Day Fourty-Nine

One of the main responsibilities of the volunteers here to keeping an eye on the health status of the kids. This week has been extra crazy as far as illness goes, filled with vomit, paracetamol, and many many trips to the clinic. I think I've cleaned more bodily fluid this week than I have in my entire life. As one of our fellow volunteers, Lauren, says "when it rains, it pours," which couldn't be more true of the sickness that's been passing through Christian Refuge. Zenabu, Rahael, Kwashi, Barbara, Mishek, Jonas, Ernestina, and Ezekiel have all been unhealthy with various problems and have acquired a mass of medicines which are imposing quite a challenge for us volunteers to keep up with.

Here's how a typical clinic visit goes:

1. Gather insurance cards and medical information for the given sick child.
2. Gather given sick child.
3. Escort given sick child to the clinic a little less than one mile away.
4. See the clinic receptionist grimace when she sees you because she knows you don't have an MOH card for your given sick child.
5. Wait for several hours with given sick child on your lap as all of Bawjiase's unwell wait to be seen by the one doctor.
6. Have given sick child diagnosed and prescribed at least four different questionable medicines, which the volunteer doctor at the volunteer house will promptly tell you are "rubbish" (he's Australian) once you arrive home.
7. Kindly thank the clinic staff and leave with given sick child.

Based on my obtained observances of clinic diagnoses, there is a 4 out of 5 chance that you or your child will be diagnosed with malaria. Have a fever? Malaria. Vomiting? Malaria. Strange bumps on foot? Rapid hair loss? Black tongue? Malaria.

Okay, that might be a bit of an exaggeration, but malarial meds do seem to be the Ghanaian cure-all for any sickness. It's kinda sketchy, but the kids always get better after a few days which gives me partial confidence in their effectiveness, but mainly testifies to the Lord's healing hand on our children here.

Lucky for you, neither Chelsea nor I documented any of the sicknesses this week, so instead I will now insert this picture which is slightly irrelevant to this specific post but does capture the essence of daily life here.



In other news, have you Americans heard about our latest lost to the fantastic Ghanaian Black Stars football team? We certainly have. Worldcup fever is raging strong here. It's super fun to squeeze into the crowded orphanage foyer amidst dozens of eyes glued to the tiny screen. I've never realized the drama of a soccer game until viewing matches with such passionate fans. All of Bawjiase, and probably all of Ghana, shuts down to watch the Ghana matches. Wednesday for the match against some European country which I can't recall the name of right now, Chels and I painted Ghana flags and black stars on the kids' faces in support of the game that evening... unfortunately they last that one. Defeat hung in the air for several days here and discouraged any hopes of winning "against Obama" this past Saturday. So when the Black Stars victory was finalized all of Ghana burst into cheers. People danced in the streets, gave away free stuff, and partied like maniacs all night long. So fun! We're looking forward to the match against Uruguay this Friday. GOOOOO GHANA!



Can you believe Chelsea and I only have eight days left? We certainly can't. We are both excited about coming home and seeing people we love, but saying goodbye to our sweet sweet friends here is going to be very hard. Please be praying for a good last week and for continued protection over Chelsea and I's and the kids' health.

love love love,
Chelsea and Megan