Merry Christmas!

Many of you know that I am not a big fan of Christmas, so being in Africa away from my family makes the holiday a little more miserable. The thing that makes it worth while is that I have some pretty spectacular friends here who have in many ways become my family.
This morning as a team we had a tea time and white elephant gift exchange and after Beth and I joined Jenny and Orlando in their room for another little morning tea time Christmas celebration. Despite being so far away from my real family I didn't have the longing to be with them at home that I have had the last several days. I have come to the conclusion that no matter where you are in the world on Christmas, as long as you are with people you love and who love you back nothing else really matters.
There has been a lot that has happened here in Tanzania since I last blogged. Our quarter ended on the 19th of December and the staff switch over happens next week. We as a team are anticipating their arrival and hopefully with them will come a new restored hope in the school and the vision of why we are really here.
I cannot tell you that the last 12 weeks have been easy or incredible all the time. I would be lying if I said that. We have experienced many heartaches, discouragements and at times I am sure all of us at one point have questioned going home. We lost one. Ash decided to leave the school and go home to Australia. She left only a couple of days ago and already she is deeply missed. An incredible woman of God and I am certain that what she does next will richly bless the lives of those around her. There is no doubt that she has made my life a little more richer.
It is my love for God and my love for Africa that keeps me here. There are so many things that are calling me home, but there is no doubt in my mind that I am meant to be here. I am pretty sure that my future is here in Africa as well. As each day goes by the more that I am convinced that this is where I want to spend the majority of the rest of my days.

On Thursday, Joy and I went to Mkuranga Hospital to give them a thank you gift and Christmas blessing. The staff there (one sister in particular) were very helpful a month ago when Joy, Amy W and I went to ask some questions about the hospital and the local community for our Community Profile project. Anyways, while Joy and I were there this last week I asked if there was a Cesarean section happening while we were there. The sister told us that one was just about to start and that we would be able to go if we wanted to. It was pretty amazing. We were able to talk to the woman before operation and was able to witness it from start to finish. It was incredible. To be in the operation room and so close to the patient really was amazing. Joy worked as a surgical nurse in Singapore and talked me through the whole procedure. I learned so much and really feel like this is an area I really want to work in. I really just wanted to get my hands in there. Its a boy! He was really big. Long. When the doctor began suturing the mother up I went out and prayed over the little guy. I love babies. Holding a baby makes everything bad in the world disappear. There really is nothing better than a baby in my arms. I love it. I wish I had a picture of him to show you, but neither Joy or I had our camera. Bummer. So that was definitely one of the highlights of the last couple weeks.
We had some time off from the 14th-19th. It was a much needed time for all of us to go away and process the last 12 weeks as well as prepare for the coming 12 weeks. I spent the first night with Ash and we met up with Celia who was staying with her sister who had come to Dar for work. We had a lot of fun... we'll just leave it at that. The next night Beth, Jen and a couple of others met up with us. The remainder of the days off Beth, Ash, Jen and I spent at the beach. What a perfect way to get the much need relaxation time in. It was wonderful. We stayed in tents that resembled military tents right on the beach. The first thing you see as you step out of the tent in the morning are the ocean waves crashing into the sandy shore. Perfection.

I hope that you all are doing well and have a Merry Christmas! May the joy of the Lord fill your hearts this Christmas and New Year. Many blessings to you and your families! God Bless you!

I have tried to upload pictures several times. I will continue to try over the next couple days. Please be patient. Pictures will come.

A bomb went off in the labour room...

Yesterday I delivered a little baby boy at 10:39am. Wt: 2.75kg. In memory of my grandfather who passed away 2 years ago I named the new little one Dale. He was perfect. Mama did well. No tearing and perfect delivery of the placenta. Her name is Fatuma and she is 18 years old.
Today we arrived at the hospital just before 9am and quickly got to work. I assisted Louise with her first delivery. A little boy born at 10:39am. It was a rather good delivery, but just before leaving today the mother fell and lost a lot of blood. As one of the nurses was pulling out clots of blood I was standing over the mother praying and trying to comfort her in the midst of weakness and severe pain. Please continue to pray for her. Just before 11 am a jet flew over the hospital. It was so close to the ground that I thought that a bomb was about to go off and we were all going to die. It was so scary. I was convinced that I would soon witness the second coming. Chaos in the labour room soon followed. A labouring bomb went off. All of a sudden I was doing a delivery, Ash was bringing in a woman from antenatal who delivered on the floor beside me, Amy and Emily were doing a delivery, Celia was delivering a baby all by herself and it happened to be a baby with the cord around his neck (Noah), and there was a delivery happening in the other side of the ward. It was crazy. The baby I delivered was a little girl. She weighed 2.7kg and I named her Emma. She was born at 11:25 am. She was pretty adorable. Every baby I see I want to take home. They are just too precious.
I feel like I am really in my element here. Not only do I feel like I am in my element in the hospital, but also here in Tanzania. Africa has become home.
I will post pictures on Saturday as well as any other updates.

Pieces of my heart...

Three weeks without internet is too long. So much to catch up on.
We have our visas!!! We have been in the hospital for 2 weeks now and have seen almost 35 babies delivered. WOW! This last week I was in Antenatal and Postnatal wings of the hospital. It was a great intro to how things work in the African hospital setting. Chaos.
While I was in Postnatal on Tuesday, a baby suffering from a very high fever and infection wasn't responding. My friend Celia found him wrapped up and pushed to the side away from the mother. We quickly rushed him to Resuscitation and began working on him. We finally got him to breathe, but he still needed help with O2. About 30 minutes later he began to be unresponsive again. We prayed and prayed and prayed for his little body. Resuscitated him again and prayed some more. He started to make small improvements but by that time it was time for the team to leave for the day. Celia and I continued to pray over him until we were the last to leave. Tearfully we departed and hoped with all hope that there would be a miracle and we would see little Samuel again the next morning. Celia and I later reflected and wondered how it is possible for one's heart to become so attached to a little one. How is it possible to love someone you don't even know with all of your heart? Baby Samuel, I learned the next day went to be with his Daddy. I kind of knew that as soon as we pulled into the base on late Tuesday afternoon. I went to bed broken-hearted. Saying goodbye was the hardest part of that day.
This coming week I will be in the Labor ward. I am excited mixed with a little bit of fear. Please pray for me as I enter the "war zone" as many on my team have referred to it.
I lost my wallet. Please pray that it shows up and that I find it soon.

I am becoming attached to this place. I think that a large part of my heart will forever remain in Africa. Pieces of it with each person that I meet here. Already I have been feeling as if my life is no longer the same. Forever changed. By this land, by the people, my life is forever changed. The thought of coming home now scares me and I try to run away from the thought altogether. I don't want to come home. Africa in a way has become my new home.

Baby Joshua

Yesterday, October 27th at 5:24 pm baby Joshua came into this world. Assisted by myself, Emily Whit, Naomi Lampard and Lindsey Beiler. Momma's name was Dauda. At 15 years old she did beautifully and with little complications. She tore slightly, but was strong and very brave through it all. During the times she thought she couldn't get through it, we all prayed over her and encouraged her that she could. At one point the call to prayer was heard and she looked up at me and motioned for me to pray. I did. Soon after she met her little boy in person.
What an honor for me to be able to assist the doctor in the first seconds of baby Joshua's life. When he was beginning to make his way out into the world, the doctor handed me a conga. Before I knew it I was catching the little one in my hands and wrapped him up and put him on momma's tummy. I'm officially addicted. A beautiful start to a beautiful journey as a midwife in Africa.

A day with the Masai

On Monday our team took a trip to a nearby Masai village. Our purpose in spending the day with them was to just learn from them, especially about what they do during pregnancy and childbirth. We shared a lot of laughs when it came to awkward conversations about husbands and wives meeting together, the positions that they deliver in, and various other topics. And despite our translator being a young single male, he did well in translating without too much deviation of what was really stated by our team or the Masai women. However, we all wished at various times that the men present would go for a bush walk so we could REALLY talk to the women :) They were extremely open and I am really impressed with how much they were willing to share with us. It was an amazing opportunity for and we were all really blessed by what they taught us.

I spent most of that day holding one of the babies in the village. If I wasn't holding her, I was trying to steal her away from momma or whoever else had her. She was so precious. Smiles, slobber, and a whole lot of cuteness. Nothing better than kisses from a baby.

All in all the day was pretty spectacular. We are praying about more opportunities like this until we can get into the hospitals.

We are still waiting for our workers visas. Until approval we are continuing to seek out new opportunities and ways of serving the local villages. We are working on our Community Profile project almost daily which has often proved itself to be difficult, but it has also been very rewarding to be able to learn so much about the communities we are surrounded by. There is a lot of interviewing that we are doing to find out how we can best serve the local people and bring positive change in their ways of nutrition and basic health. It will hopefully be helpful for future teams who come as well.

Blog complications...

Sorry. I have tried posting the last two weeks and each of those times my post was deleted. Update soon to follow.

Habari!

Africa is pretty spectacular. An adventure is what I asked for and I got it.

On our day off, Beth, Celia and I were able to break away from the white people we see everyday and get out into the city to explore the unknown. We are starting to feel really comfortable here and were able to get to the places we needed without any problems. Swahili is becoming more understandable and we will pick up little phrases and words here and there that help a lot for the next time we go out. This morning we took a ferry for the first time and it was pretty awesome. We then were able to find an amazing beach resort and spent the morning in solitude. It was beautiful. The time alone was much needed. In the early afternoon we decided to hop back on the ferry and come back to the city to get internet. We chose a great location. A hotel that overlooks the coast and is equipped with great food, air conditioning, and wireless internet. Perfection.

My time in Africa has proved difficult at times, but the rewards of being here are far worth any difficulty that comes my way. I am surrounded by a culture so rich that already I know it will be hard to leave. Reverse culture shock is the one thing waiting for me back home that I am terrified to face. Thankfully I have 7 more months before having to deal with that.

I was able to spend time in the clinic one day and I felt like I was definitely in my element there. I know why I am here. If I could spend everyday in the clinic for even an hour, I would. It is an honor and a blessing to be able to serve people in such a profound way. Healthcare is a simple way to connect with people. Not only are we as midwives able to bring healing medically but also emotionally and spiritually. That is the true blessing.

I need to go. I would love to write more, but time has run out. Another update will soon come. I will try and upload a few pictures as well.