Let me introduce you to those who share our compound. Here is a picture from our front porch, so you can get an idea of the setting we're in:
In the other main mission house lives the Simmons family: Steve, Shana, Alex (5), and Cherie (10 months--she was born just a couple of hours after Leanna was!). They've been here for 2 1/2 years, and are the hub of the compound. Also in their house are two single girls, Janelle Hege (Jere's cousin) and Virginia Rudolph. Janelle is Shana's household help, and Virginia is the "pharmacist" at the clinic.
The other living quarters is the "apartment" where the nurses live. Currently residing there are Anita (Jere's sister, if anyone hasn't figured that out!) and Rhoda Eshbach.
And there are a couple of absentees at the moment. Breanna is visiting her home in Iowa, and she lives in the apartment and works as a nurse. Michael Rudolph (Virginia's brother) is also Stateside. When he returns sometime next week he'll be living in our house.
Our weekly schedule can change at a moment's notice. Every week day is clinic, generally from 8:30 to whenever they get done. Usually, they tell us, around 1 pm, but seems like it's been closer to 3 since we've been here. Monday evening we all eat supper together at Steve and Shana's. Tuesday and Thursday mornings are milk program, which means the natives come to our porch throughout the morning to get milk powder for their babies. It's for those whose babies don't have a mother, or whose mother can't feed it, and who can't afford milk powder on their own. The babies are weighed periodically to make sure they're actually getting the milk, and they are for the most part happily thriving. Tuesday night is family night, which means we all eat separately as families and singles. Wednesday and Thursday we all eat together again. Friday night the singles are on their own and the families eat together. Saturday we're supposed to all have brunch together, and it's supposed to be a more relaxing day since the clinic isn't open. Sunday we have yet to experience! Twill be interesting!
Yesterday morning I went with Shana to the local market. That was interesting. The smells and crowds reminded me strongly of the markets I've been to in Nicaragua and Mexico. But here there wasn't near the variety of things, and you had to keep your ears open for the sound of a moto (motorcycle) coming. Even though it was crowded, you'd better get out of the way or the moto would run you over! Another difference was no one rigged up any shade over their stand--instead, they just laid something over their head for shade. One man was using some of the underwear he was selling as a hat to shade his head! Another was wearing a white baseball cap with "Bride" written conspicuously across the front. At one spot someone was dipping a liquid from a 5 gallon pail with a dirty little dipper and pouring it into a little jug for someone. By the smell I was guessing she was serving up some sort of alcoholic beverage. Needless to say, it was filthy everywhere, and I was glad I'd left my children in their daddy's care!
In the afternoon Anita had her girl's Bible study on our front porch. Here's a picture of that:
This is Jamison, the son of one of the girls. He turns a year old today! What a dear little cutie!
In the evening after supper the menfolk went down to the new clinic to take some measurements for some things. When they came home I got an earful! Jaron told me that he, Alex, and Eliott were playing on the front porch of the clinic, and someone snatched Jere's nice flashlight right out of his hands! Poor little man was a bit upset about that. Thankfully, though, there were no nightmares last night and he seems to not be too bothered about it today. Those things happen! We have no idea who took it, and we most likely will never see the flashlight again.
Jere and Steve left EARLY this morning for town, to pick up some visitors and buy a few things we needed. Hopefully they'll be back soon!
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