Let the Work Begin!

As many of you know, my work here in Sierra Leone has always been a little less defined than John's. (AKA I've had nothing to do, lol!  That's if you don't count cooking meals, cleaning, washing some laundry by hand, etc.).

Before we even came, John has known what his work will involve.  Willamette Medical Teams needed someone like John to help repair the Newton Dam for people to have clean drinking water.  Since being here, he's also started a few other projects such as the water project in Morthaim.  The work in Morthaim has really kicked up, especially this week as all the deliveries for supplies were made and some of the true digging has begun. 

I, on the other hand, have been more in a stage of waiting for some guidance from God of how I should spend my time here.  And He answered!  We had met some friends, Gabe (a dentist) and his wife when we first arrived and briefly discussed doing some hygiene for him at his clinic.  However, living in the middle of Freetown it was quite impossible for me to drive the 1-2 hour drive (depending on traffic and route) everyday to and from the clinic.  Now that we moved to Allen Town, I am a 10-15 minute drive from the clinic!

Wednesday was my first day.  I thought maybe I would just observe how he runs his clinic, but when the first patient arrived and had come for her cleaning, Gabe says "you ready?"  I jumped right in! Oh, and how I missed hygiene and did not even realize it!  When the next patient came for an extraction and he asked "do you want to do it?"  I said "I better watch this one" lol!

Someday I will learn how to do extractions and Gabe is allowed by Sierra Leonean law to certify me here for extractions, but it wasn't going to be my first day on the job!

My schedule is going to be working Tuesdays and Wednesdays at the clinic.  He is only opened Monday through Wednesday due to funding.  This weekend we are doing an outreach trip for two days to Rokon.

Here are some pictures from Wednesday of Dr. Gabe doing a filling on one of the assistants (Alice) during some time we had before the next patient arrived.

 Here we are having a little fun!

I can't wait to get to know these girls more, interact with more people, and improve my Krio.