September 5, 2012

Yesterday (September 4, 2012) we spent our day touring some local hospitals in Lusaka.  The University Teaching Hospital is the largest hospital in Zambia.  It has 1800 beds but is very understaffed.  We had a meeting with the charge nurses of each unit in the hospital and they briefly informed us of what their job was like.  At this meeting, we sat in a large conference room and we were served coffee/tea and some pastry type things and biscuits.    It was obvious that they were excited to have us there!   The nurses at UTH reported that at times the nurse to patient ratio is 1:100!  This is unheard of in the states!  In the U.S. the nurse to patient ratio is 1:4 or 1:5.   At UTH there were many nursing students and it was very interesting to talk with them.  Nurses in Zambia do not get to choose where they work.  After they graduate nursing school, the government places them wherever there is need meaning that they might be forced to leave their families.  This would definitely be really hard for me and it would make me think twice about becoming a nurse in Zambia!  After touring UTH we had lunch and then went to Levy General Hospital.  We also went on a tour here.  It was much newer than UTH but much smaller.  Overall, our day was successful but also very tiring!  I was impressed with the nurses at both hospitals we toured. 

Today (September 5, 2012) we started our day at the Beit Cure Hospital.  Right when we walked in, all of us were overcome with positive feelings and good vibes.  This hospital was awesome!  It was like the Riley Children’s Hospital of Zambia.  The staff was very happy to have us there and greeted us with open arms.  The Cure hospital focuses on treating children with neurological or orthopedic disabilities.  Some of the main disorders that they treat are hydrocephalus, Myelomeningoceles, spina bifida, club foot, and cleft palate (just to list a few).  While we were there, we saw many children in casts and with hydrocephalus.  The woman that led our tour was adamant that we all come back after we graduate and volunteer at this hospital for a year.  It was really funny because each staff member that she introduced us to, she introduced us as American nursing students that were coming back after graduation to volunteer for a year.  Personally, I would to have the opportunity to work in the Cure Hospital.  The government does not fund the Cure Organization so they have a hard time keeping nurses and doctors on staff.  The government in Zambia provides great benefits to those in the healthcare system so it is definitely a sacrifice to work for a non-government hospital like Cure.  The hospital had a few different units and each unit was a separate building.  It was open air and on an absolutely beautiful compound.  There was a place for the children to play, a place for the mothers to do laundry, a garden, and a cafeteria.  There was another group of volunteers there that made booster seats, bookshelves, chairs, and toy boxes out of recycled materials and uses a sealer that makes the items feel very solid.  These items are then sold or used in the hospital for the children there.  This group then teaches some of the children at Cure how to make these items so that they will have a job in the future. 

Overall, we were all extremely impressed with the Cure Organization.  It was a kid-friendly hospital and seemed like an ideal place to work.  Cure is a Christian based organization and the staff has the opportunity to provide holistic care for each patient by sharing the love of Christ with them.  This is something that all of us were encouraged by.  The Cure organization definitely needs donations and anyone can make a donation and learn more about this organization at www.cure.org!  So please visit the site and see what you can do to help!  It is definitely worth your time : )  They have a program where you sponsor a child that needs surgery and track their progress.   I have not had a chance to check out the website yet but I am confident that all donations are for a great cause! 

After we left the Cure Hospital we went to a nearby mall.  The mall was very Americanized and it had some great shopping!  Most of us just shopped at the grocery store and mainly bought chocolate!  They have Cadbury chocolate here and it is delish!  We then went back to the compound and had lunch.

After lunch we had two meetings scheduled.  One with CHAZ (Churches Health Association of Zambia) and World Vision of Zambia. 

On a side note: we brought a bag of Bibles to give out while we are here in Zambia.  We have gotten to know our cook and housekeeper very well, and while we were gone they noticed the stack of Bibles in the corner.  They asked what we were doing with them and one of our leaders (Dr. Bee) told them we were planning to give them out to whoever needed one.  They asked if they could have one, Dr. Bee said “of course,” and told them they could pick out whichever one they wanted.  Esther, the housekeeper was so pleased to finally have her own Bible, that it brought tears to her eyes!  We were all very touched by this story and it brought tears to many of our eyes!

It is our last night in Lusaka and we are leaving for Zimba at 9am tomorrow!  It is a 5-6 hour drive and for 2 of the hours, we are having seat time for our leadership and management course.  It should be an interesting drive!  We will update you all again in Zimba.  Please continue to pray for us!  We will definitely need your prayers in the weeks to come!  God is so good and we are being reminded daily of this in our devotionals!  We love and miss all of you!

Love,

Haley