First Week In Salone

My first week in Sierra Leone = Salone is what most people call it.

Well right out of the gate, the very first thing I want to put out there, is that Sally Rojas is my hero! She has been so kind and compassionate! She's been watching over me and checking in with me several times a day to see if there are words/questions in my head that are not coming out of my mouth. Sometimes they are hiding in there without me even knowing. I appreciate her knowing that those are living inside my puny little brain. Many, many thanks to Sally and may God continue to bless her sweet soul! 

Okay, back to my week. The flights themselves were uneventful & all of my bags arrived so that's a huge win! I had no problems with customs and was able to move through without a glitch. When I got outside however, trying to connect with Sally was a slight problem that didn’t have to be if stupid Verizon didn't lie to me and tell me they didn’t have any coverage in Sierra Leone - because they do!! 😔 There were several nice men who were eager to help and take me where I needed to go. 😄. I respectfully declined and then Sally walked up - I nearly jumped into her arms. It was already dark by the time we got loaded up and left, I was bummed because I couldn't really see anything along the way. But I did enjoy the snacks and water that Sally brought for me. Got home late and went right to bed. 

Day One:

Got up, took a shower, met a priest - Fr. Dominic (Vicar General to Bishop Bob John). We're invited to a special Mass tomorrow. There is a Cardinal from Italy here touring the different countries in the area. Father was very excited. I know it's always a big deal when a Cardinal comes to town. Especially to a small town like Makeni.

I tried to start unpacking and quickly realized that I needed some sort of bins or drawers for my clothes. My room has what is equivalent to a coat rack with an area for shoes. I have no hangers yet but I did bring my travel clothes line which is helping. I draped my pants over the rod and then hung the clothes line around the top. I have shirts in the clips and I've left the dresses in the travel bags for now. I need to exchange my dollars for leones and to do that I need to meet up with the Monsignor John D. who is the head of finance at the hospital - he knows a guy who will give me a fair exchange rate. I guess if I tried to do it even at the bank, I would be cheated because of my color/nationality. 😕 Until then, I'll make due until we can get what I need. There's a lovely lady that works at the hospital that will take us shopping to get what I need as well as a new couch or chairs tomorrow (the ones in the house have seen better days) after we get back from the Mass at the Cathedral. Everyone I have met here is so gracious, welcoming and kind. I don't know how Sally did all of this and figured things out on her own. She said she looked at it as an adventure, as if she was left on an island and had to figure out how to make things work. Captain Jack-Sally!! 🏴‍☠️

I started to become a little nauseous so I had a small bit of food & water and decided to take a nap. I felt much better afterwards. I woke up to the smell of food cooking. Auntie-P was making dinner. She's the nice lady that we employ to help with food preparation and laundry. I am so grateful again that Sally has this all set up! 

Dinner was great - chicken, rice, carrots, celery and PLATANOES!! (fried bananas, something I enjoy alot). As Sally and I were talking about the electricity, how often it goes out and when, how to pay the bill, etc. It went off, like it was listening and wanted to give me an example. 😆  Fun fact, during the dry season (what we're in now) it goes out basically every evening around 6pm and remains off until after midnight 🥵😭 Needless to say, I am not fan. We have a rechargeable fan and God bless Sally for letting me use it in my room when we go to bed or I would never be able to sleep even for a few hours. She doesn't sleep with her windows open due to concerns about someone trying to reach in and take whatever is in arms reach. Because of the heat and no electricity, I moved everything away from the windows and will be leaving them open. Only Stretch Armstong would be able to reach in far enough to touch anything! 😆 💪🏼

The rest of the week:

The Mass was very nice. When we arrived and were shown to our seats towards the front, there was music playing. Sally said there's only one level of volume here and that is “Loud” which definitely was the case that morning. It helped me wake up from our early morning chaos. I looked over and Sally was giggling quietly. I asked why she said, “the music”. Then it occurred to me that they were playing old western spiritual hymns. I hadn't even noticed. She said she had never heard anything even a little bit similar at any Mass she's been to. It reminded me of my parents so I was enjoying it. Then they broke out some secular Alan Jackson music which we both started laughing but sang along! We didn't stay for the festivities that happened after the Mass.

The drive to the Cathedral at 6:45am was quiet and uneventful but when we were being brought back home - oh my goodness!! The streets were packed full of people, motorbikes and cars, it reminded me of the demolition derby that I attend every year with my work friends! But thankfully there was no blood nor destruction, I thanked God for that! I’m finding I pray a lot more here than I did at home. 😆

When we got home from "shopping" for furniture after meeting up with a local nurse at the hospital. She's in charge of the women's department (OB/GYN). I don't want to do that ever again if at all possible! 😳😄 The woman was wonderful and so nice but we went at the hottest part of the day because we couldn't get a hold of the driver and other such things that are very normal here. 😒 She was a lovely person and helped me buy a trashcan for my bathroom (never realized I would need assistance with something like that). Amazon has ruined me. I'm not a fan of shopping at Walmart or any storefront shops, the way we have to shop here is definitely something I'm going to have to get used to and figure out how to do. I'm not much of a shopper anyway let alone a bargainer - my son-in-law would agree I do not know how to haggle - but unless I'm willing to be bled dry, I'm going to have to learn. Thankfully I was smart and brought a full water bottle and other possible necessities! I'm pretty sure I was the "whitest" person on the street in all Makeni that day or possibly ever! 😂 I've included a picture. That neck fan is the best thing man has ever created!! We weren't able to find furniture for the living area but Sally got a mattress. 

I was exhausted after a full day of extreme heat and waiting around. I never realized that waiting around could be so exhausting. Sally said I could sleep in and get up whenever I wanted the next day. She learned that some boundaries should be in place when it comes to me and sleeping, especially since sleeping through the night is not an easy thing for me because of the heat. I finally got up around 1pm after some sort of alarm was going off. Turns out it was a box that alarms when our electricity credits are running low. She showed me how to process the payment and then get the ref# they give you and enter into a little bitty box up on the side of the porch! 😳 Even if I was brave enough to stand up on the small wall where it's located, I'd never be able to reach the box to enter the number! Short people problems. That definitely sounds like a “Sally job” and when she leaves, she said the nice gate guy would probably be happy to help. I'm sure I'd fall and break my hip!

My first days at the hospital:

We've spent the last 2 days at the hospital. The driver arrives between 7:40-8:30. Every Wednesday there is a morning Mass at 8:30 at the hospital but since this Wednesday is Ash Wednesday, the priests will all be busy at the schools. The Sisters have Mass at 6:30am in their chapel at the compound so that's what we will be doing. Please Jesus let me sleep tonight. And if not, like my coffee mug says, “I'll offer it up” - ‘tis the season, right?!. 😁 Oops, electricity just went out. Aww well, whatta gonna do?

I met too many people to remember but everyone was so kind and welcoming. I spoke briefly with Dr. Turay, who is the medical director, very kind human and very personable. Sister Nora the “Matron” at the hospital (CNO), again very kind and very welcoming. I met Monsignor John D. who is head of finance, Francis the charge nurse and SOO MANY other people. The campus is bigger than I expected. There's a team from the US that arrived and are performing surgeries, and supplying care and other resources free of charge for people in the area. It's been in complete chaos with people wandering around everywhere and lined up in the halls. The US team were anxious to speak with us to see if there was a possibility that Sally & I might be able to assist if we weren’t needed elsewhere. Unfortunately we have yet to be able to help them, I hope we get to before they leave. I’d love to see what and how they do things. I had to apply for a new visa - this one allows me to stay more than three months and volunteer at the hospital. I also need to apply for a residency card. We learned that the cost of this card went from around $20 to over $300 in the last year. Looks like most governments love to charge for random bureaucratic paperwork!  What sucks is that this is an annual fee. 🙁

There are many things at the hospital that are very different from our US hospitals, understandably so. I will NEVER complain about health care in the US ever again! I won’t go into details right now. I’m still trying to wrap my brain (and heart) around it all. 

I don’t want to end this with a downer statement so let me share a few other things I’ve experienced or words of wisdom that people have shared with me. A very sweet friend was wishing me a happy Lent and referred to my three years here as a “Three year Lent”. I thought that was very meaningful. I knew this was going to be difficult and I was going to be WAY out of my comfort zone, but I know God has my back and He cleared the path for me to be here. Normally we give something up for Lent or add something to our lives that will bring us closer to Christ our Lord. I have decided that this mission, my time here and what I do and don’t do will be my sacrifice for Him and His will for my life. I know I’m not going to want to play along all the time and I’m sure I may even pout and possibly throw a temper tantrum in the next three years but I know that I will be receiving so many blessings and graces through it all. And I pray that those blessings and graces will overflow to those around me and those I love.

I want to end with SALLY ROJAS is my HERO!! One of the best and biggest blessings God has given me thus far!!

Love to you all! Keep those prayers coming! Sally was a prayer calendar too. Hers is on the refrigerator, mine is on my Google calendar.

 XOXO ~ Kathy 💛

P.S. There are two dogs on the compound who eat all of our table scraps. And today I learned there are also two little pups but I haven't seen them yet.