Hodi! Tanzania

Journal Entry - Josh

Date: Sunday June 17, 2007
I was told by someone at home that I needed to write more…for some reason I haven’t really felt that culture shock that everyone was talking about…and I guess that is part of the reason I haven’t had much to say…When I first started this project…I began to prepare for the unexpected…I wanted to arrive here with no idea what to expect…I think that might have been a contributing factor to my lack of culture shock… I came here not knowing what to expect and I know I will be leaving here knowing so much more… Not only about another country with a culture vastly different from my own…but about myself…the things this team of mzungus has accomplished is amazing…

From the Health Clinic where Rob and Kate had to make some tough medical decisions and second-guess, not only themselves, but the doctors as well in order to save a life. I know you to will make excellent nurses in the real world…And we can’t forget the other nursing students like Chelsea and Jess…who are putting their educations to the test when they assist Doctor Godlove. You guys are experiencing things that other nursing students can’t even imagine.

Then we look at the environmental group. Together with Quinn’s testing of the water for bacteria and pathogens, and the research done by John, Mo, and Evan about composting, this community will have many safe years of drinking water now that this idea and technology has been introduced to them. Lets not forget the work on the running track for the secondary school. I have to say guys…as hard of work as that was…I enjoyed every second of it working with you two…I hope the community uses buttercup for years to come.

Lets not forget the education group. Stacy and Bianca, I know your filing system will be something the school uses to keep students organized as well as have backups for emergencies. And Professors Lewis and Susan, I hope the traits you taught the Secondary School faculty gives them the ability to teach students how to become great members of society. Also the work Nicole, Karen and Chris have done with putting in windows will benefit the community and make for a more comfortable abode for the students of Secondary School.

Moriah, the work you have done with the building of the new dispensary for the Secondary School will be something they will look at and use for years to come and remember how that Master of Architecture from America showed them how the job was done right. Lets not forget Kim. Your assistance with the computers at the school is something this community needed greatly. You efforts will allow this community to take steps in learning arts that are necessary for living in this ever-progressing world, that even confuses me.

And last but certainly not least, Jay. Jay you have been an inspiration to me. I have always been interested in photography and I have to say watching you in action has only furthered that. Always ready with your two six shooters at your sides and the occasional Chinese camera, you move through Pommern like you weren’t even Mzungu… Sometimes I don’t even see you standing behind a crowd of townspeople until I see the unmistakable flash of the “Jay shot”. I hope I can be half the photographer you are sometime so I can capture every moment of life forever on my really expensive camera some day. I guess through writing this entry I realized what I was looking for. That the world needs more dedicated people to heal us, educate us, and inspire us to make the world a better place. Tanzania team 2007 thank you for showing me what “extraordinary people” look like.

-Josh

How We Have Helped

6/17/07 Our last days in Pommern and our first days home… Chelsie wants to learn more about the diagnosing and treatments used in Pommern and will be eating Velveeta and hot dogs as her first meal in the states. Evan misses American food. Bianca wants to finish filing and organizing forms for the school and will be in bed watching a House marathon when she gets home. Kate would like to finish labeling medicine bottles for the clinic and is excited to get ahold of some books she would like to read. Stacey would also like to complete the filing for the school and plans on cuddling and eating steak, veggies and mashed potatoes when she gets home. Jay is looking forward to the interviews he has scheduled and misses his family. Jess would like to see all of our projects get completed and misses her family, friends, country music, and whole milk. Nicole plans to talk to more of the students and work on the career development corner in the library. What she misses most are The Daily Show, grilled cheese sandwiches and cuddling with her cats. Chris feels like he has accomplished what he came for and misses talking to his father most. John would like to know that at least one Tanzanian has used a composting toilet before we leave, and misses hot running showers that don’t involve a bucket. Moriah would like to discuss her master planning ideas with the head master of the secondary school, and she misses her parents and pizza most. Maureen would like to see 5 trees donated to the school and misses rollerblading. Quinn wants to spend at least one day in the clinic and plans on calling her family, taking the longest shower of her life and grilling a steak when she gets home.

Journal Entry - John

Friday, June 14, 2007
It has been a long time since I wrote in this journal and so much has happened. We arrived in Pommern as people described and got to work on our assigned projects. Evan, Josh and I have been working hard on improving the sporting grounds and getting them ready for use in inter-town and school athletic competitions to begin in July. We have almost fully completed a 400-meter track built from scratch and have made a soccer net for one of their goals.

Since their projects are nearing completion and time is running out, we have turned our focus to the issue that we chose to take on and try to come up with a sustainable solution to waste management. Evan being in the environmental group and I in the economic sustainability group have chosen a project that that addresses both areas.

A major problem in Pommern is waste management: the system they use right now is to build a building over a hole in the ground and use it as a toilet until it fills. They then cement over it and build a new one. This is not only gross but very bad for the soil and water supply near by. Another problem they have is with the use of fertilizers. Not only are they expensive but the rain washes a lot of the chemicals into the water supply making it unsafe to drink.

Our solution: COMPOSTING

Before the trip I did some research on composting and specifically the composting of human waste. I brought with me all of that information and instructions on how to implement it. Not only will this give an alternative to burying the waste in the ground but it will create an inexpensive and all-organic fertilizer for the town to use along with the rest of the environment group. Nicole, Margaret (our local environmental expert), Evan and I met with the upendo women's group today to present our materials and get their suggestions on how it might be best to implement something like this. The meeting was very successful and the women all agreed that composting is a great idea. There was a little snag through when using human waste was suggested. I guess people didn’t like the idea of carrying their poop out back in a bucket and dumping it in a big pile, go figure.

As weird as that may sound, it is a common practice in many third world countries and when done correctly really isn’t all that gross. We have scheduled another larger scale town wide meeting for Sunday after church and hope to gain more support there.

In other news Chris, Josh, ay and I taught 6-8 of the local students how to play American football last night. It was a great time and they were surprisingly good although they had some issues with throwing form and not throwing it again once they caught it. They were all very good at kicking though.

Now it's really late and everyone else in sleeping so lala salama and tutaoonoana Boadai.

-John

Journal Entry - Kate

June 12, 2007
Wednesday
The only way that I can describe today is peaceful and eerily quiet. After living in a house with 20 people for over a week, some alone time is something to be yearned for. This house may be large, but sharing 1 ½ semi-functional bathrooms and a dining room table which always seems to be missing one chair, we have all gotten a little close for comfort at times. Most of the group made a voyage to Iringa today to write emails and do research, and buy more essential supplies like Pringles and Nutella. Meanwhile, Mo, Quinn, Chris, Moriah and I stayed, along with Susan and Lewis. Chris and I unintentionally slept in for most of the morning, because there was no ruckus in the house to wake us up like usual. Mo and Quinn went on an adventurous walk past the Roman catholic church and saw some newborn puppies along the way.

We all met up for lunch, and this time I actually got some watermelon, which is usually long gone before I get to the table. After lunch Chris and I went down to the school to track down our Tanzanian painting compadres and we painted one classroom. At 2:30 all of us headed to the library for a discussion on the seven laws of teaching headed by none other then mama Susan. The local teachers and students joined in the discussion enthusiastically and described to us the national disease that is mathematics. After the class we went back up to the mission house to enjoy our last moments in a quiet house. Once the crew returned it would be dinner, and time for our nightly meeting, and of course back to fighting over the limited fruit and working toilets.

-Kate

Journal Entry - Stacey

June 11, 2007
Monday
It’s Monday and we are beginning another service week. Today I woke up sick and not feeling so great, still I woke up and headed off to continue painting the classrooms with Karen, Maureen, and Bianca, who joined us after she was done at the clinic. Kate, Rob, Jess, and Chelse also went to the clinic for the baby-weighing day. Chris and Nicole continued to replace windows. Moriah and Kim went to the new dispensary to continue with the construction. Evan, John, and Josh were at the playground working on the track. By the end of the morning we completed the two classrooms we began on Wednesday, but we soon learned that we had a few more classrooms to go. After a very needed nap, Nicole, Bianca, Kim and I headed to meet with Mr.Wilbert (headmaster) to discuss education needs at the secondary school. I am really excited about the projects that we discussed and I am looking forward to begin working on them.

After our meeting we went to the soccer field to watch the guys, Haran, and the villagers play soccer, and I am sad to say that the mzungus lost. Tonight we had a real good discussion after dinner. Many people had thoughts and feelings to share with the group. I am very happy that we are able to express how we feel in a civil, mature and positive way. So the lights will be out soon, and I guess I should go to bed. Tomorrow some of us will be going to Iringa, and the rest will continue doing their service projects.

-Stacey.

Images of Pommern

                          

Images from our last four days of service. By Jay Ericson

How We Have Helped

6/15/07

Quinn- repaired windows and attended female health forum

Maureen- repaired windows and attended female health forum

Bianca- Home visit (helped a family collect their pepper crop and clean rice)

Josh- found hinges for the composting toilet

Karen- repaired windows and attended female health forum

Moriah- altered drawings of the school dispensary, conducted interviews

Chris- Home visit, and sat in on a health class
Kim- Home visit (got to skin a chicken, water bean crops and carry water on her head)

Evan/John- found hinges for composting toilet and purchased wood

Kate- worked in the clinic in the morning and then conducted open health forums for the students

Nicole- Home visit with Mama Tula (cleaned a chicken and dekerneled corn)

Rob- worked in the clinic and then helped lead the males open health forum

Chelsie- worked in the clinic and then helped facilitate open health forums

Stacey- continued entering rosters in the computers for the school records

Jess- Home visit (made ugali without burning it and learned how to weave a basket) and helped facilitated helth forums

Jay- photographed home visits and recorded a conversation on the Neolithic Revolution in Africa

Journal Entry - Kim

Kim’s reflection 6-15-07
The last two days were incredible and I hope I justify their happenings with my story. Yesterday, I began my day at the clinic where I received not only a warm welcome from the staff, but an intense realization of the need for healthcare providers in Africa. Following check-ups of patients in the ward, Rob, Chelsie, and I sat in the exam room with the doctor to discuss diagnosis and treatments. Later that morning after observing two tooth extractions I “ran” into a women the Dr. said had HIV. And although I have worked in an HIV baby Clinic in Haiti, I’ve never stared deeply enough into the eyes of a dying soul. This experience reminded me again of my purpose for applying to medical school, and my successfulness depending solely on my willingness to be selfless in all that matters.

Today was my home visit, where numerous volunteers from the group decide to split up and go to different homes in order to spend a day in the life of an African family. As Freedon, my 18-year-old escort from the mission hour who brought me to his home, he greeted me with a plethora of tender hugs and a charismatic smile. Already I knew today was going to be different. We began the day with miles of walking to the bean fields where we were going to water the crops! While walking along with Freedon and his 21-year-old sister Astane I was confronted with minimal talking yet it was comfortable enough for me to reflect on not only the breathtaking landscape, but also life in general. I pondered the simplicity of this culture, of the souls of its people, and most importantly the smiles that can be seen inside and out. It is here where I began to slow my life down, after returning to Freedon’s home. I embarked on a journey of de-feathering and carving a chicken, cutting up vegetables, watering beans, weeding sweet potatoes, and harvesting crops.

Everyone always says that taking risks is the best thing someone in need of purpose can do for themselves, well today I took that advice and broke my fast-paced life in order to, for the first time in my life, enjoy the present time. I realize now that is there is any selfish reason for traveling to Africa; it was to be forced to slow down and not hurry through life any longer. The loving compassion of the family of six with whom I spent today actually made me feel at home and I discovered that they were a portion of my life that helped me to find purpose. Long story short… I realized that no longer could I worry about tomorrow, just try and enjoy today!

- Why not go out on a limb… isn’t that where the fruit is?
A new friend

- IN DEDICATION TO MY FAMILY:
If people concentrated on really important things in life, there’d be a shortage of fishing poles.

Journal Entry - Rob

June 15th
Thousands of miles from home, deep in the interior of Tanzania, within a small room within a small clinic, I learned a very strong lesson in nursing. Today started like any other day thus far. We (Kate, Chelsie, and myself) walked into the clinic and greeted Dr. G and the other staff and started our morning. Patients had already started lining up outside, some who had traveled far to come to the clinic in Pommern.

It was about mid morning when a father and son came into the clinic. The child about two years of age was obviously sick. We had seen the child the previous day for an injured knee and the father and son had returned for a check up. Immediately, my clinical impression was that something else was going on much more serious than the previous day's knee injury.

As we went through the check-up, there were clinical signs that started to confirm my impression. The child was lethargic, not acting age appropriate. There were signs of fever, which was confirmed by touch and a temp close to 103F. Lastly, they child carried himself in a manner that would make you think he had a stiff neck. I was thinking meningitis.

I was reassured though that it was clearly something else. We gave the standard treatment for a child with a fever (some antibiotics and Tylenol), decided to have them stay a while in the clinic, and sent them to the nurse in the next room. Kate and I looked at each other with unconvincing eyes.

I soon left with Dr. G to help pull some teeth while Kate and Chelsie stayed with the other Doc to see more patients. Unbeknownst to me, Kate decided to do some detective work; she was obviously not convinced with the prognosis of this patient.

About twenty minutes later Kate interrupted Dr. G and me and proclaimed, “that baby has meningitis.” She was holding an emergency pediatric book in her hand that was clearly older than our nursing education. Dr. G decided to reexamine the child after we extracted a few molars.

While examining the child for a second time I pointed out to the Doc why I thought the child had meningitis. I especially pointed out the stiff neck with a high temperature. “This is very interesting. I have never seen this in Pommern before” Dr. G stated. “This is surely diagnostic of meningitis.”

With those words the child’s treatment changed, and referral to a hospital in Inringa (about two hours away), a course of action that saved the child’s life.

Anyone who has been in medicine and nursing long enough knows that practitioners are only human. People make mistakes, tunnel vision occurs, and sometimes we don’t come to the right conclusions. There is a reason why it is called a practice instead of a science.

What I learned is that I need to trust my education and my experience. I also learned that I should always advocate for the patient, especially when my gut feeling tells me I am right. Kate did a great thing today advocating for that child. A lesson I will not forget anytime soon.

How We Have Helped

6/14/07

Stacey- met with Mr. Duncan and began typing rosters for form 2 and form 4

Karen- puttied windows

Kim- spent the morning at the clinic and the afternoon painting

Chris- cut glass and installed windows

John- finished track, helped with windows and presented composting ideas to the Upenda Women’s Group

Nicole- transferable skills workshop, attended Upenda Women’s meeting and discussed grant writing

Chelsie- went to the clinic in the morning, helped record clinic files, and met with Dr. Godlove

Kate- painted classrooms

Quinn- Prepared for and attended composting meeting

Maureen- Prepared for and attended composting meeting

Evan- finished track, helped with windows and presented composting ideas to the Upenda Women’s Group

Rob- worked in the clinic and met with Dr. Godlove

Bianca-worked with Stacey on student records

Josh- photographed composting presentation

Jay- photographed the clinic, school, transferable skills workshop and Student Government meeting

Jess- repaired windows and painted classrooms

Moriah- worked on thesis presentation and lead the Student Government meeting