Update #2 from the Team

This is the 2nd update from the leader of Tara's group.  I was able to chat with Tara tonight.  She is doing well.  She is one of the people in the tents.  She really isn't liking me much right now for talking her out of taking the camping fan.  It sounds like the heat is taking some getting used to!  Luckily, Stephen (the lead missionary) has let her use his phone the past couple of nights.  There is a designated time people can use the net at the mission, and it has been bogged down by everyone jumping on at the same time.  Tara hasn't been able to touch base with her own phone because of that.  I will keep the updates coming as they come in!  Thank you all for your continued prayers.

Josh

FoH,

It was still and humid under cloudy skies when the lights went out at 10pm Saturday. Maybe 6 tents are setup with most of the team in dorms. Around 4am the rain began falling, driving a few from tent-to-dorm. It was a substantial storm, but it cooled the air and surprisingly a less humid day. 

It was fully bright by 6am, but the roosters were ahead of the sunrise with their crowing. There were sounds of all sorts in the open air or open screen accommodations. Motorcycles, donkeys, chatter from the street, singing from early church services, hiphop or kompa tunes, slamming doors all graced the airwaves. 

The time shift was not clear here. Apparently, DST has been in use this year, but the church and other practices didn't seem to fall-back. The normally 2.5 hour service was an hour on when our group arrived at 9:30am. So, a shorter long service in which Pastor Dale Thiele preached on the greatness of God from Psalm 145. We had a nice breeze blowing thru a sometimes-stuff building. 

Lunch was ham coldcuts and cheese sandwiches with piklis which is a spicy coleslaw. After lunch, a tour of the campus for new visitors, then various forms of rest and setup for a full load of patients Monday. We fit in a visit to the city jail for 13 of us. It was oddly disappointing that only one prisoner was in the hoosegow. He had been hit by a man, then in retaliation he threw a rock and broke a different man's car window. Jail time. He will see his accuser and perhaps a magistrate tomorrow. 

Chicken, French fries and fried plantain with more piklis for dinner. We had team meetings for OR and eye clinic, working out some bugs and assignments before startup tomorrow. Devotions at 7pm, then casual time. Some playing cards, others online, many chatting.

This is a cooperative, congenial group. It is a pleasure to serve with flexible servants. Praise The Lord for his work in us. 

M Lancaster