catchup on the last few days

It is Friday in Burkina. We decided to give the team a break and go to the animal preserve today. We will have a clinic day at Kingrea on Saturday. Message to Father Monk. Do not forget, Houston Airport, Monday. I am the person that Father Ed mentioned as being sick. Got a mild case of school, the French Drs DECIDED the wanted to keep me overnight, because I was so pale and had a strange orange tint. I tried to explain that it was all the years of drug use (chemo) that caused it, but I'm do not think they belived me. Pastor Ram brought my meds from my room so I could show them to the Drs. He also picked up a large bottle of painkillers that was brought for use in the clinic. The Dr. looked at the bottle and thought they had a major addict on their hands. I quickly tried to explain, it was for the clinics. Dr. Kingman finally arrived, and they Believed him better than they did me. All my time in different hospitals, I do not think I ever had my Dr. (Bob in this case) spend the night in the hospital bed next to me.


When we arrived at the airport a christian lady who is a police office came to the airport and helped us through customs. Saved us a lot of time. When she found out I was sick and she came with me all set Thursday morning.


Enough about me. Wendesday and Thursday the team went to Zabre and set up a clinic in Ram Zango's school there. They helped a lot of sick people. Despite the bad luck with tires it was reported to me that the road to Zabre was much improved. Last year the last half of the trip was a series of potholes with dirt around them for good measure.


Celine, the head nurse at Yagmar, that we worked with last year, is still here. She also traveled with the team to Zabre. Bob has nicknamed her St. Celine.


The picture posted Father Ed is a restaurant that we went to last night. The structures are made to look like a dwelling that the Sahara nomads use. The floor was actual sand brought in from the Sahara. The food was great, but expensive.



We are waiting for the team to return, John & I Remained behind to rest. John is a little under the weather, but doing ok.

Pictures from Saturday through Tuesday

A high 5

everyone wants to be first

We feed all the villagers that came to the clinic at Yagmar. Here are the cooks working in the kitchen.

Dr. Dale and Lisa hard at work.

Next patient please.

A new med student we met at church.

They are barely awake, but unfortunely I wasnot. Funny sermons tend to have the same effect at St. John's.

Estimated attendance @3,000.

After 2 hours of preaching, even the choir gets tired.

What do you mean by jetlag?

Snow in Paris

What's going on in Burkina Faso???

I am writing on behalf of our mission team in Burkina Faso, as I received the following text from Eddie Hambrick today: "Wireless down for third day in a row. Please put entry on blog as to why we are not making entries."

Since their last post on Monday, the team has been busy.

On Monday and Tuesday, the team worked in Yagmar village just outside of the capital city of Ouagadougou. On Wednesday and Thursday, the team worked in the distant village of Zabre, which although only about 135 km (80 miles) away, takes about three hours travel time each way, unless you have two flat tires at two different times (like the team did yesterday) and then it takes a lot longer.

Since I am not there, I do not know all the details of the days, but I do know that with that much medical talent and love available the team has been able to do a great deal for the people of Burkina Faso.

I can tell you that the team has had some interesting days (and nights) which are all in some way part of the unique experience of travelling to the third poorest country in the world.

Upon arrival they discovered that the MasterCard system was down across the entire country, and thus they were unable to access a great portion of the funds they needed for the trip. This, in turn led to the "suspicious" use of another bankcard and a hold being placed on that card. Many calls back and forth in America later, several large currency exchanges, and three or four trips and calls to Western Union, the team is fully funded and doing well.

As with all things Africa, one has to remember the motto "TIA-This is Africa" and be ready for the unexpected, and to do what the Lord has in store. After a few modifications of duty, everyone is serving well in their capacity, and is making a difference.

And then, some ne'er-do-wells decided that the luggage of some of the team members would make an exciting souvenir from America, and took them. Nothing irreplaceable was lost, no one was hurt, and the thieves at least had the common courtesy to deposit the victim's passports in the alley so that the gendarmes could easily retrieve and return them to their rightful owners.

To top it all off, one of the team members came down with a little "food poisoning" (no amoebas, no parasites, no malaria), got dehydrated and spent the night in the French clinic, and the next day under the careful supervision of one of the team physicians, and we can now report a full recovery.

Tomorrow, the team is off again to work in the fields of the Lord providing medical care for those in need. Given all that is happened, I expect that they will see a miracle in some form or fashion then.

Saturday will be an R&R day, with some animal watching and shopping. Soon, we hope, they will be able to blog for themselves again.

And just in case you were wondering whether this trip is like the moon landing to conspiracy theorists, I am including a picture of them in a local eatery.

Till the next report,

Fr. Ed Monk

Check out the Day 1 team report from our group in Burkina Faso

http://stjohnscorsicana.blogspot.com/2010/01/monday-clinic-day-at-yagmar.html

Monday, Clinic Day at Yagmar

Day one at the clinic at Yagmar was both tiring and fulfilling. We were greated by at least 100 people waiting to be seen by the Doctor, mostly mothers and young children. Lots of babies. Rev. Ram Zango has built a new clinic building at Yagmar and we had the honor of opening the building. Instead of 3 small rooms we were cramped in last year, we had 7 large rooms to use. Dr. Campbell and Dr. Johnston each set up in an exam room. Nurse Rose Rash with the help of Russell Reed, set up in the old clinic to do wound care. Our other 3 nurses, Bonnie Walker, Lisa Henderson, and Audrey Reed helped the two Doctors along with Jonathan Towles our Paramed. Rose a veteran of last year reported that the people we saw were sicker this year. A good reason for us to be here. John McClung the offical head of the Pharmacie de St. Jean, set up our meds with the help of Helen Albritton and Kenny Hinshaw. We saw people from 9:30 in the morning until 5 pm without stopping. Everyone was very tired.
Dr. Kingman and Dr. Branch whet with local Doctors to a hospital in Ouadougou. They did not do or assist in any surguries today. Tomorrow, Dr. Kingman will join us in the village clinic and Dr. Branch will go back to the hospital.
Our group has been joined by two missionaries from Togo. Matt Miller and Mark, whose last name I forget. Those of you that know me will be supprised that I remembered that much of their names. They have been very helpful, along with throwing in and being full members of the team, they speak very good French.
I typing this at midnight and yy roommate Kenny Hinshaw when asked it he had a comment said I' tired, but it's a good kind of tired.
Sorry, I could not get pictures to download tonight.

Eddie Hambrick

Hello from Burkina Faso. We are here and at last have time for a blog entry. We were delayed 2 hours flying out of Houston because of weather in Paris. When we got to Paris they were having snow. After a 6 hour layover in Paris we set at the gate for an hour before taking off. Arriving late in Burkina we did not get in our rooms untill midnight.

Up again at 6 am to get ready for church, it's jetlag city man.

Church was wounderfull, we got there after they had started and we were paraded through the front of the church to our seats up front. The worst thing about being late is that we missed the childrens choir. This was the largest church we have visited in Burkina, estimated attendance was 3,000. We all got up in front so they could pray for us. Every team member was introduced. It's pretty cool having 3,000 people cheer for you.

Sunday afternoon, after a good nap, we had a planning meeting to get ready for Monday when the real work will start. Monday morning Dr. Kingman and Dr. Branch will go to the large public hospital here in the capital city, to help the surgial staff there. Dr. Campbell and Dr. Johnston and the rest of the team will go to Yagmar. A poor village on the edge of Ouagoudou. We will set up a free clinic for the villagers there. Some of the team will make water filter systems for the school and clinic in Yagmar.

All fot tonight, Kenny is allready sleeping. We will try to post pictures tomorrow. No time tonight.



Yours in Christ,

Eddie Hambrick

T-minus one day

Tomorrow, the team leaves for Burkina. First to Houston, then to Paris, then to Ouagadougou. About 30 hours total including an 8 hour layover in Paris. Next report from Ouagadougou.

Getting ready to leave

The 2010 team is getting ready to leave for Burkina Faso on Friday, January 8th. Watch for more updates soon!