helen weld public health

“Home” again. . .

A week since my last entry and so much has happened. The globetrotting, jetlag blur already seems long gone…so out of whack with the time, that I am almost “on track”. Yungaburra to Cairns to Sydney to LAX to JFK (the 24 hours layover at the Fingleton’s was wonderful) to Brussels (where Connie and I rendezvoused) to Bujumbura and finally to Kigutu … definitely a long haul.

The trip was book-ended by two interesting events. Driving down the Gillies Range at 3 AM from Yungaburra to Cairns a large tree had just fallen across the road which we were able to drive around….we were lucky we didn’t come around the bend a few minutes sooner. Driving out of Bujumbura to Kigutu we were caught in a blockade involving people who were disputing land issues. Police were present and a feeling of growing hostility and potential conflict was brewing. There were actually shots fired into the air at one point. We managed to retreat and take an alternative inland route (as opposed to along the lake front) into the verdant highlands past the tea plantations. This was lovely and chilly, but took 6 hours as opposed to the usual two from Bujumbura.

The reunions and welcoming from the staff in Buj and Kigutu were very heartwarming. Cory Fisher, a newly hired project coordinator, and Brad Snyder RN are new expat additions since my last trip and I am excited to be working with them. I feel like I have returned to another home and, once again, I have the affirmation that this community is very special. It’s terrific to introduce Connie to everyone and show her around. It’s clear that she will fit in immediately and we have hit the ground running. Our first night here we had a “show and tell” for the staff with all the contents of our duffel bags for VHW….another Christmas. All the staff loved the photos which I had brought for each of them.

Junior Bazile MD, the Clinical Director, is also new since my last trip. He is from Haiti has just gotten a second confirmation today that his family in Port-au-Prince are alive. We will celebrate tonight. He has hardly slept since our arrival, understandably consumed with worry and fear. All of us were sharing this with him and now we are all heaving a collective sigh of relief, yet also feel terrible about the horrific situation in Haiti.

There have been plenty of nursing tasks for us to tackle. The staffing is short and the patient load and acuity is high. Malaria, TB, malnutrition, severe wounds, pneumonia, lung cancer, diabetes are just some of the challenges. Today we had a woman waiting patiently for a few minutes (she had walked here on her own) while we were busy. We then realized she was a full term pregnancy and brought her right in to be examined. She delivered a healthy baby boy on the spot with not even a peep. The people here are so incredibly stoic and contain their emotions remarkably.

Our laboratory technician, Euphraim was absent the day we arrived. His wife had delivered their second child in Rumonge Hospital and we got word the next day that the baby had died. Cory asked me to represent the “muzungu” staff at the funeral which I did in Rumonge on Friday afternoon. Once again I was impressed by how much the Burundians contain their emotions. Very interesting to compare cultural rituals too.

Yesterday a few of us went for a “Mountains Beyond Mountains” walk and I delivered photos to families whom I had photographed on the first trip. It was really fun to witness their delight at seeing their images and also their disbelief that I actually followed through with my promise to return someday with their photo. How lucky I am to have the opportunity to do this! One man was so appreciative he offered to donate a goat to Village Health Works.

As I write this, the afternoon sun is blazing through the windows and I am looking out at Lake Tanganyika. Soon the fishermen will be out and there will be a myriad of lanterns glimmering in the night. It’s great to be back!

Helen