Friday, February 18, 2011
Thursday, February 17, 2011
More Nathan
Nathan is still in the teaching hospital in Lusaka. He is not on a ventilator, but was intubated. His arms are contracting and his breathing is very shallow. These are both signs of more brain damage. No doctor seems to want to take care of him, because becoming a doctor in Zambia, is normally a power and money move, not because they actually want to help people. So, since he presented a head trauma, no one wanted that responsibility, and they continue to pass him off through departments. He needs a miracle now. His little body cannot handle much more. Please pray for wisdom for Dorothy-the founder of the school, peace for his family, and for the other little boy who was there when the accident took place. It is a tough, tough situation right now.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Today's Update on Nathan
Nathan still remains in critical condition. He has been intubated to assist his breathing but cannot be put on a respirator since there are no pediatric ventilators at UTH, the "main" hospital in Zambia. We have also learned that Zambian neurosurgeons do not operate on head traumas so the pain and swelling in his little head will not be surgically relieved. We do believe in miracles and ask that you continue to pray for his complete healing
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
UPDATE ON NATHAN BANDA
I just spoke with Morgan on the phone, and she asked that I update you on the situation with the little boy who was hit by a car in the Lusaka area today....
- Surgery (stitching up the back of his head) is completed; unfortunately he began convulsing during surgery and is running a high fever now. He is bleeding in his brain. Twelve hours after the accident, he has not yet been seen by a neurologist.
- Pray that a neurologist will see him soon and prescribe treatment needed to turn around this difficult situation.
Please Pray
Today started off with Janet receiving a call that a young boy from the school we've been working at was hit by a car this morning. He's just 6 years old and has some major head trauma. He was first taken to the clinic in Chainda (the community the school is in) and then had to be taken to the hospital in Lusaka. His name is Nathan Banda and he was a new student at the school. Sweet boy even had on his new uniform blue shirt. There's so much more to catch you guys up on, but this is the most important part..so please remember him today and the rest of the week as he undergoes surgery and whatever other care will be needed.
The rest of the past couple of days have been a blurrrr. Yesterday was Valentine's Day here in Zambia too!! Flowers and huge heart balloons are everywhere and they even have cards for "your sexy wife." It was another great day, but for sure an emotionally taxing one. We got up and went to pick up Janet's old landlord, Mrs. Sibalwa, and then headed to the school that Mercy Ministries runs for the community of Chainda. This community is extremely impoverished. The majority of people living there make a living by breaking rocks...its pretty crazy. From little bitty kids to very old women spend all day just...breaking rocks. Its heartbreaking. We spent the morning taking out some more food to some of the people who are sick that Mercy Ministries works with. My car went to 5 different families: one man was blind, one woman was very sick with TB, one man was crippled, one woman had a stroke and was still very sick, and the last had several health issues including diabetes. The AIDS rate in Chainda especially is extremely high and that is what causes a lot of infections to become far more severe. Each of these people were so sweet, and their words encouraged me more than I think anything I did really helped them. Just being with these people up close and personal opened up my eyes to things that I've seen in Haiti, and I had seen on every infomercial asking for money for Africa, but really sitting down and talking with them about their situation was so very very different. It just a completely opposite world. I don't even know how to accurately describe it. Pictures will do it more justice, but it takes far too long to upload them here so you'll have to wait for me to be back in the states for those.
We went back to the school after delivering the food and I got to help pass out the new uniforms that Christ United Methodist Church had sent over on a container. The kids were so excited to get clothes and shoes! Definitely an 11 on the 1-10 cute factor. They were so fun!! Pictures of those to come too :) After that we headed back to the house.
Then there's today. Today started with sweet Nathan's accident. He's in the youngest class and I can't imagine how he must feel right now. When it happened, his friend was with him and was taken to the clinic also. When the friend came back to the school he just looked so traumatized and oh his face just broke my heart into a thousand pieces. He traveled back home with his family, and Nathan's family headed to the hospital, along with Janet and Dorothy who runs the school. After that was handled, Jessica and I headed to the grade 1 class to watch their science lesson. They were learning the names of insects in English..so funny! They're all just so sweet!! Ok anyway, we just hung out with the kids around break time and helped a couple of the teachers. Lots of other little details, but I have limited time!! The rest, and the pictures of the kids who swarmed me when they saw my camera, will for sure go up when I get back!! Miss you all! Thank you so much for your thoughts and prayers!
The rest of the past couple of days have been a blurrrr. Yesterday was Valentine's Day here in Zambia too!! Flowers and huge heart balloons are everywhere and they even have cards for "your sexy wife." It was another great day, but for sure an emotionally taxing one. We got up and went to pick up Janet's old landlord, Mrs. Sibalwa, and then headed to the school that Mercy Ministries runs for the community of Chainda. This community is extremely impoverished. The majority of people living there make a living by breaking rocks...its pretty crazy. From little bitty kids to very old women spend all day just...breaking rocks. Its heartbreaking. We spent the morning taking out some more food to some of the people who are sick that Mercy Ministries works with. My car went to 5 different families: one man was blind, one woman was very sick with TB, one man was crippled, one woman had a stroke and was still very sick, and the last had several health issues including diabetes. The AIDS rate in Chainda especially is extremely high and that is what causes a lot of infections to become far more severe. Each of these people were so sweet, and their words encouraged me more than I think anything I did really helped them. Just being with these people up close and personal opened up my eyes to things that I've seen in Haiti, and I had seen on every infomercial asking for money for Africa, but really sitting down and talking with them about their situation was so very very different. It just a completely opposite world. I don't even know how to accurately describe it. Pictures will do it more justice, but it takes far too long to upload them here so you'll have to wait for me to be back in the states for those.
We went back to the school after delivering the food and I got to help pass out the new uniforms that Christ United Methodist Church had sent over on a container. The kids were so excited to get clothes and shoes! Definitely an 11 on the 1-10 cute factor. They were so fun!! Pictures of those to come too :) After that we headed back to the house.
Then there's today. Today started with sweet Nathan's accident. He's in the youngest class and I can't imagine how he must feel right now. When it happened, his friend was with him and was taken to the clinic also. When the friend came back to the school he just looked so traumatized and oh his face just broke my heart into a thousand pieces. He traveled back home with his family, and Nathan's family headed to the hospital, along with Janet and Dorothy who runs the school. After that was handled, Jessica and I headed to the grade 1 class to watch their science lesson. They were learning the names of insects in English..so funny! They're all just so sweet!! Ok anyway, we just hung out with the kids around break time and helped a couple of the teachers. Lots of other little details, but I have limited time!! The rest, and the pictures of the kids who swarmed me when they saw my camera, will for sure go up when I get back!! Miss you all! Thank you so much for your thoughts and prayers!
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Recap so far!
Well, I've been in Zambia for a day and a half now! I landed at 6:50 yesterday, and spent a long time waiting to get through customs, but once that was done, the fun started! Janet and Jessica picked me up and we headed to the guest house were staying in right now to drop off my bags. Then breakfast, and I caught a not so quick nap in hopes my body would adjust to the time change...I'm closer now but not completely there yet. (Its an 8 hour difference from Memphis.) After I woke up we headed out to see some friends of Janet who live in a community called South Jack. The crazy thing about Lusaka is that downtown, it looks very very western--there's even a new mall WITH AN ESCALATOR! haha, but once you get just out of downtown..its a completely different world. There's just really no middle class here. The upper-business class lives and works downtown, and the rest are in deep poverty. Its heartbreaking. Anyyyway, South Jack is one of these small communities outside of the city. We visited with them for a few hours and I had a great time meeting their family. After that, Janet decided I needed time to rest again so we fixed dinner at the house, and I was in bed by 8:30. I slept awesome until 2:30..then I was wide awake. I meant that's dinner time in Memphis!! I finally fell asleep a couple of hours later, and woke up in time to get ready for church this morning.
The church service was incredible!! We went out to another community called Kanyama to attend service and deliver food. When I get back to the states, I'll add some pictures and videos of the service and that community. It was so awesome!! Now we're at lunch just hanging out. Any post I get up while I'm here won't be too detailed, but I'll for sure give some more stories when I get back! So for now..just day to day happenings in Lusaka. Can't wait to see what's next!
The church service was incredible!! We went out to another community called Kanyama to attend service and deliver food. When I get back to the states, I'll add some pictures and videos of the service and that community. It was so awesome!! Now we're at lunch just hanging out. Any post I get up while I'm here won't be too detailed, but I'll for sure give some more stories when I get back! So for now..just day to day happenings in Lusaka. Can't wait to see what's next!
Friday, February 11, 2011
London to Lusaka
Well, I've been in the London airport for a while now, and I've slept a ton! Not enough to feel rested, which is good because I need to sleep on my next flight to get my body better adjusted to time change. This airport is crazy! I wouldn't say its made for people on long trips who are sleepy, more for the shoppers who are traveling. My last flight was a little crazy. We hit some pretty strong winds over the atlantic and it got a little scary for a while, but I made it back down to the ground in one piece! Once we got to the airport guess what I got to do again...Go through security! Good grief these airports are too secure! Anyway, now I'm waiting to find out what gate I need to be at in a few hours. Its only 9:18 in Memphis, but here its 3:18. My body has some catching up to do. I can't figure out my travel adapter so this post has to be short, sweet, and to the point. I'm not sure if I'll be able to post anything else until I get back to London, but if that's the case, my mom will put up little blurbs I send her while I'm gone. Please pray for a smoother flight to Lusaka, and that I'll be so exhausted I'll just pass out the whole way!
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