Lots to say

I'm going to try to catch up to date without putting out an entire book.  The last few weeks have flown by.  As of the 1st I have 4 months left here in Sierra Leone.  That is twice what I usually come for but it doesn't seem like enough time.  After the first screening my heart was messed up.  There was never a question of finishing my time here but it scared me to open up to being hurt again.  Last weekend we held our 2nd screening and it went beautifully.  The security started the day before and Mercy Ships people were there to tell people what we could do medically and so people didn't waste their time.  It made the next day go smoothly as thousands were able to be seen and helped.  Many surgeries were scheduled that day and that went a long way to healing our hearts from the first one.   It doesn't mean that I've forgotten all that went on.  I still think about the man who died every day and still pray that we will find out his name and his family.  

Every Monday I am part of the security for the eye screening.  The first weeks we saw over a thousand people each Monday.  It has taken several weeks but the team has a good plan in place to help people but have order in the line too.  There is a desperation to be seen here that i've never experienced.  

During the rest of the days I'm still working in the lab and admissions drawing blood.  Last week we had 5 blood transfusions that kept me busy.  The crew are all willing blood donors and are usually asking to give blood.  Well, all except my roommate Anna.  She is rare blood type(and isn't excited to donate) and just Friday I told her we wouldn't really ever need her, but we've matched her to two patients in two days so soon she will probably have to give up some blood.  Hopefully she'll still speak to me after.  

My other two roommates are Jane and Frances.  All three are so much fun and I feel lucky to have gotten them as my roommates this year.  There is a lot of laughter in our room.  

After work and on the weekends there is time to hang out on the ship or travel around the country.  Usually you can't really go out during the week since traffic is so crazy, but on the weekends you can.  This past weekend I was able to go out Saturday and Sunday.  Saturday to the beach, and Sunday to an island called Banana Island.  Both days were fun, but Sunday was an adventure.  It involved a large canoe that of course had a leak, and running over a fishing net that broke our boat engine leaving us floating in the ocean away from shore.  We have a saying that is used almost every day and that is TIA .   It means THIS IS AFRICA.  You can use it for almost anything that makes you laugh or frustrates you.  

Ok this has become long enough.  Hopefully someone is reading this.  Thank you for supporting me in this crazy adventure.