Sukuma Wiki (Push the Week)

We're now 2 full working days in and starting to get into the rhythm of day to day life in Mutomo. Our day normally starts at 5:00am with the local mosque's call to prayer. That's followed shortly by the weaver birds who've made their home in the tree right outside our windows and start their sweet melodies at 6:00am with the sunrise. Needless to say, we've been going to bed early.

As we mentioned before, each of us is working in different parts of the hospital.

The front of the hospital

Obviously Meg is working mostly in the pediatric wing, but she has seen her fair share of time in the "operating theatre" at all hours of the day and night.

Meg at work in the pediatric ward.

Laura has been helping in the lab drawing blood and running tests for Malaria, TB, etc, as well as helping with administrative work related to medical records. While she's very accustomed to phlebotomy work in her role back home, it's a big adjustment working here in Mutomo.

Northe has been meeting with some of the leadership staff to being work on grant writing and other fundraising related activities. He has also spending part of his afternoon with the maintenance department. So far, he's climbed trees to string telephone wire and is in the middle of a water pumping station alternator rebuild with the other maintenance staff. Most importantly to all of us, he helped install a replacement refrigerator and repaired the screens to help keep the bugs out at our house.

Our late afternoons and evenings bring a visit to the market to further make our house a home and pick up supplies for dinner. The food has been great, we've been cooking every day so far and it's worked out well. Read about some of what we're eating.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sukuma_wiki

Pasta with veggies from the market. Sukuma Wiki (collard greens), tomatos, onion and garlic

We've been fortunate that our neighbors are friendly and have invited us over a number of times to socialize. So far it's been an adjustment from life back home, but we're settling in very nicely.