Last Days in Lusaka

Tomorrow marks exactly a week since we left Indiana to travel across the world. The other girls and I say that it feels like we’ve been here a lot longer than just one week, for the amount that we've experienced here in Lusaka. On Monday we met with several important officials - we sat through a meeting with the Nursing Council of Zambia and stopped by the office of the national superintendent of the Wesleyan church. That afternoon we spent touring the Beit Cure Hospital. This facility provides services to children (under 16 years) of families that would otherwise be unable to afford care. The doctors repair cleft palates and treat hydrocephalous in the children. Because these families often come from the rural parts of Zambia, the clinic also provides transportation. One of the nurses told us that this hospital is sponsored by CURE International. Later that night out of curiosity, I explored their website (http://cure.org/). Maybe one day I can come back to Zambia as a nurse through CURE J

Hospital workers made these shoes for children to wear after surgery to correct club feet. 

One of the babies we met at CURE.

Tuesday morning was our first day of class for Community Health Nursing. I am so excited about this class; I can actually see myself working in this area. In class we discuss how to provide nursing care to a community. We discuss health disparities and vulnerable populations both in the States and here in Zambia. 

Eating breakfast on the first morning of class. 

Make shift class room.

And some more lovely students. 

Our team is constantly learning. On bus rides the history professor provides the background to the culture and the people of Zambia.

Some of the girls on the bus. 

Another sight from the bus window.

Soccer stadium in Lusaka. 

Pickup soccer game. 

A local Zambian woman named Miss Mkonde (she is a retired nurse) is traveling with our team this semester serving as the facilitator between our team and the Zambians. She is a constant resource for questions and just a constant joy to have with us. On this afternoon we met with one of the chief officers from the Ministry of Health to hear a presentation on healthcare in Zambia. She shared that although Zambia has made many developments in recent years, there still exists a major shortage of doctors and nurses – an average of 1 nurse to every 60 patients, and 1 doctors to every 16,000 patients.

Yesterday afternoon we traveled to a Cultural Village to do some shopping before we leave the city. Here the government actually provides shelter for the artists to live and a place to sell their artifacts and crafts – the catch is that these people have to pay the government a commission fee out of their earnings.

Today we visited a World Vision site, and learned about their work here in Zambia. 

Early tomorrow morning we leave the capital city of Lusaka and travel about 5 hours to Choma, where we will be staying for the next few weeks.

Thanks for all your love and prayers – we are learning and experiencing so much here in Zambia!