Today we headed out to another village. This one was very special to M due to it was where one of her sons were from. It was also one of the main reasons that her mother came on this trip . A visit to Achura was on her “bucket list” of things to do before she dies.
It was an amazing experience to be able to walk through the village and amongst the people. To really see how they live and be right there in the midst of them. It was a bumpy drive getting back to the village, which included a few U turns along the way as figured how just how to get there. And then came the walking... walking.... and more walking. Ms mother was not feeling well, but nothing was going to stop her from going. There were times that we left her sitting for awhile and in the end she turned around and met us back at the bus, but she did it. Check that one off the list for her!!!
M was busy visiting previous relatives that she knew of who previously placed children up for adoption or knew of the children placed. They were all over-joyed to receive updates and pictures. I was not really sure all that she was doing but I followed behind... sometimes just a bit too far behind.
Walking in the heat…. Getting lost…. All while singing Jesus loves me over and over and over again … was really an amazing experience. I made sure I found B so he could tell the kids exactly what we were singing and how much joy they brought to me. At one point they tried to teach me a song. I really tried hard to repeat what they were saying. I so badly want to be able to learn their language and communicate with them but every time I tried they laughed AT ME … so hard. I really was trying too.
That evening B asked me if I saw the difference between the two villages I was at. I tried hard to really think of what I saw at both. I guess, at Achura there were times we were walking thru their farms. I noticed that even though they did not seem finished it seemed someone had been working on waterways for them. There were little streams that I saw from time to time with what appeared like cement walls or sides. B said water was one of the main factors. He said that the first village that I had gone to, the one with the 2 children, was a very poor village and water was more difficult to get to.
I had to think about that for awhile though. A poor village? I think that it is just so easy to be overwhelmed at all that you are seeing. Although it is hard to compare the wealth when the variables are so close, they are such valuable variables that are so consequential to their very lives.
It was getting late and we did not have time to make it to the other village we wanted to get to. Instead we headed back to the orphanage to say our good-byes. It was fun to arrive there and see all the kids ready for bed in the pajamas we brought for them.
It was obvious it was a hard goodbye for M. She too wanted to accomplish more on this trip than what was done. As we said goodbye, G brought to my attention one of the boy’s eye and how red it was. It was not only read but goopy. I asked if it itched and the boy said yes. It was a obvious case of pink eye. I had just given the rest of my medical supplies to Dr. Mary, who was very thankful. In that supply I knew I brought some Gentamicin drops. As we looked around the boy sitting right next to him who was also his bunk-buddy also had a red itchy eye. By the end there were at least 3 or 4 of the children that were being affected by this. We drove to a few different pharmacies trying to find the right medication needed and finally B brought us too the Soddo Christian Hospitals pharmacy. He knew who was working there and they just let us in to look through their supply and find what we needed. It was so inexpensive so we bought quiet a few of them and gave instruction as to how to administer and prevent spreading. I would like to say.. I used my intensive nursing skills here but instead it was just my mothering experience with pink I that enabled me to be able to help them out.
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