Last Sat. I went to a village 2 hr away where we dedicated a new clinic paid for by Fresno First Baptist of whom 8 of them were at the event. It cost $40,000 and will house a doc and clinic on the other side. They haven't had any medical care in this village----ever!!! We met with the chief in his 3 layer wool robes and hat with a feather in the hot sun. The kids swarm you and rub your lilly white skin to see if it will come off. They rarely see whites. In fact, I think I saw my first white couple since I have been here except for a missionary couple. We ate some goat meat and intestine with the chief----good I didn't know it was goat bec we have goats feeding on the garbage near our guest house all the time.
Some sayings: often an educated man will first of all say How is the family? and if you cough or stumble, they say "sorry" ----every time you cough ie sorry for you. The Nigerians are rated one of the most happy people in the world I was told,,, yet other surveys list the Danes. They do love to laugh and tease each other, which helps.
Why do Nigerians keep getting AIDS ----the prevalence rate by some is 10% some say 5%. It hasn't gone down much. Good data is very hard to get since most don't have a birth certificate if born in rural areas. Many don't know their real age. One lady told me she was 100 when she didn't look over 55. they don't celebrate birthdays. Condoms aren't used nearly enough partly bec of lack of knowledge, many men are willing to risk it, and women are too scared to make their lover use a condom. Women need to be empowered. Having children is their greatest goal, so they will try to get pregnant so the man will marry her and also prove her fertility. I'm sure there are many more complex reasons. In Uganda and Botswanna they have decreased the prevalence bec the govt is more involved than in Nigeria. Locals say Nigeria has the most corrupt govt in the world.
They don't allow you to take pictures of public buildings so I couldn't take pics of the adobe mosque or wall----since their crisis in Dec.
I shouldn't mind the dust bec in the rainy season our roads must be all mud.
I'm working at Evangel hospital more. I think I can help them improve their care bec the patients are so sick, it is easy to miss impt. history bec they just aren't careful enough. Of course they don't have many of the tests we have , but they jump to conclusions about the diagnosis out of habit without much evidence of having the disease. They can't trust the lab either. Besides AIDS, there is a ton of liver disease and TB. Meningitis is not rare and strokes in young people from hypertension surprised me. NO heart attacks yet. The pt. rooms often reak of a smell of sweaty people in a small room with no ventilation----which is the case.
More later,
Will