Hi all!!

Firstly sorry for the lack of blog this month, the Cyber Cafe that we use is still not working so this is being done via mobile internet.

We returned from Uganda a few weeks ago and got straight back into life here. I have been writing a training manual for the health/disability advocates in the communities this was finished and printed earlier this week. It took 6 hours to print 20 copies it had to be done one page at a time on a manual photocopier!!!:) The two days of training took place on Thursday and Friday,training people from all over the units, these advocates cover about 850 villages with about 1/2million people in total in them. There are a huge number who are unwell and disabled people who need good medical care and these trainings are just a small step to ensures this happens.

We are also running outreach clinics from the medical care centre, the community is very rural and to get to the clinic can literally take hours from some places and includes walking, bus and going on the back of a bike. The medical care centre does an amazing job reaching out to these place that are miles from anywhere, often it takes half the morning to get there, which tend to mean very long days. We take the clinic out including all the lab testing stuff, drugs, Iv's, eye assessments, orthopaedic services, the works. The people still need referral for x-ray etc but providing as much service as we can is great. The outreach clinics has at times seen over 100 patients in a day which is a lot between a team or 6-7 providing all the services. You do tend to feel like "jack of all trades" but it is great fun and good team work .Unfortunately our "ambulance" big van with us inside!! needs a new engine this is causing a bit of problem so our Landorver is getting a little more use that first thought!

In other news my Swahili is still not great, not helped by the fact the team I work with has very very good English, but I will keep working on it!! Mike's is getting better and better at it!!!

Our chicken population is continuing to grow some very cute chicks that I can't bring myself to consider as roast dinner in a few months time.

Our Landorover broke down last week, but thanks to a good mechanic took minimal action to fix!but did involve me having to drive at over 30K down what I can only call a mud track with foot deep holes in it! as it stalled every time you went slower. The poor doctor in the seat next to me needed a hard hat! A true white knuckle ride!!!

Mike informs me he will pop on the blog and say hi soon!! I had better go for now! Hopefully better internet will be back sometime next week.

BYE

Becky