Today unfolded like clockwork — almost. Though we took bets on our departure time, anticipating all the typical delays, we barely made it out by 8 AM! By our “Price is Right” rules, we all started the day losers. The early start was the beginning of a day filled with edifying experiences and rewarding interactions, so by the end we all felt like winners. We kicked off with a courtesy call to the Ministry of Health and then to the clinical director of Thompson Hospital. Their support is affirming, showing us that our shared mission for the wellbeing of mothers and babies is deeply appreciated here. The day’s teaching began seamlessly, and our team is now gelling and working with an almost natural cohesion. Instructing the Helping Babies Breathe (HBB) program alongside trained and working professionals in a hospital with 300 deliveries per month added a different layer of effectiveness to the session. This allowed us to deliver impactful training to midwives from 10 clinic sites within the district, empowering them to take these life-saving skills back to their communities. Click below to see the videos of TPM in Africa!!!!!!!
Before the teaching began, one of the hospital directors shared clinical data on neonatal mortality and morbidity, impressing us with a well-prepared PowerPoint presentation. This insight into the challenges and progress in neonatal care underscored how critical today’s work was. Together afterward, we covered essential topics to improving outcomes: Helping Babies Breathe, Helping Mothers Survive, Essential Care for Every Baby, while demonstrating techniques like hand expression, spoon feeding, and the importance of initiating breastfeeding within the GOLDEN HOUR. Our graduation ceremony afterward was particularly vibrant, a highlight of the day. It’s a joy to work with Zambian colleagues who share this passion for supporting mothers and babies. Their enthusiasm and dedication make every challenge we face here worth it. After a quick lunch, we visited the Chibolya Clinic. Originally designed to be a pediatric hospital, it is now used for outpatient services due to limited funding and staffing. Touring the space, we couldn’t help but dream of adopting this hospital as the “Tiny People Matter Hospital of Hope” — when funding is part of God’s will and plan for this work, we’d love to make it a reality. A few minor frustrations accompanied us back to our quarters: Kevin’s ongoing efforts to manage both illness recovery and the task of wrangling staff to keep our air conditioners running, alongside the rest of us who are soldiering through antibiotics and Vaseline application. But after a restorative nap on the bus and a day so fulfilling, these seem minor hurdles.
We ended the day with the promise of pizza. A Hawaiian or Margherita pizza never sounded so good, and we managed to find an Italian style restaurant and delivery service “near” our lodging in Ndola. As we write to you now and wait for our celebration pizza meal, we feel a profound gratitude for the meaningful work we’re part of again today. It’s been another day in Zambia, marked by challenges and immense rewards, reminding us why we’re here, and filling us with hope for what’s to come. As a perfect close to the day, we learned a new celebratory cheer – “Wele!!” It means prosperity, happiness, and well-being, which couldn’t be more fitting for today!
2 Comments
Kelli Anderson
10/31/2024 12:29:41 pm
Our world needs more people like all of you who so graciously and selflessly give of yourselves in order to make our shared world a place of continued learning and care. You are doers and I read your blog in awe of your service . You are truly making a difference, one tiny life at a time .
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Kelli Anderson
10/31/2024 12:56:12 pm
Our world needs more people like all of you who so graciously and selflessly give of yourselves in order to make our shared world a place of continued learning and care.
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