Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Another Update from Zimbabwe

Here is another update from Nathan Williams describing his missions experience in Zimbabwe. As of this posting the Zimbabwe Dollar has officially fallen to 10 Billion to 1 us dollar with no bottom in sight.

Zimbabwe

(Nathan Williams) ...the longer I'm here the more I've been able to make friends with Zimbabwean nationals. A few new friends, Itai and Katsande, gave me an afternoon tour of the surrounding mountains and villages last week, which I had been really looking forward to. I've also had the opportunity to visit a few "mushas" (homesteads) to see how the average rural Zimbabwean lives. They really do fairly well considering they have so little. They've developed ways to boil and then dry fresh vegetables to make them last for weeks to months without refrigeration, and also they grind their corn into a powder which will sit on a shelf for years before it spoils.

When I'm not at work or taking hikes I do spend a lot of time playing with the kids. The older ones ALWAYS want to play a game (hide and seek, tag, kick the can, etc) whereas the younger ones are content just sitting on my lap and rubbing my face and head (the only thing I can assume is that they're wondering where all my color went...perhaps they're trying to rub off my "whiteness" so that my true, dark color can come through, haha). Tonight I invented a new game with the kids that essentially involves running really fast, then jumping and sliding as far as you can on your socked feet without falling down on our ultra-slick, freshly polished front sidewalk....obviously I defeated the children soundly (if you can't teach them the value of good, honest competition at this young age, then really, what have you taught them?).

I was also blessed to enjoy my 26th birthday out here on June 12th. It was fun, other than the fact that I was sick all day, haha. The missionaries actually had a mini-party for me last weekend, and I got a few nice Zimbabwean souvenirs as presents. Probably the best present was a bunch of homemade from scratch fresh cinnamon rolls from one of the missionaries! We call her "Ambuya" (which is Shona for "Grandmother") she is around 83, and she is the best baker on the planet. She and her husband (the hospital's lone surgeon right now) came out to Zim as missionaries in the early 1960's, and now their son has also joined them as a missionary surgeon at Karanda, although he is out of the country right now.

On a slightly more serious note, the political and economic situation here in Zim is very unstable. Due to this, I received word this week that the team of nursing students and the other RN who was supposed to lead this trip with me have been canceled from coming this summer. Please pray that they will be able to cope with the disappointment, and also that their contingency plans to serve at medical clinics in Swaziland is able to be completed. While none of us know the reasons, we must continue to trust that God's plan is perfect, and we should have faith that He works all things for our good.

While little is broadcast in the US about Africa (I can only assume it's because there's no oil here), you can read a lot online, and also BBC frequently airs stories about Zimbabwe. Since I arrived prices have jumped 15-fold, and now the exchange ratio is Z 3.5 Billion per US dollar. Even those Zimbabweans with jobs (under 20% of the population) are helpless because the banks only allow them to withdraw 10 billion per day, which is barely enough for a bar of soap or bag of rice. The political violence and intimidation is widespread, and many have been displaced as they flee the most violent areas. We treat victims of mob beatings daily at the hospital, and from all the reports we hear, we are in one of the "lesser impacted" areas. While none of the US missionaries or myself have felt threatened personally, we are very careful about where we go and what we say in public. A repeat presidential election is taking place in 2 weeks on June 27th. Pray that there is an end to the violence, and that Zimbabwe can have a free and fair election. Many worry that there could be a civil war post-election, but we're hoping for the best.

Overall things are going well, and although the country is in turmoil, things at the hospital run smoothly. If no one were to tell you differently, you could easily spend a few days out here visiting, vacation at Kariba Game reserve and then have a nice holiday at Victoria falls. Life continues with an unexpected "normalcy" despite the broader crisis of the nation.

I wish each of you well. Please continue to be in prayer for my ministry, safety, and the situation in Zimbabwe as I attempt to share the Love of Christ in a practical way through healthcare in this most-needy country. I would love to hear of any updates of new things God is doing in your lives, and interesting things you've been able to experience since I've been gone.

The rest of the Zimbabwe team is preparing to leave for Swaziland June 30. Thank you for praying!

Taken from Cedarville University MIS Team Updates.

Sunday, June 22, 2008

Lily 1st Birthday in Xenia

My parents came down to help celebrate Lily's first birthday here in Xenia. We had a great time and Lily loved Strawberry Chocolate Cake and her new Noah's Ark toy. Enjoy the pictures.

Lily's 1st Birthday Party 2

Thursday, June 19, 2008

Lily's 1st Birthday Party

Here are the pictures from Lily's birthday in Three River's Michigan.

Lily First Birthday Michigan

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

White Water Rafting Trip

Brian, Ben, Patrick and I went on a rafting trip to West Virginia. Here at the pictures.

Rafting Trip '08

Monday, June 09, 2008

New Stimulus package idea from the Federal Reserve.

Running short on Cash? Try this New Stimulus package idea from the Federal Reserve.

Thursday, June 05, 2008

Lily's 1st blog

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Strangely enough, this is about what she sounds like when she talks. Just add a few more aaaaaAAAAAAAAAAaaaa's

Monday, June 02, 2008

Cedarville University Missions Trip update from Zimbabwe


View Larger MapMany of you know my fascination with the current economic situation in Zimbabwe, Africa. Sometimes I get wrapped in all the numbers of their crashing dollar and miss the human side. Please read Nathan Williams account of being a Team Leader for the Cedarville nursing Missions trip to Zimbabwe. Please be in prayer for the people of Zimbabwe. Incidentally, the Zimbabwe dollar lost about 1/4 of its value this weekend alone and is trading near 1 Billion to one.

Zimbabwe
team is delayed until July, but CU grad and one of the team leaders, Nathan Williams went ahead and sends this report 5/28/2008:

It's great to write to you all again from beautiful Zimbabwe! I've been in the country about a week and a half now, and just today completed my first full week of work out at the Karanda Mission Hospital. Where I am is about a 2 1/2 hour drive from Harare, which is the capital of Zim. Out here I am literally in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by small villages, farms, and open space. Luckily, we have running water, electricity (at least 3/4 of the time), and satellite internet.

Just to give you a quick rundown of my normal day: I wake up at 6:00 AM and get ready for my busy day. Chapel for the hospital staff starts promptly at 7 AM, at which we sing a few Shona hymns (Shona is the tribal language of most of Zim) and one of the missionaries shares a short devotional. I then head off to work my 7 AM - 4 PM shift in Female ward (the hospital is divided into Pediatrics, Male, Female, and Maternity wards...no private rooms). A normal shift involves passing medications in the morning, assessing the patients with the doctor during rounds, and then a huge pile of paperwork to record all new orders, admissions, and discharges. Needless to say, nursing in a third world country is VERY different from the US. Over here we re-use virtually everything. Gloves are washed, powdered, and re-sterilized. vials of medicine are washed and reused to collect lab specimins. Syringes are re-used. We have 1 (count it: one) oxygen mask to use for Nebulized breathing treatments for the entire hospital...we just carry it from patient to patient as they need treatments.

I get off work around 4 PM, and after that I fill my evening with playing with the village kids (who are AWESOME!!)...and they're teaching me Shona language. I visit the shops in the village, take walks up and down the old airplane landing strip, hang out with missionaries, etc. Thursday night we have prayer meeting with the missionaries and Hospital staff. Saturday mornings I help with their AWANA program at the church, Sunday is church...all in Shona, so I can't understand a word, but the singing is probably the most enjoyable worship I've ever had! Africans REALLY get into their music...many in the congregation bring their own drums, tambourines, and maracas.

It's definitely tough working in this type of environment. around 25% of the population-at-large is infected with HIV/AIDS....but that jumps to about 75% of the hospital patients who have HIV. The most common things we see are TB, Malaria, Pneumonia, and complicated pregnancies...most of them resulting from AIDS. Many of the patients truly have no earthly hope of ever recovering from their illnesses and returning to a normal life. Luckily Karanda Hospital also offers spiritual care. While I don't personally do much in the way of witnessing at the hospital, our full-time staff of counselors prays with the patients and shares the love of Christ to those who are in distress. There is daily chapel for patients, weekly hymn singing by the staff, and ward-by-ward devotionals and worship time led by the pastor's wife and some other ladies from the church, Karanda Fellowship Chapel, which is here on the hospital compound.

Everything has gone very well since I arrived out here...a true answer to prayer. The violence and civil unrest that threatened to close the hospital not two weeks ago has completely subsided, and this area seems calm for the moment. Unfortunately this can not be said for the rest of the nation of Zimbabwe. Throughout the country are roving gangs of militia, police, and army personnel intimidating, beating, and burning the homes of political opposition supporters. Please be in prayer for those who are suffering in a very real way. Even those who have homes have great difficulty acquiring food and basic necessities due to the economic situation. Zim's inflation is uncontrolled. When I exchanged my US dollars for Zim currency last week, I was given 250 Million Zim dollars for each US dollar (my grocery bill was approximately 30 billion). 3 days later a doctor from the hospital exchanged his US dollars for 370 Million Zim dollars. Even nurses in this country make barely 20 billion dollars per month, hardly enough for food and clothing, much less transport costs and school fees for children. Life is tough for Zimbabweans, but they are very resourceful and make do with what they can obtain.

Prayer requests:
1. The political and economic situation in Zim, including prayer for the upcoming presidential election on June 27th.
2. That I am able to learn more of the Shona language.
3. That I am able to use challenges and struggles I face in this unique setting to grow in my Christian walk.
4. For the hundreds of Karanda Hospital patients who's only hope is Christ.

I look forward to hearing from all of you, and how things are going back in America. I miss you all and hope all is well.
-Nathan

Taken from cedarville.edu/christianministries/missionsinvolvement/misupdate.htm

Commuting by Bike today.

Today I made it to work and back on my bike. Two other people joined me. We had a good time. The 26 mile round trip saved me nearly $4 in gas. In other news the guy who maintains the Miami Valley Ohio Rails To Trails web site has linked my map project of the trail to his site. He has also edited it as well. This is fantastic news! Open Source for maps


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