Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Trip Up Country

Everyone likes pictures. This was a great time of relaxation and having restful fun. Here is my time Up Country in Kibuye.

Took the 3 hour trip up with the first graduating class of medical students from HAU. What a blast!!! I was squished in a van with 20 college students who were so very excited. Silliness included, dedicating songs to random people, making phone calls to family members, singing along into the water bottle mic, teasing me for my Mzungu ness, and much dancing.


Here is my seat buddy after the trip was over.


What the students came to do.


Dinner one night, chili and popcorn. Suffering in Africa for Jesus ;)


Had to make a few stops along the way to a clinic for Dr. Ogden and Dr. Trotter to help at. We are dropping off some patients who needed extra care at the Catholic hospital.


Got stuck on the way. Children came out of no where to help out.


While the doctors were busy we women went to the maternity ward to hold some babies!


This mother just had the baby 10 hours before! I was shocked too. She was so happy to let me hold her baby. I was grateful.


Then we went up to the secondary school to check it out. These students are studying for an exam.


This is the kitchen where all the food is prepared for the students. Mom I thought you would enjoy a shot of this.


The man in the red was is the principal of the school and invited me back again. That would be great, please Lord.



This is the kitchen in which they made lunch.
We were then given a feast to thank the doctors for coming. In the 3 hours we were there together they saw over 60 patients. This clinic doesn’t have any doctors so patients that need a doc have to wait or travel to another clinic.


The doctor’s thank you gift for serving at the hospital. It was living when we got it but here Ezekiel is preparing it for us.


A hike up the mountain early one morning. Kibuye means rock…there were lots of rocks at the top.


Giant moth found in Carol’s yard. Any thoughts on what kind it is?



travel buddy looking sharp (Burundians don’t normally smile for pictures, so it’s not because she is upset with me, it’s a sign of respect)





I told them this was a Mzungu shot and they should smile, well some did.
This is part of the student group. These are the ones that played volleyball with me. So much fun!!!
I will miss them back at campus. They are in training for 3-4 weeks.


Don this pic is for you and Stuart. He is carving this log with a machete. Super manly

I was picked up from Kibuye and taken to some friends’ house for the night. The day before I left the wife came over to make sure I was still going. Before she left she leaned over and said, “Are you sure, African style”. I told her I was sure. When we got to their house and she was helping me wash my hands in a bucket she again leaned over and said, “I told you, African style.” We had a great Burundi meal. And then off to bed. In the morning they put me in a taxi and sent me on my way. It was great to be in a house for a night.
The taxi driver was great. He wasn’t crazy at passing other cars! That was nice. He didn’t speak any English but he had a CD with English. That was very nice of him to think of me but the music was terrible. Where do these Burundians get this American music that is junk. I know that it was not his favorite music or the other three Burundians in the car but I have to hand it to them for their hospitality even if all 5 of us hated the songs.

2 comments:

  1. Love the pictures. Someone has to split the wood to keep the fire going to cook the food. So much harder than we have it but it would be fun.
    You dinner of chili and popcorn. No veggie or fruit?
    You look great with that wrap. That color really suits you. You look very happy. Hope your heart is also.

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  2. too funny about the music- what a great trip and experience!

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