Well, if anyone out there is still looking at this thing, it will come as no surprise that I took me 5 months to close out my last entry, guess consistency counts for something....
Anyway, I thank you all who took the time to decipher these random collections of poorly formed posts and kept me in your thoughts as I traveled through the Congo.
there have been a few incidents recently which have made me decide to hold off going back (on this project) so this may be my last post from this part of Africa.
That is not to say I'm not going back, or that I'm not traveling to other places....quite the opposite actually.
If everything works out, I may be getting together a new team who's function will be to travel to places unknown to contain outbreaks and collect information on infectious and lethal diseases as they are occouring.
I'm pretty sure I have some form of extreme risk taking behavior.....but at least it is mildly entertaining (and nerve racking) for my friends an family. If it looks like it is going to pan out, I will probably start a new page.
Keep your eyes peeled, another adventure may be around the corner!
Until next time,
All the best!
Rhett
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
"Thanks" Giving dinner.....
I have to brag on the most awesome people I've ever had the good fortune to be mixed up with...
We are taken to our clinical site by MAF who are, by far, the best group of people I've been blessed to run across.
There I was...stranded in the middle of a 3rd world country....during the most coveted gluttonous holiday in the US. No ride, no family, nothing....Out of nowhere, my buddy John (one of MAF's pilots and our IT specialist) asked if Max and I would like to come over and have Thanksgiving with them. Without sounding too desperate and excited at the prospect of having my first real meal in a month, I happily accepted.
Without going too in depth, it was about one of the best times I've ever had. We had about 40 people (adults and kids) and more food than I'd seen in a long time. I was so maladjusted to eating that I was almost full after the appetizers. By the end of it, I was pretty sure I had done some internal damage, but it was soooo worth it.
Afterward, we went back to Johns and hung out, watched movies, played guitar, swapped pictures, and had some really great conversations.
Again, be breadth and depth of the generosity of all the folks at MAF (especially John and Marilyn) was endless, and I am truly grateful. Much like my family's move from Alaska, more often than not, the best times were had due to the unceasing kindness of our friends and family.
As I have said before, the doors are always open at our house if you find yourself weary of traveling and in need of a reprieve.
We are taken to our clinical site by MAF who are, by far, the best group of people I've been blessed to run across.
There I was...stranded in the middle of a 3rd world country....during the most coveted gluttonous holiday in the US. No ride, no family, nothing....Out of nowhere, my buddy John (one of MAF's pilots and our IT specialist) asked if Max and I would like to come over and have Thanksgiving with them. Without sounding too desperate and excited at the prospect of having my first real meal in a month, I happily accepted.
Without going too in depth, it was about one of the best times I've ever had. We had about 40 people (adults and kids) and more food than I'd seen in a long time. I was so maladjusted to eating that I was almost full after the appetizers. By the end of it, I was pretty sure I had done some internal damage, but it was soooo worth it.
Afterward, we went back to Johns and hung out, watched movies, played guitar, swapped pictures, and had some really great conversations.
Again, be breadth and depth of the generosity of all the folks at MAF (especially John and Marilyn) was endless, and I am truly grateful. Much like my family's move from Alaska, more often than not, the best times were had due to the unceasing kindness of our friends and family.
As I have said before, the doors are always open at our house if you find yourself weary of traveling and in need of a reprieve.
Exodus
We had a truck...they told me they had seen it, it was running...I saw it. Then I got that feeling. Like something wasn't right. Like I'd been in the Congo too long to take anything for granted. I told my interpreter to go check on the truck. He protested. I told him to go check anyway.
An hour later he returned to tell me that not only was the primary truck broken beyond repair (FUBAR) but the Bishop's private vehicle (which we reserved as back up) was no where to be found. 30 minutes before the plane was supposed to land, we decided to cut our losses.
Max and I gathered all our personal belongings and tethered them to the back of the 100cc Yamaha motos and made for the airstrip. Imagine this if you will...
2 white guys....driving through droves of congolese as school let out....with the back of the bikes loaded with bags and guitars and cases.....taking a 30 minutes exceptionally slow trip to meet the incoming plane.
Needless to say we were not low profile.
We met our replacements with the bad news. In fact, it was so bad, that they thought it was a joke. Sad to say, when reality hit, no one was laughing. With over a dozen boxes, 2 people, personal bags, and assorted items, there was no humor to be had....
I reflected on that as the plane lifted off....so sad...I cried a little inside...ok, maybe not, I was out of there....and it was sweet.......
An hour later he returned to tell me that not only was the primary truck broken beyond repair (FUBAR) but the Bishop's private vehicle (which we reserved as back up) was no where to be found. 30 minutes before the plane was supposed to land, we decided to cut our losses.
Max and I gathered all our personal belongings and tethered them to the back of the 100cc Yamaha motos and made for the airstrip. Imagine this if you will...
2 white guys....driving through droves of congolese as school let out....with the back of the bikes loaded with bags and guitars and cases.....taking a 30 minutes exceptionally slow trip to meet the incoming plane.
Needless to say we were not low profile.
We met our replacements with the bad news. In fact, it was so bad, that they thought it was a joke. Sad to say, when reality hit, no one was laughing. With over a dozen boxes, 2 people, personal bags, and assorted items, there was no humor to be had....
I reflected on that as the plane lifted off....so sad...I cried a little inside...ok, maybe not, I was out of there....and it was sweet.......
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Resolution to a previous post...
I found out what the thief (see post Jungle Justice) was assaulted over....are you ready....get this...
6 DOLLARS...thats right! Six dollars, it's not a typo! That's 3,000 Congolese Francs!
Man, keep your hand outta the cookie jar around this place!
6 DOLLARS...thats right! Six dollars, it's not a typo! That's 3,000 Congolese Francs!
Man, keep your hand outta the cookie jar around this place!
Branhamites and motorbikes
Have any of you ever heard of William Branham? All you Kentuckians better raise your hands, he was born there! Anyway, there's this group called the Branhamites who are disciples of....that's right, W. Branham. Well, we had been 'advised' that there were Branhamites in Kole (of all places!!) and that we were to steer clear. COME ON! That's like telling a little kid (good comparison) that a house is haunted and to stay away. So what did I do? Naturally, I invited them to the house!
Now, before you go all crazy (and no, I didn't get converted, I don't think) I did my due diligence and researched this whole deal to see what the hubbub was all about. If you want to do a neat experiment, Google the word 'Branhamites' and count how many times the word 'cult' comes up. By the way, they don't refer to themselves as 'Branhamites', at least not outwardly, there as a bunch of different names. Anyway, there were some concerns from the powers that be (my bosses, not God) that they were operating in the area and were an issue. They confessed that they had little to no direct info so it was best to play it safe. Well, DANGER is my middle name, though my nick name is 'special ed'.
Like I said, they seemed like a nice bunch so I had them over for a chat. 2 guys showed up carrying a book. Why is there always a book? And no, it was NOT the Bible. It was Branham's notes on the Bible. They gave me the low down on the church, number of members, locations, how they are financed (supposedly), etc. etc. For a mysterious group they were pretty forthcoming. I passed on the info to the 'Powers' who demanded that I reveal my source! Though admittedly not that dramatic, it was more like, "Who told you that?!" I laid out the [ahem] story of how I came into these tidings (sans the invitation) and they were content for the time being.
I'll keep this next one short.
So we were running drastically short on patients and would be out by the time the next group got here if we didn't find more. So one of the guides and I saddled up the bikes and took off for Gengwa, where most of our patients had come from (see map below). After a tortuous 4 hours and 85km, we finally pulled into the local health clinic to discover there were NO patients. In fact no one had seen a monkeypox patient in about a month.
But amazingly...what they did have...were villagers with leprosy! How many people in the course of a career in nursing actually get to see leprosy, in person? While I felt truly sorry for the patients, I couldn't help the fascination with seeing them up close and touching them (with gloves). I couldn't imagine what an entire colony of people affected with this disease must have been like....unbelievable. After I had finished interviewing the staff we (dreadfully) headed back. Imagine driving from Fredrick to DC and back...on a motocross track. Fun you say? Ever see saddle burn from a motorcycle? Not pretty!
Now, before you go all crazy (and no, I didn't get converted, I don't think) I did my due diligence and researched this whole deal to see what the hubbub was all about. If you want to do a neat experiment, Google the word 'Branhamites' and count how many times the word 'cult' comes up. By the way, they don't refer to themselves as 'Branhamites', at least not outwardly, there as a bunch of different names. Anyway, there were some concerns from the powers that be (my bosses, not God) that they were operating in the area and were an issue. They confessed that they had little to no direct info so it was best to play it safe. Well, DANGER is my middle name, though my nick name is 'special ed'.
Like I said, they seemed like a nice bunch so I had them over for a chat. 2 guys showed up carrying a book. Why is there always a book? And no, it was NOT the Bible. It was Branham's notes on the Bible. They gave me the low down on the church, number of members, locations, how they are financed (supposedly), etc. etc. For a mysterious group they were pretty forthcoming. I passed on the info to the 'Powers' who demanded that I reveal my source! Though admittedly not that dramatic, it was more like, "Who told you that?!" I laid out the [ahem] story of how I came into these tidings (sans the invitation) and they were content for the time being.
I'll keep this next one short.
So we were running drastically short on patients and would be out by the time the next group got here if we didn't find more. So one of the guides and I saddled up the bikes and took off for Gengwa, where most of our patients had come from (see map below). After a tortuous 4 hours and 85km, we finally pulled into the local health clinic to discover there were NO patients. In fact no one had seen a monkeypox patient in about a month.
But amazingly...what they did have...were villagers with leprosy! How many people in the course of a career in nursing actually get to see leprosy, in person? While I felt truly sorry for the patients, I couldn't help the fascination with seeing them up close and touching them (with gloves). I couldn't imagine what an entire colony of people affected with this disease must have been like....unbelievable. After I had finished interviewing the staff we (dreadfully) headed back. Imagine driving from Fredrick to DC and back...on a motocross track. Fun you say? Ever see saddle burn from a motorcycle? Not pretty!
Friday, November 21, 2008
Bottom of the 9th, bases loaded....
Sweat is burning my eyes as I look for the signal.....
at least that's what it feels like, in my own head. I'm 5 days from leaving (not including today) and 8 days from being home...and this will NOT be going into extra innings!! We found out today, in typical Kole style, that the truck which is to bring us to the airstrip and our replacements and all the gear in, has broken down. Let me get into some specifics so you can appreciate the gravity of this event.
We have 2 people with their personal bags, 14 large boxes, and 2 large canisters of liquid nitrogen that need to travel 11 kilometers over some of the worst road/trail conditions you can imagine. Additionally, and arguably more importantly, we have 3 people and their personal belongings to get out!! The only conveyance we have available is 4 motorcycles and a bicycle....someone is going to have a REALLY long day!! More on that as it develops.
I haven't told Teresa that my camera (actually her camera) is broken beyond repair....Sorry you had to find out this way babe! So none of my pictures or video from the last 2 weeks will be up until after I get home. Before you say.."Hey Rhett, why don't you just take the card out and put it in your computer?"...HA! I say..I thought of that, but these African ants have gotten into my computer and disabled it. Before any of you questions my sanity (which may be somewhat warranted) you haven't seen these things. They get into EVERYTHING..and they love electronics. Think I'm fibbing, maybe exaggerating to sound all cool and exotic (also a possibility), I have a witness. He has seen them coming in and out of my computer shortly before it died. Teresa already knows about this, still sorry though ;)
So no camera, no computer (except the work one), no vehicle. I've learned that it is better not to ask "What else can go wrong". I'm afraid to get that answer.
On another note, we have been so starved for entertainment that one of most common saying to be heard here is.."Hey come see what the [insert animal here] is doing!!!"
We watched a battle royale between a chicken and a duck yesterday. After 5 minutes the duck had him and, I believe, was going for the kill until Gaston saw it and PUNTED the duck across the yard. He was obviously baffled by our frowny faces and protests. With a dumbfounded (and somewhat disgusted) look on his face, he went back inside and Max and I went looking for more entertainment. It didn't take long...
One of the chickens had gotten in the house. Now, the sane person would what? RIGHT...shoo them out, but the person desperate for amusement would call his buddy and shut all the doors so the chicken can't get out. One of the perks of having a veterinarian as a roommate is that they know some really funny things to do with animals... You ever hypnotize a chicken? Well if you answered 'NO', youll ahve to wait until I post the video...SORRY!
...and here comes the pitch......
at least that's what it feels like, in my own head. I'm 5 days from leaving (not including today) and 8 days from being home...and this will NOT be going into extra innings!! We found out today, in typical Kole style, that the truck which is to bring us to the airstrip and our replacements and all the gear in, has broken down. Let me get into some specifics so you can appreciate the gravity of this event.
We have 2 people with their personal bags, 14 large boxes, and 2 large canisters of liquid nitrogen that need to travel 11 kilometers over some of the worst road/trail conditions you can imagine. Additionally, and arguably more importantly, we have 3 people and their personal belongings to get out!! The only conveyance we have available is 4 motorcycles and a bicycle....someone is going to have a REALLY long day!! More on that as it develops.
I haven't told Teresa that my camera (actually her camera) is broken beyond repair....Sorry you had to find out this way babe! So none of my pictures or video from the last 2 weeks will be up until after I get home. Before you say.."Hey Rhett, why don't you just take the card out and put it in your computer?"...HA! I say..I thought of that, but these African ants have gotten into my computer and disabled it. Before any of you questions my sanity (which may be somewhat warranted) you haven't seen these things. They get into EVERYTHING..and they love electronics. Think I'm fibbing, maybe exaggerating to sound all cool and exotic (also a possibility), I have a witness. He has seen them coming in and out of my computer shortly before it died. Teresa already knows about this, still sorry though ;)
So no camera, no computer (except the work one), no vehicle. I've learned that it is better not to ask "What else can go wrong". I'm afraid to get that answer.
On another note, we have been so starved for entertainment that one of most common saying to be heard here is.."Hey come see what the [insert animal here] is doing!!!"
We watched a battle royale between a chicken and a duck yesterday. After 5 minutes the duck had him and, I believe, was going for the kill until Gaston saw it and PUNTED the duck across the yard. He was obviously baffled by our frowny faces and protests. With a dumbfounded (and somewhat disgusted) look on his face, he went back inside and Max and I went looking for more entertainment. It didn't take long...
One of the chickens had gotten in the house. Now, the sane person would what? RIGHT...shoo them out, but the person desperate for amusement would call his buddy and shut all the doors so the chicken can't get out. One of the perks of having a veterinarian as a roommate is that they know some really funny things to do with animals... You ever hypnotize a chicken? Well if you answered 'NO', youll ahve to wait until I post the video...SORRY!
...and here comes the pitch......
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