March 22, 2015 - Shelley

March 22, 2015

What a good week!  We were able to communicate with all of our children and many friends this week – and it has been such a boost of encouragement to us!  You are all such a blessing in our lives!

Well, I think we all have at times felt like we were standing among giants, figuratively speaking.  And this happened to us this week.  Clark and I were invited to attend the organizing meeting for Operation Smile.  This campaign is a pilot program for them, as it is a deviation from repairing cleft palates and lips.  Many women of Africa and other developing countries face grim circumstances when it comes to medical care when delivering babies.  As I spoke of last week, the patients for this pilot program are all suffering from obstetric fistulas and have been here for about a week.  This time has been spent in trying to build their strength for surgery.  The doctors and nurses arrived at the end of the week, and surgery begins today.

About 30 men and women, each with an expertise and willingness to serve, met to discuss the schedule for the coming week.  I was simply awestruck at their qualifications and their dedication to use those talents to benefit the needy.  Most of them have been on many, many OS campaigns.  Most of the doctors and nurses didn’t know each other.  Most were from the United States and Africa.  We listened to one doctor from a rural village tell how he is so grateful to be able to learn from these experienced doctors and to finally be able to help the women in his village.   Other than performing surgeries, the doctors and nurses will train local medical personnel.  The long-range dream is to take the Sendwe Hospital, which is a dying dinosaur but was once magnificent, and turn it into a fistula hospital.  There are currently two other fistula hospitals in Africa, one in Ethiopia and the other in either Ghana or Uganda – can’t remember.

The photo above shows the run-down conditions of the outside and the inside is just the same – kind of like an old, black and white, scary movie.  There is a capacity for 1,200 beds, but only 600 are there now – and very few of those are being used.  The great news is that a completely new operating suite was donated recently.  OS was the first to use it last fall when they were here.

This looks very out-of-place – so much so that it’s almost surreal when you see it.

We had a fun experience when we took the three senior sisters with us to visit the patients.  

Sister Vance who is from Canada is such an outgoing, fun gal!  The ladies were fascinated with her long hair.  She was a good sport to let them braid it.

They were also interested in Clark’s LACK of hair and he had a good time teasing with them!

Of course, all of this was done without speaking a single word that anyone could understand.  Most of the village ladies speak Tshiluba (sp?) – and our French didn’t help with anyone except one OS nurse from France.  Even that was very SKETCHY!!!! Haha

We’ve been studying our French in the evenings using a program on the computer called Fluenze.  It’s helped us a lot, but someone told us that the only way to really learn is to speak it.  SOOO- I got really brave one day last week.

We took Odette (school director) and her daughter Mire shopping for school uniform fabric.  Their school will be receiving sewing machines as a part of one of our projects – and their “buy-in” is to make uniforms for their students who can’t afford them.

Anyway, while at the store, I saw some fabric I needed for a little “P-day” project I’m working on.  So I told the clerk in my very best French that I wanted one meter of this fabric.  He gave me a funny look and promptly put the bolt of fabric back on the shelf!!!  So much for that.  Haha     C’est la vie!

In project news, eight of the bunk beds were delivered to Fifi’s orphanage.  The

mattresses for them sure reminded me of “The Princess and the Pea”.  Fifi and the girls were so appreciative!

We ate out at the zoo restaurant with Dr. and Sister Mikesell, and Sisters Vance, Anthony and Cook.  Yummy!

March is a big birthday month in our family.  Our son-in-law Scott (Emily’s husband) has a birthday on the 26th –  Happy Birthday, Scooter!!!!  

I wanted to end with a picture of this beautiful woman who is awaiting surgery this week.  She is so radiant and lovely.  We are being blessed in so many ways by living among such humble, courageous, faithful people!  Enjoy the week!  We love you!    Love,  Mom/Soeur Davis

p.s.  Welcome home, Cannons!!!!!  We will really miss your weekly letters!  We are so very proud of you!