Donkey came back to work today; he could not come yesterday because his child, Zimblim, was sick. Donkey had let Zimblim’s health insurance expire so he did not want to take the child to the hospital. There are no actual doctor’s offices here; when someone is sick, they are taken to the hospital and whichever doctor is working that day attends to them. Many times, the doctor is not around and they are seen by a medical assistant. Donkey decided instead of taking him to the hospital he would take him to some medical person’s house. Zimblim was given an IV drip, and an injection of some sort; Donkey has no idea what the child was given and then he was sent home and told to come back this morning. This morning, he was given another IV drip; another injection and a bag full of medicine which included antibiotics, paracetamol, de-wormer and malaria medicine. Well, if they don’t kill you, they will cure you! This is such bad medicine! We are trying to keep the workers from just going to any and everyone for treatment. We usually help the workers with their medical expenses and those of their family but last year we set up a new policy for them getting medical help. We told them that if they did not go to either the clinic near the mission house or to the hospital and if they let their health insurance expire, we would not pay for the treatment. We told them that we would give them a loan so they could pay but we would not pay. Donkey was not very happy with us this morning when he got a loan instead of a gift.
This afternoon we went to Kulkpeni and with the help of some of the church men we got the boards for the roof dipped. It took longer to clear the ground and make the pit than it did to dip the boards. The men took most of the chemical that was left home with them so they could kill ants and termites around their houses. The carpenter is supposed to start the roof tomorrow. Mr. Iddrisu and Donkey got the facial boards painted this morning but they are going to have to have a second coat; they will do that tomorrow. The carpenters probably will not need the facial boards until the day after tomorrow or as the Ghanaians say “tomorrow next”.
The mason still has not put the windows in the building. He said that he could not put them in yet because the doors he put in were welded shut and obviously he does not know how to knock off the little bead of welding that is holding them shut. The doors are welded shut to help keep them square when they are installed. Tonight, when we go to Bible study Steve will take a hammer and a flat screwdriver and open the doors.
Have a great day!
In HIS Service,
Steve, Kandie and Skeeter
The Monkeyshines
Something bit me today and it really hurt! A couple days ago Dad trimmed the bushes by the Child Center; one of them is the one that I play in while we are working the Center. The clippings were still laying on the ground. I started digging around in the leaves and something bit me! I cried and started shaking my hand! It was terribly painful! I would shake my hand and rub it on whatever I could find to rub it on; then I would pick it up and look at it and start shaking it again! Mom looked at my hand but she could not see anything; she dug around in the leaves to see if there were ants or possibly a scorpion in the leaves but she saw nothing! It took a little while for it to stop hurting and it did not seem to cause me any more trouble.
This afternoon I threw up! I threw up in Mom’s lap and it ran down her leg onto her shoe! Mom is a good egg! She did not freak out or get mad at me! She just said, “Well, Skeeter are you sick? Did you throw up on me?” She told Dad to get the wet wipes and she started cleaning up the mess! Mom said that she wonders if my throwing up had anything to do with whatever bit me but I think it was something I ate. After that I laid on Dad and took a long nap; I felt better when I got up!
Today was not my lucky day!
Love, Skeeter
