Merry Christmas! Our version of poinsettas here -- the flame lily, or 'Doctor's Joy', as Gwen Amborski calls it (she should know, having lived here all her life). Poinsettas actually bloom around Easter time, so we've got our lilies and Christmas flowers backwards. These grow wild in the fields around the hospital, and my other Christmas colors are being supplied by the red and green of the gigantic watermelons growing in my garden, the green and gold of the mangoes, and the silver of the evening rain on the trees in the mornings. (Thank goodness for our internet access, because otherwise no one seems to know when a watermelon is actually ripe.) Other than that, I've got lots of recordings of Bing Crosby singing about a White Christmas and such to get me in the mood.
Last time I wrote to you all was back in October; we've now passed the one year anniversary of my Mukinge stay. I got the news that I passed my ER boards, which was good, although a near thing, having momentarily forgotten about the presence of things like CT scanners during my test. The tests here are still challenging as well, although of different natures, like what's the proper food to serve to a Chief, what is causing the raging fevers of a patient, how best to support the people who come knocking on my door asking for help, or what decision to make about my future that's coming up in now less than a year.
Christmas time for me is always a time to remember gifts that have been given to me; I cannot even believe how blessed and lucky I am to have so many of you thinking of me, giving me the gifts of packages, time, emails, and prayers. Rarely a week goes by when I don't have some kind of package slip waiting for me in my mailbox here, and it's been a joy to share some of the things from home with the people here from Zambia and elsewhere. My big load of kids toys is especially fun around Christmas time. Many of you have supported the work out here financially as well, allowing us to buy a water pump to supply running water to over 30 houses here at Mukinge, several different purchases of much needed medications for the pharmacy, 4 oxygen concentrators, and to remodel an entire house to help retain needed nursing staff for the patients. Coming up in the year to come we're hoping to remodel two more staff houses as well as the male ward of the hospital. Potentially we may have found a donor to help us upgrade our operating room facilities as well. And I think I may redo the tennis court as a Christmas gift to the mission complex as well.
A year has gone by quickly; I blogged a few months ago about lessons that I've learned in a year and I'm struck by how much I've learned and changed in just a short amount of time. We continue to serve and help as best we can for the people here. Thank you for your service to me and us over the year.
With much love,
Matt
Last time I wrote to you all was back in October; we've now passed the one year anniversary of my Mukinge stay. I got the news that I passed my ER boards, which was good, although a near thing, having momentarily forgotten about the presence of things like CT scanners during my test. The tests here are still challenging as well, although of different natures, like what's the proper food to serve to a Chief, what is causing the raging fevers of a patient, how best to support the people who come knocking on my door asking for help, or what decision to make about my future that's coming up in now less than a year.
Christmas time for me is always a time to remember gifts that have been given to me; I cannot even believe how blessed and lucky I am to have so many of you thinking of me, giving me the gifts of packages, time, emails, and prayers. Rarely a week goes by when I don't have some kind of package slip waiting for me in my mailbox here, and it's been a joy to share some of the things from home with the people here from Zambia and elsewhere. My big load of kids toys is especially fun around Christmas time. Many of you have supported the work out here financially as well, allowing us to buy a water pump to supply running water to over 30 houses here at Mukinge, several different purchases of much needed medications for the pharmacy, 4 oxygen concentrators, and to remodel an entire house to help retain needed nursing staff for the patients. Coming up in the year to come we're hoping to remodel two more staff houses as well as the male ward of the hospital. Potentially we may have found a donor to help us upgrade our operating room facilities as well. And I think I may redo the tennis court as a Christmas gift to the mission complex as well.
A year has gone by quickly; I blogged a few months ago about lessons that I've learned in a year and I'm struck by how much I've learned and changed in just a short amount of time. We continue to serve and help as best we can for the people here. Thank you for your service to me and us over the year.
With much love,
Matt
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