Salar De Uyuni

We made it back from our trip yesterday but a little worse for the wear.  We started our Sunday at church where we went to the Sunday School classrooms and gave dental presentations and put floride on the children's teeth.  After that we went out for lunch and the five of us were set free from the rest of the group to make our way to the bus station.  Our first bus ride was 4 hours through mounitan terrain on narrow roads.  Not too bad but I started to get a headache and as we arrived at the bus station and was nausous because of the higher altitude.  We stayed there for several hours which I was pretty miserable the whole time.  We bought tickets for an overnight bus to Uyuni which we were told was a "buscama" which is a sleeper bus where we should be able to recline all the way for a restful ride.  Well, it was a bit of a misconception...  I slept a little bit, but my seat only reclined as much as an airplane seat.  The road was so bumpy that it felt like the bus would rattle apart at any moment.  The window next to me kept on opening because of the bumps and the woman's seat in front of me kept breaking and falling back onto my knees.  Of course these things happened when I had just fallen asleep and it would wake me up.  The only good thing was that by the end of the ride my headace had gone away and I was feeling a bit better. 

We arrived at 4am and was allowed to sleep on the bus until 7am.  I slept soundly most of that time because apparently Kevin got sick and I had no clue until they talked about it later.  But we got off the bus and found a travel agency that did a one day tour of the salt flats.  She was very kind and brought us to a place to eat breakfast which was pretty good and the woman who served us was even a Christian!  It was so cold there that from breakfast we went to the local market and all bought hats, mittens and some of us brought sweaters. 

Our tour started at 10:30am and they took us to a train graveyard which was pretty much just a junkyard of old trains, but still pretty cool.  Then we drove onto the actual salt flats which was awesome.  It was like driving on a huge frozen lake, but it was all salt!  We visited an island in the middle of the salt and hiked to the top of it which gave us great views!  Then we ate a nice lunch that our tour driver prepared for us.  It tasted very good, but it would come back to haunt me...  It was a good day with the tour and we all had so much fun touring together.  We got back and decided to take a train back since the bus was so bad, we bought our tickets, but the train wouldn't leave until 1:45am so we had to wait around until then.  The tour guide lady agreed to let us stay in her office which was across the street from the train station until our train got there, so that was a blessing.  We went to a pizza place which smelled amazing but once we got in there I started feeling queasy and I couldn't eat anything.  My nausea increased as we sat in the travel office and I went outside several times to try to throw up but I couldn't.  Finally I started thinking about all of the food that had made me nauseous and I vomited into a bag outside the office.  I hoped I would feel better after, and I did for a while, but around 12am I started feeling it again and asked Kevin and Anna to come to the train station with me so I could go to the bathroom.  I ended up throwing up again outside the train station and realized that I needed a bathroom because I also had diarrhea.  Inside the train station, the bathroom was locked, not open yet and I was in agony.  We started wandering the streets for an open bathroom or a hotel that would let us use thier bathroom but to no avail.  We went back to the office where everyone else was and I asked Heidi and Marcia (who speak the best Spanish) to help me.  We ended up going to a hotel and offering the woman 10 Bolivianos (the local money) to use her bathroom, she reluctantly agreed.  I was so releaved but the pure liquid coming out of my backside gave me agony anew.  I apologise for the indepth description of my illness, I'm just trying to keep everyone informed. 

Anyway, I did vomit once more before we got on the train but someone gave us some imodium and I took it with vast amounts of prayers that I would not vomit on our 7 hour train ride.  Thankfully, I didn't vomit on the train, I did have to visit the bathroom, but it was not as bad as before.  The ride was smoother than the bus, but it was FREEZING!  The temp in the train had to have been below 50 degrees F because I was so cold the whole way, I couldn't sleep very much at all.  Plus I was still nauseous so I had to lean forward instead of backwards which was uncomfortable. 

We finally made it to Oruro (still four hours from Cochabamba) and I was thankful that I was at least stable.  I was still not hungry at all and nauseous but I wasn't exploding anywhere.  Our last four hour busride was okay and we went from being freezing cold to terribly hot but we got back okay.  I'm still feeling queasy and having to go to the bathroom every now and then so I'm taking it easy.  I slept in this morning and didn't go to the orphanage, I probably wont go this evening either.  All I've had to eat in the past 48 hours was a piece of toast and that has stayed down so far.  I'm not hungry at all, but I'm drinking plenty of fluids and staying hydrated.  The smell of food is still making me nauseous, so I think I'll stay here and just relax.  Hopefully I'll continue to get better and with your prayers I know I'll get better.  Thank you all for putting up with my descriptions of my illness and for your contined support and prayers.  Thanks for reading, God Bless!

Sarah

Fun in the Sun!

Yesterday was a fun day for me because a few of us traveled to a different clinic in downtown Cochabamba for some more shawdowing.  I ended up watching a breast implantation surgery which was pretty cool to see.  The patient was awake the whole time with only local anastetic to the breast tissue.  That freaked me out the most to know that she was awake for the whole thing!  They also did some sort of belly button reconstruction, but I'm not sure because I don't speak much Spanish and they doctor only spoke it. 

After that our whole group went to an orphanage we had gone to previously.  This one had 12 kids ages 3-7 and the last time we went there it was CRAZY!  This time it was better, the kids seemed more mellow and we took them to a local park where they played and also colored.  That evening we were on our own for dinner, so we decided to make breakfast burritos with pico de giao.  I chopped the tomatoes and the celantro for the pico, and we added fresh orange juice because we didn't have lemon or lime.  We just kind of made due with what we had and it turned out pretty good. 

This morning we got up and went to a "resort" with a nice warm swimming pool and beautiful grounds!  I was so happy when I found out we were going swimming because I LOVE IT and I haven't gone it so long.  It was a little chilly when we first got there, but the warm water was so nice I didn't want to get out.  I stayed in the water for about two hours before getting out and sunbathing to dry off.  Then we wandered around the grounds, found a suspension bridge that scared me to death and a zip line that I did not try.  It was a wonderful relaxing morning!

This afternoon we washed street children again, then gave them clothes and food.  I was in the clothing tent which was stressful because all of the children's mothers were trying to grab as many clothes as they could.  I couln't understant them because they were either speaking spanish or another tribal dialect that no one knows.  But we dressed them and finished that adventure.

Tomorrow Anna, Kevin, Marcia, Heidi and I are all taking a little "field trip" to the salt flat which are about 10 hours from here by bus.  We will be gone Sunday, Monday and hopefully return by Tuesday.  This is a commom thing for people to do while volunteering here at Hospitals of Hope and I am looking forward to the trip.  Marcia and Heidi are more or less experts at Spanish so I'm not worried about getting around and talking to the locals.  Please pray for safe travels as we go and have a bit of fun.  I will continue my blog when we return because there will be no internet access and I don't want to lug my laptop around.  Thank you so much for your support and prayers!  God Bless!

Sarah 

Uno Semana!

One week has passed by and we are all still here and doing well.  Yesterday we didn't go to the hospital, we visited two orphanages instead.  In the morning we visited a home for older girls 12-18 which was good because they were more mellow and listened to what we had to say.  We did a craft with them where they filled in a butterfly picture with paper mache and glue, it was fun!  One of our volunteers who speaks spanish well told them a story of being born again and paired it with how a catapiller changes into a butterfly and is also "reborn".  Even though I don't speak much Spanish, I am learning and I communicated a few things with the girl I was helping. Then Anna handed out some of the dresses she brought that her family made for the kids.  The girls really enjoyed getting the dresses and overall had a good time with us. 

After that a few of us decided to go to the big market in Cochabamba which is open on Wednesdays and Saturdays.  It was fun to walk around and see all of the unique items up for sale.  If you have never been to a third world market, it is quite an experience.  Women kept talking to me and trying to sell me things but since I spoke little spanish I think I ended up just nodding my head or saying no thank you.  I just enjoy walking around and seeing all the fun stuff, I didn't buy anything because I'm here for 5 more weeks and I'm sure we'll be back to the market in that time.  I did eat some fresh pineapple from a street vender and I have yet to get sick from it, so that is good.  I think God is protecting my stomach because I haven't been really picky with my food.  I only drink the filtered or bottled water, but I'm more relaxed with food. 

Then we headed to another orphanage that evening with babies 0-5 years of age.  We got to feed them dinner then carry them around for a few hours and play with the older ones.  I enjoyed working there because I don't get to spend much time with babies so it was fun just to hold them and interact.  After about 3 hours with the babies, we were all pretty tired, but our house father picked us up with one more surprise, cow hearts for dinner!  I only ate a few just to try it, and it was okay but I enjoyed the regular beef better. 

Today Anna and I were supposed to observe an OB-GYN clinic in the afternoon, but it didn't happen today so it was a slow day for us.  We did bake some chocolate chip banana bread for everyone's dessert this evening, so that was a fun way to spend our time.  We also got a tour of a university in our small town of Vinto (where the hospital actually is) which was nice.  Everyone's health is back to normal for now, thank you for your prayers.  We've only been here for one week but it feels like we've been here a lot longer.  Pray that God will use us in the coming weeks and that we will do His will.  Thanks for reading and praying, God Bless!

Sarah   

El beso del insecto

Sunday was a fun day, we went to a church in Cochabamba where they spoke Spanish and only Spanish.  Our house father who takes us where we need to go and helps us around sat next to me and translated a bit so I could at least understand what the sermon was about.  I'm catching on to Spanish a little bit, it's easier for me to read and assoicate words with english even though they may not always be right.  After that we just hung out at the house and played mafia with each other having fun and bonding. 

This morning Anna and I were assigned to Internal Medicine where we saw a total of 4 patients.  One had a urinary tract infection that was easily taken care of with antibiotics.  The others all had a sickness called chagas which is a parasite infection.  It comes from a fly common around here called the "kissing fly", it bites it's victim and deficates at the same time.  When the person itches the bite they rub the feces which containes the parasite into the bite and into thier body.  It effects many parts of the body including the heart, stomach and lungs.  They have no cure here, so the people just live with it until it consumes them.  Very sad, and it is quite common around here because the fly lives in the bricks they commonly make houses out of. 

After that we went to an orphanage where there were 12 5-9 year olds who just wanted someone to play with.  I did my best through broken Spanish and some English words to communicate.  I ended up playing with legos with a little girl and picking up different color blocks because I know some colors in spanish and she had fun with that.  There were also two dogs who seemed to be tortured by the children, they ran to me for refuge whe the kids were chasing them and I enjoyed petting them. 

This evening I helped our house mother Claudia make supper, manicotti, and we had a nice meal together.  Anna has been feeling sick all day, probably from something we ate yesterday so she didn't eat.  She got sick just a while ago and was feeling a little better, but I think it's getting worse again.  Pray for her that she feels better and will at least be able to keep water down so she doesn't get dehydrated.  I will continue to keep you updated, thank you for your support and your prayers.  Thanks for reading!  God Bless!

Sarah

Feliz Dia Mama!

Hey Everyone,

Well, we started working at the hospital on Thursday morning.  Rounds start at 8am and it is basically us following the doctors and trying to understand what they are saying (since it's all in spanish).  Then on Thursday Anna and I shadowed the Peds doctor until noon.  We just sat and watched and listened, not really doing anything but absorbing the culture and the language.  Yesterday was Mother's Day here in Bolivia and they had a nice little presentation at the hospital.  Some kids from the local school sang a few mothers day songs (which are still stuck in my head) and they showed a slide show on how to properly breastfeed.  Strange combonation, but I guess we're all more informed now! :-)  Unfortunately I was still feeling pretty bad with an increasingly bad headache and nausea which I attributed to altitude sickness.  I had to leave the hosptial early to go lay down because I was pretty misrable.  I slept most of the day feeling even more homesick because I just felt so bad, but thank the Lord it went away and I had a pretty good evening. 

Today, Saturday, we took a hike up a mountian but I only made it about a quarter of the way up before my sickness took over and I couldn't breath.  Another girl who is here with Hosptials of Hope, Heidi stayed with me until I got my breath back and then we went down the mountian together.  It was okay though because we got to experience a nice small town in Bolivia and see the market and even eat lunch at a local place that may or may not make me sick later...  I'll let you know. :-)  We did bless the food, so I'm feeling pretty good about it. 

After that we went to another town and bathed street children which was interesting.  I didn't speak much so I kind of felt out of place, but it was good to see how happy the children were just to get their hair washed and to get some nice clothes.  We met up with some other missionaries who do this often and it was also nice to see some other Americans...  I think we do that everyweek, so hopefully I can improove on my Spanish and include myself a little bit more next time.  Tomorrow is church which we are going to a Spanish speaking church, big surprise... So I'll be lost, but hopefully some of the people here can translate a bit for me.  My headache is gone for now thank the Lord and thanks for your prayers.  Thank you for reading and supporting me, God Bless!

Sarah

We have arrived!

Well we have finally made it to Cochabamba Bolivia after two days of grueling travel.  We left Charlotte, NC after a long goodbye to Anna, Kevin and Rachel's parents and my husband.  Our flight left an hour after it was scheduled 2:45pm and we arrived in Miami about two hours later.  Good thing we had a six hour layover and there was no chance we would miss our connecting flight!  We left Miami at 10:30pm on the overnight flight to La Paz Bolivia.  I tried my best to sleep, but for anyone who has been on an overnight flight they know how hard it is.  We arrived in La Paz at 5:30am and culture shock began to set in.  As soon as I stepped off the plane and down the hallway to the terminal my heart was racing and I was short of breath.  I was also getting dizzy and nausous.  I thought maybe I had thrown a clot and was having a pulminary embolism or somthing, but it turns out all I had was altitude sickness.  La Paz is 14,000 ft above sea level and the oxygen level is much lower than it is in the states so breathing is harder and it's easy to get out of breath.
Then we had our fun with customs and visas; no one spoke english and I know almost no spanish.  Anna and Kevin took it in high school so they weren't quite as lost as I was, but it was still hard to communicate.  After a few problems and miscomunications we made it through with passports and visas in hand.  From there we had to book a flight the rest of the way to Cochabamba, only about a 30min flight but the earliest one was booked already.  Luckily, a family friend of Rachel, a missionary who has been living in La Paz for 6 years, had come to help us get through.  Rachel had booked her flight in advance, so she was gone on the 8am flight as the rest of us were stuck in the airport trying to get another flight.  Kathy (Rachel's friend) helped us a lot and we would have been truly lost without her.  Thank the Lord for sending her!!  We didn't end up getting another flight booked until 8:50pm that evening, so we had to stay in La Paz for over 12 hours.  Anna was excited because she wanted to go on an adventure, me on the other hand wanted to be safe and not get lost in a forgin country.  Kathy said she would take us with her and show us the city, that sounded like a good compromise, safe and adventurous! 
The roads were crazy with people and cars!  Everyone assumes they have the right of way and force their way into traffic all the time.  Plus the roads are narrow and have no lines, I'm happy that I didn't have to drive!  We visited with a nice couple from Kathy's church who she was helping.  I was still feeling the effects of the altitude so I crashed on their couch and tried to will myself to feel better.  They gave us some special tea that was supposed to help with altitude sickness and it did a little.  We tried the best we could to talk to them, but it was hard with the language barrier.  After that we went to Kathy's house and relaxed for a while before going out for lunch at an authentic Bolivian restaurant.  Anna, Kevin and I all got the quesidellas which were good tasting but I didn't find anything special about them.  Kathy then took us around the city so we could take pictures of the breathtaking landscape before heading back up to the airport.  We were so thankful for Kathy who pretty much gave up her whole day to take us poor Americans around La Paz so we didn't have to be stuck in the tiny airport for over 12 hours. 
At 8:50pm we finally borded the plane and took off on our way to Cochabamba, our final destination.  Unshowered for two days with unbrused teeth and hair, and feeling exhausted; we finally landed in Cochabamba.  A group of people who had been at Hospitals of Hope volunteering came to pick us up, they were pretty easy to spot because they were white like us!  :-) After a 45min bus ride, we finally made it to the hospital around 11pm and pretty much crashed (after showering and brushing the teeth of course).  But we made it here with a little help from the Lord and now we can start our work.  Thanks for reading!
Sarah

Two Weeks til Departure

Wow, I cant believe this trip is coming up so fast!  I just finished my last final this morning and now all I have to worry about is packing all of my underwear! :-)  Anyway, things have all been going according to plan so far, I sent in the money this week along with my insurance, shots and passport copy.  I had to get three shots for this trip and I still have bumps on my arms from them!  But, I'm happy because they mean that I will be allowed into the country!  I'm really excited for this opportunity to serve and I hope I will get to do a variety of things while I'm there.  The last time I served overseas (other than in the Navy) was in Africa which I loved!  South America will be different, but I'm sure it will also be the same in many ways.  Please continue to pray for me as I prepare to go.  Thank you for all of your support, God Bless!