"Down-town" Iriri

8/15 A bright new morning. The only problem- still that persistent headache but now I was so light sensitive that I couldn't really keep my eyes open. My back hurt so badly (from falling when I passed out maybe?) But able to eat and push on. I felt really bad that I did almost nothing to help set up “camp” (Four cinder-block huts in a fenced compound with an outdoor cooking area and a pit latrine and shower area for each gender- much nicer than Moroto) but instead I watched Ann's baby while she worked. Then headed to church with the local pastors. About mid-morning the American half of the team with Dr Val arrived and joined us in church.

Spend the afternoon sorting medical supplies and teaching supplies and walking around Iriri. (picture)  In the evening we fired up the generator to see if we could show the Jesus film later in the week and discovered that we were going to have several difficulties. (picture) On a whim I plugged my phone into the generator and called my brother Nick. He was able to help us get the projector to work with the computer. THANKS NICK!! ( I owe you a few $$ for that phone call I'm sure). It was fun to talk briefly to him in the middle of no-where.

The system we set up to show the film

8/16 Up at 6:30 am feeling great!! Thank you Lord! Morning devotions with the whole team. Breakfast. Shortly after that a man who had gotten badly burned a few weeks ago arrived and we debrieded the wounds redressed. (picture) Then walked over the the church for the first day of teaching. There is a group of people who have gathered- VHTs, village health teachers. These people have been selected from their villages to receive training to provide basic health care in their communities. The idea is that we can come in and do several days of medical treatment but there will be nothing until next year before the team comes again. So half of our time is to be spent teaching basic information to these that will remain in the community. Most of our topics are about prevention and public health- the use of latrines, hand washing, malaria prevention, nutrition, clean drinking water, etc...

We also covered some diseases like TB, HIV, measles, chicken pox, brucellosis, pneumonia, and a few others. And also basic first aid for wounds, fevers, broken bones, dehydration, etc... Really a lot of material was covered from Monday to Wednesday.

Burn dressing applied by Dr. Will

In the evening we had supper together and then Dr. Val arrived with a young man in the back of her pickup truck who had been shot. He is a raider named Mariko. He was shot (probably by the Ugandan Army) in a botched raid but he escaped and was in hiding in the bush. Church members found him in as his wound is now septic and his leg is rotting. He refuses to speak and clearly has been beaten on his back, the backs of his legs cained, his ankles and bottoms of his feet beaten to keep him from running away. Our doctors did what they could to dress it and we gave some IM meds and sent Dr. Val and him on to the hospital a few hours away. While she was driving back to Iriri she met some army men who may have been looking for the wounded warrior. They had been tracking the raiders (more than 40 miles through the bush) and manage to recapture the stolen cows. Val gave them a ride back to the barracks in the back of her truck- 12 soldiers with AK47's, 2 machine guns, and a rocket propelled grenade launcher.

Dr. Will with several of the VHTs

Susan teaching and being translated by Victor

For those of us not having that adventure, after dark we spend some time singing and hanging out with the VHT's. They are not all christians but seem to really like singing. Also, there are some language barriers but several of the young men speak a little English so we can get to know each other at least a little.

8/17 I'm really enjoying getting to know the CLIDE team. They are a great group of Ugandan's who are clearly passionate about the work they are doing and the people they are serving. Another day of teaching. (picture) Everything seems to take longer to teach when it has to pass through a translator and be explained more simply than we are. We showed the Jesus film after dark with the VHT's in nakaramojung (the local language) but I have seen it several times (never in English though) and so called it a night without seeing the end. (Don't tell me, it will spoil the surprise).

VHTs with their certificates

8/18 Last day of teaching in Iriri (picture). The VHT's will all head home today to hopefully be there before tomorrow (they all have to walk) so that they will be there when we head to the first peace village. Praying that the roads will be clear enough to pass. Wrapped up our teaching, in the afternoon the doctors saw most of the VHT's who also want medical care and medications.