Settling In...

After a couple of exhausting days of travel, and five flights in planes of various sizes, we arrived in Chimoio, Mozambique. The first few days were spent settling into our new "home" - a campsite on Dwight and Lynn Lagore's farm property - and orientating to our roles as health workers in this rural community.

A few highlights of this experience include: meeting the community (of Mucombeze) chief, accompanying Lynn on three orphan home visits, touring the farm where we are staying, and visiting one of the primary bush schools. It has been incredible and inspiring to see the holistic approach that the SAMM team has taken to address the needs of the people of Manica Province. Needless to say, it's been an overwhelming, eye-opening time...but we are finally beginning to shape a clearer vision of how we will be able to assist the health-work that is already in place.

Tomorrow our group is splitting into two separate teams. The Sede Team will be working closely with Lynn and Ernisto (a local healthcare worker) at one of the health posts, providing care for young and old alike. Coupled with this, they will be conducting home visits for orphans and those that are too ill to come to the clinic. In preparation for this, they've packed a "tickle trunk" of medical supplies. The Zuze Team will be working in the primary school that we visited - providing health teaching and english lessons to children from grades 1-5. Beyond this, they will be caring for the children in the pre-school program, and helping Fernando (school cook) with lunch preparation. Both teams also have the privilege to teach adult literacy courses using health concepts, a women's general health lesson (for a different group of women each week), and a 4-part first aid series for community members. As we've been preparing lesson plans, speaking with SAMM staff, meeting the local people who are so excited to have us here, and seeing the immense needs, we realize that our time here is so very short...and that we must make the most of every and all opportunities.