Thursday, May 22, 2014

5/22/2014 Hospital Visits

We have been out in the countryside for the past two days evaluating medical facilities with Elder (Dr) and Sister Elmer from Ghana. Elder Elmer is the Area Medical Advisor.
We started by visiting two facilities here in Freetown and going to Bo and staying in the "Dohas" motel and convention center. Wouldn't you know it, there was in fact a convention there. A Christian/Muslim cant we all get along conference. Notice all the flags in the grass area of one of the photos. We got up early and headed to Kenema and visited the Government Hospital, a small Lab, and a Dr. Office. Took two of the missionaries out to lunch and headed back to BO. There we visited and a German Hospital. The German Hospital was the winner for the area.

Here are some pics so I don't have to wright a thousand more words.

 The water heater in the hotel room...
 Restaurant at the Motel
 Courtyard and lawn area with flags from the convention.
 Hotel Room
 Community shower behind the Hotel. (not part of the Motel)
 Pool, as if you cant tell
 Check out the cool fridge...
 Not sure what this is. I have an idea, but my lips are sealed.
 Room shots
 First class...
 The government hospital
 Front of the building parking...Ambulance in background
 Elder and Sister Elmer
 Not sure, but I thin an administrator...Anyway she arranged a tour.
 All outside doors are metal and lockable.
 That means outpatient stuff
 Walking to another department...Open campus is the order of the day.
 Isolation set up in case EBOLA is diagnosed...Notice the tarps.
This nurse lit up like a kid when she heard Sister Barney is a nurse.
Dental Area
Seat anyone
Work area
Technical Stuff.....
X-Ray
Old but operational equipment... and they are proud.
Next Department
OR
Surgery straight ahead
Washing area
Main Surgery Room
Laundry on bushes from patients...I assume
The garbage was in it's proper place.
Another kindred spirit...A midwife.
Nurses Station
Planed Parenthood...can't describe whats on the table :-)
Off to the Lab
Lab receptionist.
Lab instructions
Birth and Death records office
Plasma anyone.
Plasma Cooler
Typed and X-matched and organized
Labor and Delivery
Our tour guide...notice the Utah Jazz hat.
Front Entrance.
Elder Barney usually does all of this, but I wanted to tell my chicken story. 
Upon arrival to this "wild and crazy" place where nothing is like home...on the very first night, I walked into my kitchen, completely void of decorations, looked through the glass doors on the kitchen cabinet and there on the shelf were these two little metal chickens. 
Some of you will recognize them. I have the exact same chickens in my kitchen at home in Idaho.
A "tender mercy" from Heavenly Father, helping me to feel at home in Africa. Sister Barney


Tuesday, May 20, 2014

5/19/2014 "P" Day

Today was preparation day "P-Day" and we did some shopping and sight seeing and luggage rescue for Elder and Sister Hymas who flew in last Friday without two of their bags, but miracle of miracles, they were notified by British Airways that they were found and were being held hostage in their building down town.


                                          
 The US Embassy from the peak
Children!!!! The Agama Lizard.  These are everywhere. 
                            ~   Orange head  ~ Black body ~  Grey tail ~ ~ Orange tip of tail ~                                           As we approached this lizard it scurried away to this rock and stopped quickly.
 If  you will notice it lined its colors up with those of the rock! It is so smart :) Oma
 A ship in the harbor
                                                  Park benches on top of Leicester Peak
                                                       Not certain it would hold my weight.                                                                                     Most Africans are very thin. I need a little more time in Africa.
 "If I had the wish of my heart"
 The US Embassy
 The US Embassy and the grounds around. 
They are building housing for the marines that are stationed there
in the top right of the pic.
 Looking NW from the peak towards the Aberdeen area.
If you look closely, you can see Florida..."NOT"
 Mister camo He is smart.
 My new African dress. Bought the fabric for a few dollars at an open market Showed Santos, the tailor, a          dress style I liked and he made up the pattern and  sewed the dress for 50,000 L ( $11.54.)
 Huge load of grass of some kind
 I guess she is trying to get some air with the plywood
 This is the Ironing board and Iron at the sewing shop
 Standard Plumbing "Sierra Leone Style"
They need Plumbers!...Tim?
 There were two "Seamsters" in this roadside shop.
Not to be confused with "Teamster or Seamstress"
 Seamster #1...notice the newer machine.
 A local carwash
 Same car/bike wash. The bikes are always getting washed
 This guy definitely has the right-of-way 
 He was waving at everyone as we passed
 Used parts store. Not a very good pic, but there are all kinds of
parts lying all over the ground, doors, hoods, engines, axles, etc.
 From the peak
 A building under construction near the Embassy.
Has been under construction for years, and probably will be when we go home.
Not even sure what it is.
From the peak looking at Freetown