IPHC in action

Today was another good outreach-day: in the morning we joined the group of elderly ladies with Elias in Mitawa. We heard a short bible-study in the tribal language and then did a teaching on nutrition: food to go, to grow and to glow. You really have to adapt your teaching when the nearest ASDA is about 8.000 km away and people have no money to buy, are without transport and live on a poor mans diet. But even with the limitations, the teaching still stands. We had cassave, sweet potatoes, rice, beans, eggs, green leaves and fruits which are all part of the local diet.

After the teaching we sat down with them to listen to their physical complaints. All of them complain of an aching back but after a long life of hard work and no matress there is little we could do about that. We took pulse, temperature, respiration rate and blood pressure and listened to their stories. Two of them have asthma, especially in the morning and when it is cloudy. One has always has a burning stomach after eating and some of them have problems with their legs. One grandma brought her epeleptic granddaughter who had fallen in the fire and burned her leg so Jill did her first African wound care. Rachel was great with patient obs and I was helping, writing and translating.

Sandra has been sick for the last two days: she has almost recovered now but hopes that she will have energy to enjoy a free saturday. The team is doing great: we have set up all the rotas of work duties and menus and everybody is doing a great job. Today Jill and Rachel made chicken stew for us (Lyn and Frank did the shoppings as usual). We try to adept our western menu to a more African one. Last monday Tinashe cooked mais porridge with pumpkin leaves and groundnut sauce and it was super-food.

Of the two missing bags from Frank and Sandra one has showed up in Lilongwe (we will see how we will get it into Mozambique). The airline says that the guitar is still in Dar Es Salaam and we are very eager to hear that it has arrived safely in Lilongwe as well. Tomorrow is a free day and most of the team will go to town to explore, do internet and enjoy a coke or tea with cake.

Thanks for following us and praying for us. We love you all!