My time with Dr.Bill

We've been here for a week now...feels like maybe about 6. The days have been going by so fast, but a ton has been accomplished. Last year the crew processed about 50 sponsored families in about 4 days; we interviewed them asking the family how things have changed since their sponsorship. Responses were similar...we didn't have meat, now we eat meat...we were naked, now we are clothed...our children were not in school, now they attend primary and secondary school. This year with so many on board, we have been able to process about 100 families in 2 days! Not only are we interviewing and filming but we are giving them their gifts from their American families, we are photographing them and giving them their portrait framed on the spot (all possible because of our talented Ms. Christina...your ministry has been amazing!), we are praying with each family, and we are treating illness with Dr. Bill's help (he left yesterday though, and we miss him very much!).

I have been amazed by how much we have been able to do....the first interview day I helped with Dr. Bill....it was so interesting for me to witness his bed side manner with these people and his kind heart in treating even if we saw some pretty bad stuff. What was really sad to me was the fact we really didn't have the "right" meds with us...we ran into many cases of malaria, even itchy skin, fungal infections on the head, and possible worm infections...and we couldn't really treat these cases . You also just know many are so malnourished...so sad...anything we would give would not be sustaining, just short term. It was like putting a bandaid on a large wound. I felt truly helpless...the cases had me in tears. How would it feel if I was a mother or a father and could not provide the help that my babies needed? I learn about treatment and drug regimens everyday in school....but I have never learned how it would feel if there was a whole population so poor they couldn't even consider getting treated. Antibiotics? Something so simple, yet they don't have access to. My heart breaks. A hospital? Where is the nearest one from where you live? Can you get into a car and get there within maybe 20 minutes or less? I haven't seen a single hospital in any of these villages.

I didn't know Dr. Bill was bringing meds...he's an ER doctor and I guess he's been collecting as much as he could for a few months. Let me tell you, we had so many antibiotics and pain stuff, but not all that we needed. I was thankful for what we had though...and I was fortunate to work alongside him....a role I had no clue I would be a part of. He's gone now, and I can say we're missing him and his daughter Casey and Tim Wolfe a lot. They were part of the original crew and they added so much to the team. I learned from Dr. Bill though, he never flinched once while he worked with the people and he never stopped loving on the people and he never once had an ego on the trip...he had said he was going to check his ego at the gate once in one of our pre-trip meetings! I would never have imagined he even had an ego! Before he left, he said to Jake and me, "If you never accomplish anything else in your life, know you've already accomplished enough." Wow....thank you Dr. Bill.

So we had the day off today...we attended an English speaking church called Christian Life Assembly. It was amazing to worship and pray with the Rwandese...they are a beautiful people. We also hoped to do some shopping, but many stores were closed so we sort of toured Kigali and had lunch in a "fastfood restaurant"...wasn't "fast" at all! But it was good!

I'll end here for now...Jake and I traded our bedroom with another couple, Pam and Jeff...so I get to have a slumber party with the ladies downstairs tonight...I think there are 7 total down there! Should be fun!!! And Jake is sleeping out on the veranda with a couple of the other guys, mosquito nets and all! The stars are amazing here...dad, you'd be amazed by the constellations I see! So Jake will enjoy the stars tonight.

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY TO BOTH OF OUR DADS! We love you!