Day 4: Bwindi
The day started as usual with prayer and announcements, briefer than yesterday.  Jane and I are making steady, but sure progress, and you should meet her.

Jane Anyago

We took a trip over to the school to see the progress and plan the furnishings, and worked more on the budget for opening this school in November.

The maternity department at Bwindi supports women's health in many ways, but one of the most profound visions of that is shown by the area surrounding the maternity unit.  There is a women's hostel where those who have high risk pregnancies or live too far away to be certain of reaching the hospital come at week 36 or 38 to stay until deliver.  They bring their other children with them and also their bedding and food for cooking.  They pay a minimal amount to stay, but are in the company of other women to learn, be supported during labor, and have ready child care when they deliver.  They also sit in the sun on the grass or in the shade and teach each other about living, motherhood, men, and various other things that women need to know to survive in this harsh area.  The image of the colorful laundry hanging in the open area expresses all of that.

And then there is Nurse Ruth, who works in Pediatrics.  The nurses here in Uganda have the core responsibilities of nurses everywhere, but do a variety of things and see many visions that we in the US might never experience.  When was the last time you gave an anti-helminthic?  More about that later. 

Nurse Ruth at morning meeting

We are having company for dinner, a visiting physician from England and his wife.  They'll be with us until Saturday.  Two Peace Corps workers will join us, who are staying at the other guest house.  They will be housed locally, and work on projects here in Buhoma, the village where the hospital is located.  Jane showed me a large plot of land that has been bought by an Englishman and planted for crops for the local villagers.  His plan is to teach them how to grow and incorporate vegetables in their diet.  I've been discussing this abundance of help with Denis, the guest house manager, who believes that the closeness of this area to the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, and other beautiful spots in Uganda as well as the Mountain Gorillas, makes it very visible to an affluent group who can also see the great need.  In this remote area of Uganda, which is off the grid and 12 hours from the nearest large city, poverty and need are overwhelming.  Help is also given by those who can.