What I have been up 2!

Thank you all for the pleasant replies you all sent! It was refreshing to open my inbox and see actual mail rather than adverts from DSW urging me to buy the latest summer/ fall pumps. Thank you, you do not realize how delighted I was to read from all of you.

Since I last wrote you, we have had the first rains in two years, it did not last more than 5 minutes and all it did was stop the dust from flying around for a few minutes.

I am in here for 3 months because the project is to run for just 3 months. I would like to work on other projects but would definitely love to head home before setting out for another mission like this one.

I do not think I am doing anything extraordinary. To tell the truth I am rather relieved to have a job to go to even if it is in the middle of the desert. It makes a big difference to me that I can actually diagnose bronchopneumonia or measles or severe dehydration and treat these patients. It sure beats waking up in an airconditioned room with nothing to look forward too!

M is the name of a very cute child who was admitted to our facility on account of severe malnutrition. He has the most adorable set of eyes I have ever seen and a very trusting disposition. I became friends with him on his first day with us when he refused to take the F75 (therapeutic) milk we prescribed and only wanted the heavily ladened sugary beverage his grandmother offered him. It took several attempts but we convinced the grandma who believed that our milk was not sweet enough and M who had to be very hungry to drink the nutrient laden food. He has gone home having gained enough weight but I do miss him and of course the look and toothless smiles he gave me whenever I called his name.

I have gotten two marriage proposals here one from a man old enough to be my dad and one from our cook who is convinced I should be her daughterJ So if you hear I am married do not be surprised! (I am joking )

I have attached here pictures of one of the 3 main foods we eat here- Chapati. Our cook Q did not want her face to appear so all you can see are her hands as she rolls the dough into flat pieces and turns them on the coal burner.

We eat several types of food; Spaghetti, Rice, Ugali(made from corn flour) and Chapati almost every day. I love Chapati the best and dislike Ugali. I have made pancakes and Akara (bean cake) to vary the selection our cook offers. We eat these meals with the same soup- Potato soup with meat swimming in it.

I remember chatting with my brother last week and telling him that Camel meat was sold in our market but thank goodness I had not had any. If only I knewJ! Our cook had been supplying us little bits of meat boiled and lightly salted with every other meal, Can you guess what type of meat it was? CAMEL. I am thankful it was not SNAKE meat and now I can tell you that it really does not taste bad at all, I am actually looking forward to the next time we have it.

Work is great, I have moved into a larger tent so I can stand up straight and move around and I have a new tent mate-who is our new admin! She brought her skipping rope with her and started a garden of water melon, parsley and tomatoes. We water the garden daily and pray that we will eat at least a few melon and tomatoes before we leave.

The dust is still here, the heat goes up to 42Celsius mid day in our tents so you wont catch us in our tents until the cool of the evening. Work is great (have I said that before?:) and I am thankful I can do a lot and actually see results.

Thank you all for writing, I really appreciate it. Take care of yourselves and please do write me back! Mail is always welcome especially from you!

Have a lovely weekend!

Camels waiting their turn at the watering hole

Gathering building materials

Donkeys trucking in sticks used in building

Camels at the watering point

Balls of dough for chapati

Chapati on the coals

Chapati and Potato soup

Camp at night, my tent in the background

Donkey tanker

Rolling the dough for chapati

The waiting area at the health center being constructed