well...

My plan last week was to post a little video that I made with one of the kids saying hello and giving a short update on everything. However, I waited for an hour at the internet cafe for the video to upload and realized it just wasn't going to happen. So I haven't been totally neglecting this blog.

The past week has been pretty hectic. Monday was Lily clinic, or was supposed to be, but the doctor didn't show up. Again. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday we were all at the hospital. Wednesday, because the doctor didn't come Monday, we had so many kids and house parents who had to go that we had to take the big bus that we use to take the kids to school. Needless to say that was a long and hectic day for me. Thursday we went to Northdale, my most hated hospital here. We have a little boy here with what seems like recurrent UTIs, but urine culture have shown no bacteria in his urine but they have shown blood. Since Northdale is our regional hospital, that's where we have to take him to try to get further tests done or xrays of his kidneys. However, his doctor has decided that he got an infection from swimming in a river. I said, there are no rivers where we are. It would take him at least an hour walk to get to one. The doctor's response? "You don't know anything about little boys." And then he prescribed him an antibiotic and tylenol. The local doctor has even written a letter to the hospital stating that he felt the child needed xrays and an ultrasound but they've pretty much ignored that. I'm going again on Monday with him and we'll see if we can make any more progress. I think I surpised the doctor last time because he's not used to having anyone question him or argue with him, and I have no problem doing either. Ha.

Tuesday I'm leaving for Lesotho with Pieter and Larensia, a South African couple that I met through my former roommate Ana. We're going on a very short "mission" trip to stay with Jayne, an American nurse through AIM that's the head of their HIV initiative in Lesotho. I'm pretty excited about it even though I realized I have no clue what I'm going to be doing while I'm there. I'm really looking forward to seeing another side of HIV ministry.

A church from California that sponsors Lily recently donated money for them to put in in-ground trampolines. This has provided endless hours of entertainment for the kids, not only when they jump on it but when we do too. One of the girls told me I was too old to jump on the trampoline and I was going to break my bones. And this was even before I turned 25.

My favorite things I've heard this week:
"Miss Sarah, how old did you turn on your birthday?"
"25"
(GASP) "You're joking!"
said to me by a 4 year old girl

"Oh! You're so beautiful!"
said to me by a 7 year old boy one rare day when I wore a skirt

"Miss Sarah, I love you!"
that's my favorite