Settling In

If the first two weeks I was in a sort of stunned incomprehension, this week has taken a definite turn and things are actually starting to make sense. I feel like I am actually learning things now and not just being inundated with loads of random pieces of information. I am beginning to notice a lot of similarities between this job and my job back home and now its not as overwhelming. I feel like there is a bit of a routine now and not a number of random activities that somehow make up my day into a whirling vortex of exhausting activity. And so today I have been praising my Father for this opportunity to be brought back to the beginning stages of learning in order to grow and develop into a new and stronger person confident in His eternal presence with me moment by moment throughout my day. 

There is so much to learn in hospital; I didn't know whether to be excited or dismayed after I was told 'you can learn pretty much anything you want to.' So, I have been doing just that! :) Tuesday I learned how to scrub in for surgery- definitely made surgery more interesting! Also helped with a breech delivery Tuesday... actually I didn't do much with the delivery, I got to catch the baby!  A beautiful baby girl. I've also learned some women's health assessments. And of course, worked on getting to know my wound patients- difficult when I have no idea what they are saying to me!

Yesterday and today were two relatively quiet days in hospital; I think because the doctor wasn't around :) but it was so nice to be done work by 130- 2 ish and then have the afternoon to work on other things. We have the Ortho team coming tomorrow (so I am hoping to get this done tonight!). All day Thursday they will assess patients from here and from surrounding hospitals and then all day Friday will be surgery. I can't begin to imagine how long these next two days will be- we already have about 15 patients on our list and that is just inpatients of Chit MH, that doesn't include the club feet patients or any patients at Kabwita or in the Colony and Chavuma MH has also sent us 1 of 2 truck loads of patients... so, things will be hopping here- more than they already are!

We've worked out this system between the three of us nurses who are at the hospital right now whereby we each are responsible for a section of the hospital. So, Emma (a new grad from Brantford, On) has Men's and Women's wards, JR (nurse and midwife from Northern Ireland, been here for about 4 years) has maternity and ICU, and I have kids' ward. Right now, while kids ward is relatively empty I think I have the better end of the deal, but I will let you know after the Ortho team leaves how busy it gets there :S lol

Language lessons are mostly going well. I have a tendency to jump into the deep end of things and have to keep reminding myself to get to know the basics really well before delving into more complex topics. So, I have done some jumping :) but I am trying now to focus on reviewing the 10 classes of nouns and their concords for both the object and the subject of a sentence and then working out three tenses: present, perfect, and near future. I have been very much enjoying my Lunda lessons with Shawn and Rhonda on Saturdays and also with JR on Mondays, but there doesn't seem to be any time in between to actually work on exercises using these things that I am supposed to be learning - but chovu chovu :) slowly by slowly things will begin to make sense.

Sunday I went to the Colony Sunday School. So many, many precious little ones there- and some that I recognized from hospital! I had a chat with the teacher Judith who is also a physics teacher in the local high school, met her two little girls Mulemba and KuKeŋa and then walked outside to be greeted by dozens of brown eyed curious little kiddos. I told the teacher that the next time I came I would try to bring a ball with me so we could play together... I realised a few moments later that my meaning must have been lost in translation as the kiddos excitedly began jumping around shouting 'balli' and the teacher expressed their excitement to receive balls. I tried to re explain it to her but she just smiled and nodded... we'll see how that goes next time J

I have been very grateful for friends here! It has been super exciting to have Shawn and Rhonda here to learn from and also to know if something goes wrong they can help- like locking my keys in my house... it was only a matter of time! But it is really nice to have people to chat with! It has also been nice to have Sam and Elizabeth here (friends of friends) and get to know them better especially before they head off to Chavuma MH on their way to serve the Lord in Angola.

Last week 8 of my 9 missing boxes showed up along with 3 other boxes from Waub GH so my pantry is now well stalked. Almost to the point of overflowing- I sure was glad to get to the last box! The only thing now is: I have to actually eat! Through this I have been learning that when things don't fall out the way I had planned or thought that God is still in control and God's plan really is best!

I've actually been learning a lot of things... or maybe relearning is more correct. I think they must not have stuck too well the first time... I've been forgetting that we are to  rest in the Lord and wait patiently. There are so many things that I have worried about in the last two weeks and even in the last two months leading up to this time that my Father has just sweetly smoothed over. So many times it seems I can hear Him chuckle as He says to me "Daughter, you are troubled about many things, but only one thing is needful." I am beginning to understand Martha a bit better as she labours over her work wondering will there be enough? Will it work out? Will He provide like He has in the past? What if it doesn't? What if, oh dear, what if He fails? HE won't fail will He? No He can't, but what if??? The things that are still on my mind that I wonder over I am learning to just hand them over to Him and wait for His answer in His time and He makes all things beautiful in His time!


 But, slowly by slowly I have been settling in and working out new routines. I miss terribly the familiar comfortable routines of home, the friends and colleagues and family that have supported and challenged me over the past years and the settled knowing of God's ways in my life there, the comfort of certain triggers reminding me to fall back into His arms in the struggles and the joys that lifted my heart to meet Him. In time, I will have all these again- this is His promise to us: He is the same yesterday today and forever, He is with us wherever we go, even on the far side of the ocean His hand holds us and His right hand guides us and every tiny detail in our life matters to Him. In the meantime, I am standing firm on the promises of God and looking to see Him here

You call me out upon the waters
The great unknown where feet may fail
And there I find You in the mystery
In oceans deep
My faith will stand

 Your grace abounds in deepest waters
Your sovereign hand
Will be my guide
Where feet may fail and fear surrounds me
You've never failed and You won't start now

So I will call upon Your name
And keep my eyes above the waves
When oceans rise
My soul will rest in Your embrace
For I am Yours and You are mine

Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders
Let me walk upon the waters
Wherever You would call me
Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander
And my faith will be made stronger
In the presence of my Saviour

(Hillsong, Oceans)