This week in Zim

Today marks the second week that we've spent at Karanda and our third week in Zim (I guess that's what the hipsters call Zimbabwe). Our time here is shaping up nicely. The first two weeks here were quite a struggle, just getting the kids adjusted and all. As I alluded to in my cheesy poem in the last post, the mission guest house, which we call home was much like a sauna at night after closing the windows in order to keep the mosquitoes out. The weekdays this week were challenging in that we largely had no power or water most of the time, unlike last weekend when ZESA (Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority or "Zimbabwe Electricity Sometimes Available") smiled upon us. We fretted a little over our deep freeze, which is pretty important out in the bush. However, with the newly installed screens on many of our windows, even nights without electricity (electricity= fans) are tolerable and even pleasant after a nice rain. Dr. Dan and his brother, Mark (who has returned to visit Karanda after growing up here 30 years ago) blessed us immensely by hooking up our fridge and deep freeze to a dedicated generator and by fixing our leaky water filter. They even fixed the ceiling fan in the family room! We're learning to live with a little less. April is getting good at cooking over the gas grill when the power is out and we're getting more efficient with meal time activities. Preparing, cooking, and cleaning up after three meals a day can easily become a full time activity. April is a saint, and I am constantly impressed with the way she takes the challenges we face gracefully. She is of very strong character. Abbi, naturally, is a hit with the locals and the other missionaries at the hospital. I have been referred to by some as Dr. Paul and by some as BabaAbigail ("father of Abigail"). It's common to refer to a man or woman as "Father/Mother of (fill in the name of your first born)." Dr. Dan Stephens, the surgeon we work with here, pulled out the PA system and the projector system and we watched a movie on the big screen tonight. The kids really enjoyed "Open Season," a cartoon. They also enjoyed dancing, singing, and grabbing at Dr. Dan's toes during the film. We enjoyed popcorn too, before the toe grabbing and all.

As we grow accustomed to life in the African bush- yes, even with running water and electricity (sometimes), it's still the bush- I also work to fit the mold of the missionary doctor. The vast array of ailments seen here is staggering. Each patient I get through in clinic feels like a small victory. Much of the time, people wait to come to the hospital until they are close to death it seems. People literally drag their relatives into clinic. The ones you see latest in the day seem to be the ones that need to be seen most. Too sick to fight for a decent place in line, they wind up at the back of the pack fairly easily.

I'd like to highlight Dr. Roland Stephens in this post, Dr. Dan's dad. A career missionary, he has made his home and his life here at Karanda with his lovely wife since the early 1960's. He turns 80 tomorrow, and there is a big birthday party for him tomorrow. I doubt his a big internet junkie, so I figure the secret of his surprise party is safe on the blog. The man is truly one of the most remarkable individuals I've ever met. At 80 years of age, he runs 3 or 4 miles every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. He is so respected that all of the locals, patients, and staff call him "Sekuru," which is Shona for "grandfather." He seems to have seen every medical condition and does every kind of surgery one could ever imagine. There is no kind of surgery that this man and his son do not do. I hope a little bit of their experience rubs off on us while we are here.