Pygmies' Progress

[Blogger's note: The italic portion of this entry was written by Barb Teach, the other was written by Heidi. Enjoy. And please keep posting those comments! Also, on a personal level, it was so good to see some pictures of some of the Pygmies I recognized from my previous trip. And I do have to agree with Jeana, they look a lot better than the last time I saw them. Once again, this is a reminder that our church, by God's grace, is having a tangible impact half way around the world. I praise God for that!]

Monday started off with a visit to Mr. Zokoe, a former government official in Bangui, and now an employee of ICDI. We had to visit him so that he could sign them papers allowing us to leave Bangui (to visit a village of Pygmy people). We were also able to talk with him about his life and share about our lives in America. Without his help, getting out of Bangui would have been extremely difficult. He also picked us up from the airport (back on Thursday), and made it very easy for us to go through customs and leave the airport. We thank God for his help!

After our visit with Mr. Zokoe, we traveled to Mbaiki falls, and had a picnic lunch. Walking through the rain forest, and arriving at the waterfall, was just breathtaking. Walking through the rain forest was a neat experience, let alone seeing the waterfall! We had a full African experience, because it eventually started pouring down rain, giving us our second shower of the day.J Unfortunately, the jeep got stuck in the mud…but we eventually made it out! Thanks to the ICDI employees!

On our way back to Bangui, we stopped at a Pygmy village and spent time playing with the kids and giving the village medical care. We took the kids a little bit of America, because we gave them four bubble wands/sticks. It was great watching them chase the bubble and pop them. We left the bubbles there for them to continue having fun! I’m going to let Barb write about our medical experience there.

Today was the high point of this trip so far because I got to see the fruits of 2007 labors. I was so rewarding to see the latrines finished. Where there had been just rotted trees and some grass, there are homes and some made from brick. So many faces looked familiar. The people looked cleaner but there is still a lot of teaching and instruction. We had great interpreters. Jeana would clean the wounds, Heidi would pour the peroxide on cotton balls and get Neosporin and band-aids or dressing ready and I would dress the wounds. The circumstances are very different from sterile fields in the states. Here, I had to shoo the flies away many times.

We also assisted a woman leper with a huge wound behind her leg almost to her bone. She had several toes missing on one foot and the other only half there. Jeana said she looked pretty good compared to her last visit. We left her all wrapped up and clean.

Before we left, they asked us to see a very sick man. He was suffering from a fever and other symptoms. We gave it our best and I prayed for him. This is why I became a nurse and I will thank God every day that I got to use what talents he gave me for His glory.

Before we left the village we gave medical supplies to the chief and explained again how to use them. Thanks to all who donated supplies. Now I have a better idea for what to bring next time. Thank you Wooster Grace for your support and prayers. It is humbling to be here. This team is awesome to work with. Take care and God Bless.

In His Service, Barb Teach

Tomorrow we are going to be doing medical care at the Mercy Center for the orphans from the Orphan Care centers.

Thank you again for your prayers! (Remember- write us comments! We like “hearing” a taste of home).

Heidi, on behalf of the team.