveries happening at the same time, she witnessed a delivery happen outside the labour ward in a bajaj that a couple of us ran to during our lunch break (definitely not an everyday occurrence), and the best part was she was able to love on some babies.
We then went on a safari in the Selous National Park. Amazing time. Although for me it was a little uncomfortable to be a tourist at the beginning. We stayed at a camp nearby the entry to the National park. The camp was right on the river and during the day we could hear and sometimes see hippos out lounging and playing in the water. It was pretty awesome. We went on a boating safari almost as soon as we arrived at camp where we saw hippos, crocodiles, monkeys and some really cool birds. The next day we went in the truck through the national park and saw all of the big animals, giraffes, zebras, wildebeest, more hippos, a large pride of lions, impalas, and a lot of other animals. The best part was seeing the elephants and two elephants with a newborn in the middle of them. The baby was 4 days old and was all trunk, tripping over itself. It was adorable. The third and final day we went on a walking safari early in the morning. Highlight of the whole trip was coming face to face with a wild African elephant on the path that we had just walked on moments earlier. We were maybe at most 30 feet from the elephant. It was the greatest!
Besides the safari, I was able to take my mom to Zanzibar for a couple of days. It was pretty magical. We stayed at Sea Cliff Zanzibar (look it up) and were two of maybe 16 guests in the whole complex. We spent the whole time lounging, relaxing and being fed amazing food that easily could have cost us hundreds of dollars in the states and it was all inclusive. Ah, take me back please.
Anyways, those were definitely my top three highlights of Africa. I hope you enjoyed. I have plenty of more highlights and pictures to share! As soon as I get home I will be more than happy and willing to show you all the pictures and tell of the stories behind them.

Namaste from India!

I arrived in India this last Monday at about mid-afternoon to this familiar land of spice, smells, beautiful fabrics and of course the pollution. It is still the same India as when I left it almost 7 years ago. Everything here in Hyderabad is very similar to all that I experienced in New Dehli and northern India. The food is sometimes just a little bit different... still good and spicy of course.
Leaving Tanzania was very difficult. As I have said in most all of my past postings before, Africa has become my home and because of that my heart is still there. The question that I have been asking myself constantly is how do you move forward when your heart has been left behind? I love India and I know that what God placed in my heart 7 years ago is still somewhere in there, but my biggest fear is that I will invest again so much into this place and the people that I will be just as devastated to leave India as I am to have left East Africa.
I was talking with Beth today about my feelings of being back here and decided that it is like seeing an old boyfriend who still wants me back and wants me to love him just as much as I had before, but I have moved on and my heart has been given to someone else. That is how I feel here. It is strange and uncomfortable to be honest. I know that there is a lot for me here and a lot that God wants to show me here in the next two months, but I can't help to think about Africa and when I can get back. I need to focus on this time that I have here so that I don't miss what God wants to teach me, so please pray that God can steady my heart.
I am working on a recap of my time in Tanzania for you all. I have been processing the last 6 months and will post my thoughts and highlights for you within the next week. I will include pictures of the babies delivered, my Tanzanian family and friends, and also my mom's time here when she came to visit at the beginning of the month.
This week, Sarah and Rachel our staff have been working on getting permission for us to work in the hospital here and they think that we will be able to get a tour of the hospital on Monday and then begin our work on Tuesday. Our days will be longer in the hospital here than they were at Temeke, so I ask that you would pray that we would have the strength and the perseverance to make it through each day and the next 2 months with the heavier schedule. It will be great though to have more hospital time. It means more training time and hopefully opportunity to deliver lots of babies!
Working in the labour ward is where it is at! I feel like delivering babies is my new addiction. It is almost like a drug! Powerful stuff happens during the first moments of birth! Seeing the breath of life coming into a little person is incredible. And when there is a baby that needs extra help, that is when I cling hard to the power of prayer and am able to witness even more miracles. My name is Rachel and I am an addict.
Thank you for all of your prayers. Many blessings to you all!