Update!

March 24, 2011 UPDATE from Carolyn!

March 24, 2011

Thanks for your prayers for the Bongolo Hospital Nursing School. This past quarter I taught the Pharmacology course. The students just finished their second full quarter of classes and I am happy to report that all eleven students passed and will be admitted into the third quarter of classes. They are now on a one week vacation before classes resume again on Monday, March 28th. I will not be teaching a class to students nurses during the third quarter.

I had been teaching two new Nurses (Annushka and Martine) a one year course in Midwifery but this third quarter of classes we now have an additional student, Dina. Dina's husband was just transferred to the Bongolo Hospital Surgery Residency program from one that closed down in the Cameroon. Dina was already a nurse with experience in Maternity but she had had no additional classes in Midwifery. Annushka, Martine and Dina are doing well with their classes. They will finish third trimester theory on April 14th except for a term paper "care study" that will be due before the end of May. I will teach Dina the first two quarters of material this summer. Pray that the three nurses get good learning experiences in during their clinical work.

A month ago I became the Bongolo Hospital Bookkeeper again, after a break of two years. Until this week I did not have time to actually work in that office but my African helper, Christine, and I have worked every day this week and it's going smoothly.

I continue to attend church at Nzoundou Chapel, the next small village out the back road from Lebamba where the Bongolo Hospital is located. From our high of 94 people who attended for the Christmas service with following meal, the chapel is back down to having about 40+ each Sunday morning. An African couple, Felix and Adele, go with me each Sunday. Between Felix, Adele and the village nurse, Parfait, we four take turns giving the Sunday message.

Thanks for your prayers.

Blessings,
Carolyn

Visiting Hope House!

I drove up to Libreville on Friday to do some bookkeeping this next week.  There is an Alliance Orphanage here called Hope House. Most of my colleagues have visited there but yesterday was my first visit. The 30 kids live in this temporary home, awaiting construction of their new home.



I went with others. Upon arrival, some of the kids were finishing their spaghetti lunch. We got lots of hugs as the kids were so excited to see us.



I did not get to meet their "house parents" as they were out for the day but I did get to meet a young man who lives in the house and helps out with the kids.

A few of the kids tried to teach me a game with my hands, I'll call it "patty cake" but I had really no ideas who's hand to "slap" and when. I guess I won the game though because they told me so!



I gave an impromptu English class to about a half dozen kids, mostly teens.

We were at the orphanage about two hours. It was fun.These kids are getting a solid Christian upbringing.
I'm glad I got to go and I would go back if given the chance.