Sweet Saturday

Day 19

Sweet Saturday. Today was finally a day of rest. We had breakfast and then a few of us met up with some of the college guys to watch a game of soccer. Today the Mathematics majors played the English majors. I didn’t have the opportunity to view the outcome because a group went to Kalomo to do some shopping. On the way we picked up some Zambians who were also headed into town.

When we got to town we immediately went to the gas station store to get some drinks and to get some smaller bills. I found some banana ice cream! So Tessa, Kari and I got ice cream. Our next visit was to the bank, Kari needed some money. While I was waiting outside the back I saw a man with an AK-47. He was a guard at the bank so I wasn’t worried or anything, I was actually excited I got to see one in person while in Africa. Soon after we left the bank and headed to the market. We bought fabric, and looked for soccer cleats. I ended up finding a pair that fit and got them for a very cheap price after bringing him down from 175,000 to 65,000 which is 40ish dollars to a little over 10 dollars. I am planning on leaving the cleats here in Africa because I have some in the States and I just wanted some to play soccer in while I was here.

Once we were finished in the market we headed back to the house for lunch. After lunch we had nothing to do till 3 when we planned on playing soccer with some of the college guys, so we watched some House on a laptop. When it came time to play we all headed out excited to play. When we got there no one else was there. Apparently they had forgotten. Eventually we talked to Mike who is a student here that we interact with often. He brought a ball and we got to play some before dinner.

After dinner I took a cold shower and then we all hung out and split up into groups to watch movies and play games. It was nice to have a day where we could take it easy and rest. Unfortunately many in our group our still not feeling well. Hopefully they will recover by Monday when we start therapy again.

 Thank you for your prayers.

Ben

Football Friday

Day 18

Today was another good day. We had biscuits and gravy for breakfast and then we were on our way to the Havens for therapy. Today it was my turn to lead the feeding class. Throughout the week each member takes a turn leading the activities during a therapy session, so today it was my turn. Today was also the last day for my group to participate in feeding class. Next week we will be back working on language with other groups of children. The morning sessions went well. I got to work with Heath today. He is still doing well, making slow progress. This morning I also got a chance to work with Leo, but he did not crawl for me as he did yesterday to Shannon. Leo did just get up from a nap though before our session started so he was very lethargic throughout the session.

After our morning sessions we headed back for lunch. Today we had the famous apple cake. It was very good! Unfortunately Tessa was sick today and feeling nauseous, so she didn’t get to try it, but for dinner I convinced her to try a bite. The afternoon feeding class went well. Most of our babies were asleep by the end of the session. They were all worn out. After our last feeding class I went to Haven 3 as always and worked with Heath again. He is such a happy floppy baby; I can’t help but work with him. We worked hard and had a lot of fun.

After therapy today we had dinner and then went to the soccer field to play Frisbee, but after awhile of hanging out, Mike and Meshack came with a soccer ball so we played some soccer. It was a lot of fun to play and hang out with them. They are really nice guys and they enjoy interacting with us. After playing soccer we headed back to the Hamby house. I found Tessa sick on the couch watching Pirates of the Caribbean, so Ashley, Anna, and I watched the rest of it with her until we ran out of power on the computer. The power went out again tonight. This is three nights in a row the power has gone out. I usually don’t mind. We always have a game to play or people to talk to. For the rest of the night we just visited until we got tired and headed off to bed.

 Please continue to pray for our group, especially our health. Today we had two sick, Tessa and Dr. Weaver.

Thank you for all of your support.

Ben

Traditional Thursday

Day 17

Another Thumbs up Thursday has come and gone. This Thumbs up Thursday was probably even more unsuccessful since my last since I am not evolved in feeding group with the little babies. Besides that, today was a good day. Some of our group is starting to feel sick and worn out. I pray that we will get better and continue to have high spirits as we share our lives with these children and allow God’s to work through us.

Today I first worked with Ruth. She is a twin of Marcus in the TB room, which I have talked about before. Today she did very well. She did all her stretches, but she did not do well during tummy time. She did not attempt to lift her head very much, but at the end of the session she was demonstrating good head control when we worked on sitting upright without aid.

During the next session I worked with Lincoln. He is a very, very smiley happy baby. These are the best kind of babies. They make the session go so fast with the giggle and smile at you as you work with them. Today Lincoln rolled from his front to his back and then back to front for the first time. Also, Leo started crawling for the first time during our session. It was rewarding to see theses milestones first hand. After our two morning feeding sessions I worked one on one language with Leah again. She again was so happy and giggly. She made the time go by quick as we laughed and talked and talked.   

Today was our traditional Zambian meal of the week. We had Shema which is ground corn, roots and milk. We also had rice, chicken, cabbage and rolls. It was all very good just like the first time. I really enjoy eating the Zambian food. I wish I had the opportunity to eat it more often.

The afternoon feeding class went well. I worked with Louise. She was very hungry at the start of the session so I fed her. She at very well but during our later stretches and muscle stimulation I think she probably spit up 40% of what she ate. It was disappointing to watch, but she did very well with all the stimulation and stretches.

Once the feeding class was over I headed over to Haven 3. Today the group that was already in there decided to play a terrible joke on me, and some others, by locking me out and putting a sign up in the window saying that I was not allowed in! They know that we love Haven 3 very much and always come there at the end of our day. Eventually after much pouting the let me in and I worked with Heath. Heath is the floppy baby I have mentioned before. He just doesn’t have a lot of muscle in his arms, legs or neck. So this afternoon I worked on reaching out with toys, and we had tummy time (working on lifting our head, and upper body) and then we worked on hold our head while sitting upright, (with assistance). Though Heath is a floppy baby he is very happy and usually as a smile which makes him very fun to work with. I think he is continuing to improve. I look forward to seeing what he can do by the end of our time here.

Thank you for all your prayers!

Ben 

Waboka Buti Wednesday

Day 16

Walking Wednesday returns! Today was a great day. Feeding class went really well in the morning sessions. I worked with Sibojean. He was very happy and at the end of the session we worked on sitting and he was able to do so without my support by the end of the session. I hope he continues to improved in the duration of time he can sit without aid. After our feeding sessions in the morning we went to Haven 1. I walked into a room and picked up the first baby that smiled at me. Her name is Leah. At first when I picked her up I was thinking her name was pronounced like Princess Leia from Star Wars, but then I realized this was not the case and quickly got over it.  She was very amused by me so we played and laughed the rest of the morning till it was time to head back for lunch.

For lunch today we had Beef enchiladas. After lunch I took a quick nap until it was time to head back to the Havens for afternoon therapy. Afternoon feeding class was a little rough today. We were in a room packed with crying babies and Dr. Weaver had to leave early for a meeting. So Shanna and I were doing C stretches with a baby on the floor while holding another one trying to calm them down. By the end of the session we were handing out our vibrating toys trying to appease the children.

After the feeding session I headed back over to Haven three to finish out the afternoon. I worked with Thomas at first. He still isn’t talking. It is starting to get frustrating. I also worked with Heath, who is the floppy baby. We had some tummy time, some muscle stretches, and we practiced reaching out arms out; trying to build some muscle in his floppy arms. The afternoon session always ends with snack time at Haven 3 so I put Heath back in his chair and interacted with Sydney as she ate. She is still the cutest baby.

On our way back to the Hamby House for dinner I practiced some Tonga words that I learned from Webster on some of the people here. I said, How are you? In Tonga,  the lady looked at me surprised and answered back in Tonga; overall, success, she understood. Then as we were walking across a bridge I noticed that a car was coming down the road and there was no place to stand out of the way so I yelled Zuza Zuza! (which means run run!)  And ran across the bridge. There were little Zambian school girls walking in front of us and then turned around and laughed at me. Success. I am very much enjoy learning new words and using them, and the people here enjoy teaching and hearing there language come out of a funny sounding American.

Most of us at dinner rather quickly so we could play soccer with the college students. It was an intense game of soccer. We didn’t play full field We had teams and one team would try to score for five mins and then the teams would switch and the other team would try to score, that way we weren’t running up and down the field the whole time. It was very enjoyable and a good way to get to know some of the college guys.

After playing soccer, I decided to go to the college bible study. The power went out so we had candles and flash lights. We sang songs and read scripture and a guy basically just guided a discussion over the scriptures. Near the end of the study he called me out and asked if I had anything to say. I really didn’t have anything to add, so I said I had nothing extra to add.

After devo I headed back to the Man house were everybody was hanging out. Most of the group say and talked and enjoyed the rest of the evening before we headed off to bed.

I’m looking forward to tomorrow. I am getting more and more comfortable working with babies and the new skills I have been learning. I thank God for all the great work he does through us here. God is good.

Thank you

Ben