Meet Wilfred, he is a clinical officer which is similar to a physician assistant in America. He works in a village called Opit and on average manages about 200 patients a day. He is kind, patient, always had a smile to share and was eager to have us visit the Lacor Opit Health Center. When we arrived there on Monday he was telling our driver from Lacor Hosptial that he was sending back a newborn who was having difficulty breathing and a woman with asthma. The baby was about 2 hours old and the mother was holding the infant,there was no movment, no sound and when I unwrapped the baby there was no pulse or breathing. I began CPR but the baby I feel had been gone for awhile. It was indeed sad but we realize that death is a part of their existence here. Wilfred was very thankful for our attempts to save that baby and he suggested we work to try and get oxygen at the clinics..... This place is more than a clinic , they have about 20 inpatient beds, a delivery room for maternity, and they serve a community of 16,000.
This is the hot season so it is very dusty and airwary problems are common, as is dehydration (from parasites), pnuemonia, and some malaria. However malaria is much more of a problem in their rainy season.
Thank you for your continued prayers and support. Tomorrow we will be in the hospital maternity ward where we are certain to see many laboring women as they deliver about 30 a day!

2/17- We had a great journey yesterday to a level 3 Community Level Center called Pabo that is run by Lacor Hospital. Many people live in small villages and do not have access to health care. This center has a small inpatient unit and large outpatient are and . We witnessed a delivery of a healthy baby boy by a nurse midwife. The nursing curriculum here trains R.N.'s how to delivery a baby and they must do 10 deliveries before graduating. We were impressed by her confidence and her management of the infant and mom. Kathy and I now say we are Ugandan Grandmas!

The photo is how cooking is done in most communities, here is the set up for how patients at the health center cook their meals.

We continue to enjoy teaching the students very much. Friday 2/18 is the national election and all schools and offices are closed. We feel very safe and I feel fortunate to be here and to pray for a safe and productive time in Uganda.

Greetings from Gulu Uganda

Greetings Friends! We arrived safely to Gulu Uganda on February 7th. We were greeted with warmth, smiles and people who were eager to meet us. Kathy and I are staying in a student dorm building that has no other occupants and is across from the male nursing students (they have many male students :). Our accomadations are nice and the young men are so kind and polite. It is a joy to be staying so close to the students as we are able to learn more about their lives and culture. We began teaching at the nursing school (Lacor St. Mary's School of Nursing) on Feb. 10th and we are enjoying it very much. Our first class to about 50 students was on how to care for the newborn at delivery. We also taught them neonatal basic resuscitation with the aid of supplies and baby manikans that Kathy brought from the NRP curriculum. Every student was able to practice. Many infants and newborns do not survive after birth so sharing this knowledge with them is indeed a joy and we hope they will be empowered to use this skill in practice. Everyone including faculty and students had fun. The nursing faculty called tutors have been very open and encouraging to us. The culture is very polite and they are quite proper. Students are in class or clinical everyday except Sunday (about 40 hours or more/week). Many begin theirn day with attending mass at the chapel on the hospital grounds and often they end their day the same way.

We appreciate all your support on this adventure. We are indeed safe and being treated with genuine caring and respect. Internet access has been difficult but hopefully better now so I will try and update more often! May God Bless You, Mary

Greetings from Lacor Hospital in Uganda

Greetings friends,
We have arrived safely in Gulu Uganda and began our work today at Lacor Hospital St Mary's School of Nursing. We have been welcomed with wonderful hospitality and warmth. This morning we met with the nursing faculty and will begin teaching some of the classes later this week. We know that our time here will go fast as there is so much opportunity to learn and care. The nurses are very holistic in their approach and it is exciting to see how the use of spirituality is part of who they are. The students begin their day in prayer.
We will try and post some photos and update you later this week.
Bless you
Mary and Kathy

Leaving winter behind...

Kansas City is in the middle of a blizzard....my colleague and friend Kathy and I will be boarding a plan to Uganda on Thursday where we will be greeted by a very warm climate and a culture of people eager to welcome us with their caring hearts. Our plans to stay at Lacor Hospital School of Nursing student residence in Gulu have been confirmed, we will arrive there on February 7th after spending the weekend in Kampala. Our dear friend Dr. Katie Rhoads who is a missionary in Uganda and Sudan will be greeting us at the airport when we arrive. Indeed we feel blessed and want to thank everyone for your support in helping us prepare for this journey. My husband Greg who teaches 8th grade science is involving his students in this experience, he had them write letters to the children at Campion Jesuit school in Gulu where we will also be spending time. Hopefully we will even facilitate some skype sessions!
As I prepare to leave I am full of a variety of emotions: excitement, anticipation, blessed, hopeful, fortunate, anxious, loved, gratitude, wonder, .....
May God Bless all....