lake view, with pelicans

 

Time for a new blog. Meanwhile a new  visitor has arrived, Dr Margaret Booth, from Australia. She actually just climbed the Kilimanjaro with 8 people as a fund raising project and they raised 60.000 austr. dollars for  our new building .The rest of the group went home, but she wanted to see the clinic, also about possibilities to work here in the future for a while. After a few days of getting used to the way of working here we now actually take turns in duties, which for me is a great relief. She stays 3 weeks! Although on the whole it is not to bad, some days-and nights!! –it can be too busy. Kind of luxury. This weekend we had a good time, were able to make a walk along the lake, had some nice dinner in Lakeshore restaurant, it felt like a real weekend.

the lady described below

Last week we could discharge the lady who came in almost dead, preeclamptic. Although at first she did not want the baby , in the end she grew fond of her. She has no whereabouts, place to stay. Here in Bahirdar is a place called Grace centre(head is called Mercy!) where homeless mothers can stay with their children . After some bureaucratic difficulties we managed to get her in there. At this time we heard her story. 8 Months ago she left her husband and went with two other girls to Bahirdar, with 30 birr in the pocket(=about one euro) here she has been doing odd jobs and found that she was pregnant, did nt want to go back, has not taken any antenatal care. So now she may stay four weeks here, but then has to go back to her family.

                                                                                   

                                                                                    impression of the ward, on a quiet day             Also last week there was a sight I shall not forget. It was very busy at that time, many people in labor in the ward. One of the mothers was a muslim women, totally covered in a nikab (only eyes visible.) these are usually women who have been with their husband to the emirates or saudi arabia,for work. When she was in labor and had to be examined she just pulled up her nikab, there she lay: uncovered lower body part, face covered. And she did not seem to mind at all. So that will be her Ethiopian upbringing, because here people feel no shame for their bodies. The other day we also saw naked men climbing a tree on the shore and jump in the water. I’d love to take pictures of these situations, but felt I could not do this.

I think about 30 % of the people here are muslim most are koptic Christians. The Imam starts at 4 in the morning and is calling every so many hours, but the church service starts at 5 or 6 and goes on for a long while. I don’t know what is better. Besides that we have a barking dog in one of the neighbor houses. It is good I have earplugs with me. Today the pre-eastern has started, that means; no met, no eggs or dairy products. Here it is better than in Mota, because a bigger pace and also tourists coming here. Last week there was a hijack of an Ethiopian plane, going to Rome. It seems the copilot who hijacked that plane comes from a rich family here in Bahirdar. Our ambulance driver , who always knows everything happening around town, pointed his house to us. Actually quite near our house!

So this is the latest news from bahirdar