Nursing School Graduation Photos!

This morning was Nursing School Graduation for the eight 3rd year students, seven women and one man. It was held at the local church, during the morning service. Here are some photos!

Graduates entering the church doing the African shuffle to music.

Graduates sitting on the front row of the church.

Hospital Staff sang two songs during the graduation service.

American Professors in the Nursing School. I am on the far right.

 

African and American Professors at the Nursing School.

 

Graduate nurses and me.

 Today's Positives:
1. Graduation and the reception afterward both went well.
2. The Power point that I did for the graduation reception went ok.
3. After being on my feet much of the day until 2pm, my left leg swelled more than it had for awhile but this evening it is back to it's "normal". Thanks to my new recliner!



By the way, green is NOT my color. I know, I know, it's St Patrick's Day, right? And I even have a wee bit o Irish  blood in me but what can I say, I wore green because it was the chosen cloth of the graduates!
 

BBQ Dinner for Nursing Graduates!

The Senior class of Nursing Students that I teach will graduate tomorrow. Last evening we had a BBQ dinner. Here are a few photos:

Here is a photo of the graduates plus professors.

Today's Positives:
1. We had a fun BBQ dinner last night. Played the game Mafia and the students seem to really love it.

2. Tomorrow is Nursing School graduation. I need to bake a cake this morning for the reception tomorrow.
3. My computer had the BSOD (blue screen of death) again yesterday but I have been able to save my important files off of it. There is a visiting surgeon here in Africa who will return to the States next weekend. He will take my computer there for repairs. The repairs will be covered by a prepaid service agreement.  I do have a small Netbook that I will be able to use until my main laptop returns.

Thanks for visiting my blog.

My Ship Came In...!

I have lived and worked in Africa since 1977. Every few years I ship items from the States. Since I plan to leave Africa for in December 2014, for retirement, I do not need many things. I December though I shipped two cartons of items for me and two with things that the people had given me for the hospital.

I also "hand picked" a new recliner that actually FIT me. I went to Nebraska Furniture Mart in Omaha and sat in many chairs. Then I took the information down on the chair that fit me (high enough so I could get out of it, long enough for my long legs, high back for my head, etc). I emailed the chair information to my contact in Ohio. She then went to a store near the dock yards and ordered my chair. It arrived at that store THE DAY BEFORE our shipping container was going to be loaded!! WooHoo.
My shipment arrived in the capital city here and then was trucked down to the hospital where I live. I have had the things less than two weeks. It is SO nice having my new chair. Yipee!

Today's Positives:
1. Even though my computer is giving me problems (blue screen nearly every day), I have been able to save my documents off of it.
2. A visiting surgeon said that, if needed, he will transport my computer to the States in two weeks when he leaves. I am doing some troubleshooting yet. Please pray for wisdom as to if I should send my computer or not.
3. My computer's two year service agreement with the Geek Squad is still in effect until August so I will not have to pay for repairs, or replacement parts.  YES!
4. I FOUND my camera I had looked for since Saturday. YES!
5. My Ship came in! YES!

I hope you are having a good day. Stay well.

I Almost Fell TWICE!

Last weekend I went up into the attic to get some items. I came back down the stairs very carefully, taking one step at a time. I learned from my Physical Therapist that I first need to go UP with my good leg but DOWN with my bad. My broken but then operatued left leg would be my "bad" leg, even though my PT said it was "good" now!

 When I got to the next to the last step I went DOWN with my left leg but my foot SLIPPED off of the step and down onto the last step! The steps are made of wood, non carpeted. Remember, I live in Africa. I do not have carpet on my floors except a very large carpet piece in the living room. My stairs to the attic also do not have a railing and towards the bottom, there is nothing to grab onto. Although I came down hard on my left foot, it did not hurt my leg. I am very thankful that I did NOT then fall off of the last step an onto the floor! Praise the Lord!

Now for my second ALMOST fall. That was yesterday! I was making chili and beans to serve to company I was to have today. I  did not have enough tomatoes to put into my chili so I went to the local African store. It is a little "hole in the wall" sort of place. Does not have much in it. I went inside, found my tomatoes but wanted to look in the back of the store. I rarely go into this small store so I did not know that there was a fairly large step down to get to the back right of the store. There was very little light back there and so as I walked to the back I could not see the step that was there. Suddenly my right foot went 7-8 inches DOWN the step! This caused my left knee to BEND more than it has been bending for quite some time. I then lunged awkwardly towards a food stand, bumped my breast bone on it and then veered off toward the left where I was thrown onto a chest type freezer! I did not FALL down on the ground for which I was very thankful. I did cry out several times, right in front of the six or seven men who were chatting at the front of the store! I did recommend to the storekeeper that he put a light in the back area so the step would be visible.

I came home, finished up my chili and then sat for awhile after having taken some Ibuprofen. My right ankle was slightly twisted but it is fine today. My left knee ached a bit but was fine. Praise the Lord AGAIN that I did NOT fall down on the floor! There is no way that I would have been able to get up off the floor without help.

I walk so cautiously so I do not fall, like a snail or a tortoise. I usually do not take a step without looking where I plant my feet. In the past I exercised with Nordic Walking poles. I have decided though that it is too difficult for me to watch where I am planting my feet at the same time as I am using the poles. I plan to give my poles away.

The REST of Today's Positives:
1-3 found on my first blog of the day entitled "PhotoTour of the Hospital".
4. Both times that I slipped, I did NOT FALL to the Ground!
5. I did not hurt my KNEE when I slipped in that store yesterday.

Praise the Lord for his Protection! 

Photo Tour of the Hospital!

Nursing School where I work.

Patients waiting to pay at the cashier.

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View of Hospital in front of adult medical ward, looking toward the Nursing school

Hospital looking towards an outpatient area, Xray, Insurance and administration.

 Above is a photo tour of the Bongolo Hospital where I work.... on the equator of Africa. It is in the tropical rain forest.

Today's Positives:
1. I had no car trouble getting to church at the Nzoundou Chapel this morning, unlike last week when there was car trouble with two different cars so I didn't make it to church.
2. I had company for lunch today. Our pilot flew four visitors and a patient down so I had all six of them for chili over rice lunch. Two of the visitors knew me from speaking at their church in Ketchikan, Alaska 22 years ago! The Pastor was one of the visitors and he told me that people in their church had prayed for me every Saturday for the past 22 years. No wonder I have stuck out working in Africa for so many years!!!
3. Tonight friends are coming over to watch American Idol with me. Don't tell me what is going on with the show because we are several weeks behind the actual showing. I get my TV via satellite and through South Africa.

I hope you're having as nice a Sunday as I am.

One Year ago Tomorrow!

One year ago tomorrow, March 5th, I fell and broke my left knee and left wrist. Five surgeries on my leg and one on my wrist, over three and a half months in the hospital and rehabilitation center, prayers, phone calls, flowers, cards, emails, visitors, months living in a Senior housing "village" and various helpers later and I am BACK IN AFRICA! Praise the LORD for HIS healing! An emergency room doctor was recently here at the Bongolo Hospital and he was surprised that I was already back here, knowing about the injuries that I had had. Again, Praise the Lord!

My leg is doing well. I do not need to take anything for pain. I notice that the swelling in my leg has really decreased. I do not think that my knee bends any more than it did months ago but I'm learning to adapt. This week I was excited to receive the four cartons and the glider recliner chair that I had shipped from the States. I now have a chair that actually fits me, long enough to hold my long legs and high enough off the ground that I do not have to add a pillow to it to be able to get out of the chair. It is also comfortable.

I am enjoying ministry in both the Kanda Chapel and the Nzoundou Chapel. I alternate weeks with each congregation. At least I attempt to get to the villages. Yesterday Dr. Deborah Walker and I were going to Nzoundou for church. I had prepared the morning's message. First of all, my Nissan Patrol vehicle would not start because of a dead battery. Next we got into Deborah's vehicle, picked up our passenger and got to about a mile out of town when her car had a burnt smell. We were forced to return home. She is waiting for a part for her car but the one that came down from the capital city was the wrong part. Pray that Deb get the correct part to repair her car's fuel system. By the way, my car now has a new battery so next Sunday should be a go. We again plan to go to Nzoundou.

The Bongolo Hospital 3rd year Nursing students are taking Comprehensive Exams this week, Monday through Friday. Please pray that they do well in these tests. The graduation service for these students will be held at the Bongolo Alliance Church on Sunday morning, March 17th. Pray for those of us who are preparing for all the festivities as there is much to do before then. I am making a Power Point of their 29 months in school which will be shown at their reception following graduation. Below is a photo of me with the graduating class of 2013. 

Good News: During 2012 there were 1,517 people who prayed to accept Christ at Bongolo Hospital. These were outpatients, inpatients and family members. Monday through Friday the two Hospital Chaplains hold an evangelical service in the hospital waiting room. They also visit people in their rooms. Everyone is encouraged to share Christ with the patients. Two weeks ago I showed the film, "The Life of Jesus Christ" on the porch of the Maternity after which five women prayed to accept the Lord. Praise HIM. Continue to pray for Alida, the women who I've mentioned before. She watched about half of the film but she was not one who was present when the invitation to accept Christ was given.

Thanks so much for your prayers for me during this past year, a year of great trials but also a year of great VICTORIES!