Oh Mozambique...and prayer requests!

First let's go with prayer requests because I could really use them:
#1- For divine wisdom and grace to continue running the clinic and overseeing the staff.
#2- Extreme thanksgiving for the improvements we have seen in Fernanda over the last week! She is starting real formula today, just pray her body can take it and she continues to get stronger every day!
#3- Thanksgiving for all of Jannie's (another nurse) help in the clinic...there is no way I would be even partly sane if it wasn't for her. Also, thanksgiving for those God has placed around me here to support me and love on me (you know who you are) <3!
#4- For Naftal a little boy in Laura's dorm. I introduced you to him when he arrived so Laura could see him because she was still in the States. Look for that post in November if you want to read up! Anyway, he has been diagnosed with a Wilm's tumor. This is a childhood form of kidney cancer. Their plan is to do surgery on Monday to remove the tumor and then start chemo therapy. So please be praying for him, the tias who are staying with him, the nurses doctors and anyone else at the hospital who is caring for him. I have such a hard time trusting the medical system here, but it does bring me peace to remember Naftal is His child!

Ok, now back to why I entitled this post "Oh Mozambique". I thought it was time I explain to you why it takes so long to get simple things done here and why I spend many of my days frustrated.
Here's the story of what happened yesterday...
First lets start with Monday. We had decided that even though Erin was getting in late from 5 days in Swaziland that she would go with Wesley (an 11 month baby who mysteriously started with a heart murmur a week ago) to his consult at the heart hospital. We had her a ride there and Jannie had talked to the guy in charge of transportation and arranged someone to pick her up. It was my job to go confirm with him about 8/8:30 yesterday morning. So my day started there. When I got over there he say...that is going to be difficult one of my drivers is sick and Domingos (the medical driver is in the city already). I said...I know that...that's why I need you to send someone else. He just looked at me like...well...I can't do anything about it. So I knew one of the drivers had to go to ShopRite on the weekly run about the time Erin would be finished...so I said well he is going to have to drop everyone off at ShopRite, go pick Erin up, and go back and get them. That's our only option. This is completely normal...you plan something and when it comes down to it it won't happen! So at least I solved that problem relatively quickly and Erin was happy to be picked up and get her grocery shopping down all at once (even though she had to carry Wesley around with her)!
Then I spent my morning covering Erin in the Baby House/Bercario with Fernanda and Alberto (who we think has RSV...a viral chest infection that can easily put babies in the States in the hospital) to check on. Next, I had a meeting with Ros (one of our directors) who praise God had a schedule the nurses had worked out so that they are covering 4 nights a week. So, that leaves me with Wednesdays and every Saturday/Sunday. Only God could have made that come together...so I'm so very thankful for that!!! Then I was called and spent the next hour and half trying to get the maintenance men to fix the leaking roof, clogged up sink, and leaking sink (leaking is an understatement...the water pours directly on the floor whenever it drains) in the apartment Aleya and I are moving into this weekend. (Not that I have anything packed or have even thought about moving over there...oops!)
Next came figuring out the consults for today. There were 2. One is a neurological consult for a boy in the baby house...6 years old. The other is blood work for one of our diabetics. It took over 4 (ok if you count of all of it...probably more like 7) hours for us all to make a decision, get transportation arranged, make sure everyone understood what they needed to do, and clear up all confusion (which there was MUCH of). I'm telling you I will never understand how things that should be so simple become so complicated here.
Last, I went to go find my boy who got stitches in his head last week to get them out. It was already time for me to be leaving to go to dinner with some of the other missionaries, something I had agreed to knowing I would need time off the center. After I got his stitches out my plan was to go grab my stuff, drop something off in the girl's area they needed for the consult situation, and go meet everyone. Well, then one of the nurses in the clinic asked me if I was going to stay and help with the 3 last patients we had left to see the doctor (it was 4:30 at this point and the nurse gets off work at 5). All I could think was it shouldn't be that hard for 3 patients to be seen in 30 minutes. But, I just gave up, called and told the missionaries to leave for dinner without me, and headed to drop the things off in the girls area. Along the way, Aleya asked me what was wrong and just broke down and cried. I think it was disappointment, stress level, exhaustion, and culture shock all rolled into one. Aleya is a champ though, she hugged me and made me feel better and we were both on our way back to work.
Ends up at 5 they were already finished with the patients! Yep, that's right. So, disappointed I went to spend some time in the Bercario and love on the babies...they always make me feel better, give me a few good laughs, and get me back on track!

Ok...now maybe you have a glimpse into the frustration and the length of time it takes to do anything around here. Absolute craziness most days...it takes grace, wisdom, understanding, and more grace...only God could have called me here and only God can get me through!

Now it's a new day. It's almost 11 and I still haven't gone up to the clinic. I actually slept until 9:15 (a miracle!!)!!! But...here I go again...