

Today the Public Health Team taught CPR and Safe Motherhood at a local Health department. The Dental Team saw children at an orphanage run by the Catholic Church. The children at the orphanage range from orphans to children with cerebral palsy to a group of deaf children of varying ages. In addition, the orphanage runs a day care center. Moms from the community were invited to attend the educational day. Our bus picked them up at the orphanage and brought them to the Health Department. They were supposed to go back to the orphanage for lunch - but none of them wanted to get in the bus. They all get car sick! Most of the people in these areas do NOT have cars and have not ridden in them much. They either walk, ride their motor bike or a bicycle.
At lunch time the Public Health team went to the orphanage for lunch. One of the sisters cooked for us. It was a wonderful meal with this amazing soup that had lotus flower seeds in it. So good. And the tables were all set so nicely.
In the afternoon, part of the public health team stayed at the orphanage and did some teaching (hygiene, nutrition, etc.) with the older deaf students. They also taught the older girls some self defense. These girls are quite vulnerable due to their deafness so it was good to teach them how to care for themselves. And our team learned some sign language. The rest of us went back for more teaching of Moms. Tomorrow we will switch places.
The dental team did lots of extractions today. It is strange that we are in a country where so many people do not brush their teeth - many children have never seen a toothbrush before. Yet in every hotel we have stayed, toothbrushes are provided with the regular shampoo and soap.
In the evening we went out for dinner at a lovely restaurant with traditional music. Afterwards, Warren and I went shopping and bought some silk scarves - beautiful.
It is hard to believe that we are almost through with this trip. It has gone so fast. I wish we could have stayed longer to do some sightseeing. We have not seen the 'traditional' sights that one would see when a tourist. But, what we have done is meet wonderful people and see things that we never would have seen as a tourist. Certainly worthwhile and rewarding. I know that I have been changed by this trip and will look at things quite differently when I return home.
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