Life

1/28/10
I've been keeping putting off writing another blog. Why? There's so many little tidbits, experiences, challenges... I want so bad to share with the outside world who knows nothing of any of this. But my problem's this: How do you put into words what isn't words? How do I relay to a world a world away these things in a way so they can relate to it?
Walking along a path at night with the flickering flame of a candle for lighting, weaving through huts and various kinds of muck. Gazing up through the silhouette of palm branches at the dusky sky, moon, and stars (one of the absolute coolest sights!), entering a dim little bamboo hut and sitting around a blazing fire with laughter and comfortable companionship. Feeling at one with the people. Accepted as a friend. Those are the good times.
But painting out only the europhoric instances would not be giving you a picture of real life as it is. There are the moments when it feels like I can't go on. Absolutely worn out and exhausted. It's getting late and I still need to cook my supper. The patients continue to trickle in in happy oblivion to my dillemas, giggling about some wanted cough medicine for a cough that I don't hear and I hack away in front of them as I listen to yet another pair of lungs. I want to growl, "You know that some people actually feel sick..." But I don't. All it takes to clear my attitude is remembering why I'm here.
But still the good overshadows the bad by so much! Perspective makes all the difference. I find that just going out for a walk to clear my brain works wonders.
Getting used to things here and settling into a comfortable semi-routine.
As of the end of today (Wednesday), a total of approximately 223 patients have been seen! (some repeats and many that were coming for simple things such as deworming meds, though.) 149 of those have been kids. That's exciting to me. In just a few weeks I'm getting more experience with peds patients than I probably could have in the States in several years.
God's been good to me! So good! So far I'm not aware of any bad effects from treatment, although many times out of desperation I've said a quick prayer and made a wild (though I'd like to think educated...:)) guess or taken a chance. New territory here. I'm learning by trial and error. Goiters, abcesses, malaria, pneumonia, gastric ulcers, ect, ect, ect.
I think God's using this time to smooth down my many 'rough edges.' His faithfulness is amazing!