Motor Bikes and Babies Born

Hi Friends!

I arrived in Africa on Tuesday about 5pm Burkina time and am doing well. The plane travel went very well. I thought my four hour layover in Paris would be enough time for me to maybe look around the airport a little to experience a new city, but it was just enough time for me to figure out where I needed to go, and wait in lots of lines! Since this was my first stop in a place where they spoke French, I had a hard time finding out I had to get on a bus, travel several stops and go to a different terminal. All went well after asking three people, and I ended up sleeping through my entire last plane ride of 7.5 hours to Ouagadougou, which helped with the jet lag. Too bad I missed the cherry cobbler for dinner, the guy's sitting next to me looked good :)

Upon arriving at the airport in Ouaga I felt like I was in Africa. Everywhere it is red dirt, and we exited on the runway, not in the airport. The lady stamping my passport to let me in the country gave me a suspicious eye but no one even looked inside my bags, and I only had to fend off a dozen or so men asking if I needed a hotel or taxi in French. Felix and Nema (the Dr. and Nurse I am working and living with) picked me up and we drove in their car the 20 minute drive to their beautiful home. The roads are all red dirt and are filled with bumps, dips, trash, and lots and lots of motorbikes and people walking. (Nema has a motorbike that I rode on with her today; it was very fun!) I love seeing the women carrying their babies on their backs with large bowls on their heads. Many vendors line the streets, and stray dogs are superfluous.

Felix and Nema were so gracious to give me a room of my own while I stay with them, and the bed is so comfortable! I eat very well (this is for you mom)- tonight for dessert was mango and papaya- so delicious! Showers are so refreshing here as it is not hard to get up from sitting and have a pool of sweat- but fans are widely used and we take a break midday for rest/napping. I have grown close to Felix and Nema's three girls, who have welcomed me and helped me with my French tremendously. Today we took a walk around the block together and had lots of fun looking at snails, dodging dogs, and taking pictures of donkeys. They are also good dancers.

The hospital here is such a learning experience. It is difficult for me to know what to do because I cannot speak French, but that does not keep me from being involved. I saw a baby being born today, which was absolutely beautiful! I got to put its first set of clothes on! I also dressed some wounds, removed sutures and observed some other procedures. Things are certainly done differently here as sanitation is not like our hospitals and computers are not used. I was thinking today (for all you nursing students- no care planning? no nursing diagnosis? what a relief!) I especially love learning from Nema her ways of truly loving her patients and praying for them.

Just in case you were wondering, I learned that West Africa does not have many animals left because they were all hunted or run to the East- so Grandpa, no elephant, sorry!
And since I am in the city, the stars are not very numerous or bright, but still wonderful to see.

If you could pray that I continue to learn French, that would be so helpful. Also, that I would know how to best encourage Felix and Nema. They work very hard and could use your prayers as well. God is truly using their clinic to bring people to himself, and its amazing to get to witness.

I will write more whenever I can, the power here goes out often, which means no lights, fans, or computers!

Thank you all and God bless!