As long as we're on the subject, I need to relate to you a story that happened recently here at The Pines. Each Tuesday and Thursday evening I hold Bible Study with the 8 oldest children. One thing you quickly learn is no matter what these children have been through in their short lives, they are by no means lacking in personality.
A couple weeks ago we were discussing the Bible, where it comes from, and how we know it is true. One of the reasons I pointed out is the history of Biblical facts vs. Scientific reason. I was explaining to them how throughout history the "wisest" scientists made outrageous claims that contradict what the Bible says. For instance, they learned the story of Christopher Columbus and how he was warned that he would fall off the end of the earth if he kept sailing west.
Another example is the conflict between Creationism and Evolution. We got into a discussion of where everything came from, and why God chose to make things the way He did. I posed the question to the children "Why did God create plants?" The answer given by one of the boys was "So the animals could have something to eat." This of course logically led to a second question "Why did God create animals?" Using a tone of voice that could mean nothing other than "Duh", the same boy responded "Because they are so delicious."
Monday, October 13, 2008
Friday, October 10, 2008
The Life and Times of Louis & Amber - Fires
This past Sunday evening it rained. This is a big deal, as it is the first rain we have received since late May/early June. A couple weeks ago we had to dig a shallow trench to run some water lines.
In August we had to dig through concrete and rocks to run a sewer line and I would rather have to dig through concrete than through the dirt that hasn't received rain in so long. So we're glad that the rains are seemingly back for the summertime. Things should start to green up here soon.
Of course, since we hadn't had rain for so long the grass around here was pretty dry. Apparently one of the favorite pastimes in
South Africa is lighting dry grass on fire. One day Amber was here at The Pines alone with the children and mamas and a fire started in our little section. The wind blew it into the grounds 
here and it started to burn the grass toward the building. Lehlohonolo, an 11 year old boy quickly took charge, getting all the shovels and rakes passed out and starting a bucket brigade with the other children. Obviously this wasn't his first fire.
I arrived home shortly afterward and the fire was almost completely under control by that time. It wasn't that we were terribly frightened, as the grass close to the building is kept too short to endanger the building, but it was very cool to see the kids jump right into action and take responsibility without being asked. And one can never do a job around here without some time afterward to wind down.
In August we had to dig through concrete and rocks to run a sewer line and I would rather have to dig through concrete than through the dirt that hasn't received rain in so long. So we're glad that the rains are seemingly back for the summertime. Things should start to green up here soon.Of course, since we hadn't had rain for so long the grass around here was pretty dry. Apparently one of the favorite pastimes in
South Africa is lighting dry grass on fire. One day Amber was here at The Pines alone with the children and mamas and a fire started in our little section. The wind blew it into the grounds 
here and it started to burn the grass toward the building. Lehlohonolo, an 11 year old boy quickly took charge, getting all the shovels and rakes passed out and starting a bucket brigade with the other children. Obviously this wasn't his first fire.
I arrived home shortly afterward and the fire was almost completely under control by that time. It wasn't that we were terribly frightened, as the grass close to the building is kept too short to endanger the building, but it was very cool to see the kids jump right into action and take responsibility without being asked. And one can never do a job around here without some time afterward to wind down.
Sunday, October 5, 2008
The Life and Times of Louis & Amber - Birthday Card
Children need to learn how to work. At least that's what Frank & Maggie told me for the first 18 years of my life. Looking back, I see the wisdom, not only because it teaches children talents that will help them be successful later in life, but because then that means less work for you as the parent. Now that I think about it, maybe that's why Tony and I learned to mow the lawn at such an early age. I remember that as children we were always excited when the remote control was lost, because one of us got the job of being the designated remote control, hence allowing us to watch television as well (this is quite a treat for the typical home schooler). Come to think of it, maybe it wasn't always an accident that it kept getting lost.
Now that I've learned the value of teaching small humans to do my menial tasks, I agree that the children here at The Pines should also develop a strong work ethic. So it should come as no surprise that the children here do have daily chores, things like cleaning up rubbish, working in the garden, picking up doggy poo, etc... On top of that, when we are working on a specific project we frequently call upon them as a source of quick labor. I think it was Confucious who say "Many hands make light work". Recently I was pulling up bricks from an old, unused walkway to be re-used as border for a splash park we made for the small children. I needed help transporting the bricks from the walkway to the aforementioned splash park. And for those of you reading this and not just looking at the pictures, I'm sure you've guessed that some of the children were assigned to this special job.
My birthday is September 3rd. You may be asking yourself "What does that have to do with anything?" Well, as it turns out, birthdays are a big thing around here. So big that the children decided to make birthday cards for me. This was the same day I asked them to move those bricks. My favorite card came from two lovely young children, Rafiloe & Lehlohonolo. They are reasonable young people and wanted no wasted effort. Please see the pictures below for the birthday card I received. Obviously with this day being my birthday, it still did not exempt me from policing those who would attempt to shirk their duties, nor would I be free from acknowledging those who so diligently carried out the assigned task.
This is the front of the Birthday Card. As you can see it is nicely, yet efficiently, decorated with the cupcake/candle combo sticker. Obviously sending the message of "I wish you to have a happy and healthy birthday, with many more to come" (Click on the card to read)
This is the back of the birthday card. All business. It's kind of like the south african mullet seen in the post below, only in reverse. The back page - all business. The front page - party. And we're happy to see this kind of efficiency from the children. (Click on the card to read)
Now that I've learned the value of teaching small humans to do my menial tasks, I agree that the children here at The Pines should also develop a strong work ethic. So it should come as no surprise that the children here do have daily chores, things like cleaning up rubbish, working in the garden, picking up doggy poo, etc... On top of that, when we are working on a specific project we frequently call upon them as a source of quick labor. I think it was Confucious who say "Many hands make light work". Recently I was pulling up bricks from an old, unused walkway to be re-used as border for a splash park we made for the small children. I needed help transporting the bricks from the walkway to the aforementioned splash park. And for those of you reading this and not just looking at the pictures, I'm sure you've guessed that some of the children were assigned to this special job.
My birthday is September 3rd. You may be asking yourself "What does that have to do with anything?" Well, as it turns out, birthdays are a big thing around here. So big that the children decided to make birthday cards for me. This was the same day I asked them to move those bricks. My favorite card came from two lovely young children, Rafiloe & Lehlohonolo. They are reasonable young people and wanted no wasted effort. Please see the pictures below for the birthday card I received. Obviously with this day being my birthday, it still did not exempt me from policing those who would attempt to shirk their duties, nor would I be free from acknowledging those who so diligently carried out the assigned task.
This is the front of the Birthday Card. As you can see it is nicely, yet efficiently, decorated with the cupcake/candle combo sticker. Obviously sending the message of "I wish you to have a happy and healthy birthday, with many more to come" (Click on the card to read)
This is the back of the birthday card. All business. It's kind of like the south african mullet seen in the post below, only in reverse. The back page - all business. The front page - party. And we're happy to see this kind of efficiency from the children. (Click on the card to read)
Saturday, October 4, 2008
The Life and Times of Louis & Amber - Update on Boetie Boet
Last week I told you about a small boy named Boetie Boet. See that update for the details of his hospital stay. Basically, the doctors thought he had drug-resistant TB, and the potential treatment called for him to spend 9 months to a year in a hospital in another city. In the meantime, we were waiting for his test results. The tests involved him coughing up phlem and the doctors would take that and use it to grow samples that they could test to see what kind of TB he had. That is a six-week process before they can even determine treatment.
In the meantime, we were visiting him almost every day. Either the Niehoffs, one of the housemothers, or I would go and spend 1-2 hours with him at the hospital. On Tuesday the Niehoffs were out of town and none of the mothers were available so I went and brought him a few treats. I spent some time reading to him and started to attract a crowd. When I finished the book Boetie Boet actually wanted me to leave so he could get on with playing with his friends.
Anyway, on Thursday I dropped Mama Angelina off for a visit. About an hour later I went back to the hospital to pick her up, and there she is standing on the curb with none other than Boetie Boet himself. Apparently the tests came back and he does not have the resistant TB, but rather another strain which is supposed to be more treatable. Angelina had a bag of medications and since he has already started treatment there should be no risk of it being communicated to the other children. We are praising the Lord for this, and all the children and mothers were happy to have him back. I wish I had video of the reception he received from some of the kids, as they were so excited to see him.
The honeymoon, however, was fairly short-lived. The next day we caught one of the other children twisting his arm behind his back. We're not sure the reason, but obviously they've all adjusted quickly to having him back here as part of the family again.
In the meantime, we were visiting him almost every day. Either the Niehoffs, one of the housemothers, or I would go and spend 1-2 hours with him at the hospital. On Tuesday the Niehoffs were out of town and none of the mothers were available so I went and brought him a few treats. I spent some time reading to him and started to attract a crowd. When I finished the book Boetie Boet actually wanted me to leave so he could get on with playing with his friends.
Anyway, on Thursday I dropped Mama Angelina off for a visit. About an hour later I went back to the hospital to pick her up, and there she is standing on the curb with none other than Boetie Boet himself. Apparently the tests came back and he does not have the resistant TB, but rather another strain which is supposed to be more treatable. Angelina had a bag of medications and since he has already started treatment there should be no risk of it being communicated to the other children. We are praising the Lord for this, and all the children and mothers were happy to have him back. I wish I had video of the reception he received from some of the kids, as they were so excited to see him.
The honeymoon, however, was fairly short-lived. The next day we caught one of the other children twisting his arm behind his back. We're not sure the reason, but obviously they've all adjusted quickly to having him back here as part of the family again.
Friday, October 3, 2008
The Life and Times of Louis & Amber - Fashion
Here in South Africa, the mullet is not only cool, its recommended. I'm working on mine now.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
The Life and Times of Louis & Amber - Boetie Boet
In our monthly updates I attempt to introduce one of the children at The Pines. I want to give an update here of a small boy named Boetie Boetie. This is not his real name, but rather a nickname meaning "little brother". This boy is currently 7 years old, although to look at him, you would probably guess he's more like 5.
We received him at The Pines in late May this year, and of all the children we have, he had the most difficult transition. Usually, the children adjust quickly without crying at all. You must remember that the kids we get
have usually been neglected or even abandoned, so for them to receive good food and loving care is more than they have probably ever known. Boetie Boet however was a little different. He is a very sensitive boy by nature, and has been through more in his short life than any of us can ever imagine.
He was referred here through a sister organization we work with called Morningstar. Morningstar is a Christian daycare run for HIV+ children who come from the poorest homes. The director of Morningstar had tried to get him placed with us when we first opened, due to his unhealthy living environment, but the government placed him with another person for care. In fact, we were recently looking through some old pictures and found a photo of him visiting here at the grand opening, almost a year before we were able to take any kids at all.
Boetie Boet's family was very unstable and he was not getting the proper care and nutrition that he needed. Fortunately he was receiving some care and nourishment through Morningstar or he wouldn't be alive with us today. I'm not sure the exact timeframe, but I believe about a year or so ago he was orphaned, and went to live with another adult who agreed to take him in. In situations like this, the government gives a small grant for the care of the child, but it is barely enough to feed a small child. Oftentimes people will take in several children in order to collect the grant money for them, but whether or not the funds actually are used for the care of the child is very much a concern. It seems this may have been the case in Boetie Boet's situation.
Finally, in May the government removed him from the place he was staying and put him with us. For 3 days straight he cried, and not just wimpering, but full blown sobbing. Finally he stopped crying, and after about a month we were able to get him to smile and play with other children. Many of the children when they first arrive are infected with TB, and such was the case with Boetie Boet. He began treatment, and doctors tell us that once treatment begins they are no longer contagious. In addition to TB he had other various ailments that frequently accompany an HIV compromised immune system, such as ringworm, common colds, etc... After several months of living at The Pines, his overall condition seemed to improve, but some of these symptoms would not go away, so we took him to the medical clinic for a checkup.
At this checkup the doctors determined he may still have active TB, and they ordered him to be admitted to the hospital immediately for treatment. This was three weeks ago. After initial admission he began treatment but it seemed to have no affect. The doctors began then to suspect he is infected with a resistant strain of TB, which they currently are unsure how to treat. It takes at least 6 weeks for the tests to come back, and after that time a plan will be made on how best to proceed. As far as we have been told he would have to go into isolation treatment at a hospital about 2 hours away from here from 9 months to a year.
At the public hospital patients are given meals, but often not in a manner suitable for small children. For instance, they may receive an orange, but it wouldn't be peeled. Also, between meals they are pretty much on their own. They basically just sit in their small bed with nothing to do.
It is the responsibility of family to provide any other needs a child might have. We have been able to send someone every day to sit with him, but obviously if he is sent to the other hospital that may become prohibitive. Since he is already behind the eight ball when it comes to school and development we have made a distinct effort to provide stimulation for his mind. He has a good stack of coloring books, crayons, small toys, story books, and K-level schoolwork. Everyday he is read to and played with. Actually, when I have been there he seems to be the life of the party, even though it is completely contradictory to his normal personality. The whole time I am there children from all over the ward come to borrow his crayons and coloring pages, or return toys he has lent them. It seems he finds more joy sharing with the other kids than playing with things himself.
One day while I was visiting with him we talked about Jesus. He knows what sin is, and he knows what Jesus did for us, and while I was there that day he stopped right in the middle of our conversation so he could pray for forgiveness for his sins. I don't know if he had ever done that before, and obviously God sees the heart, but we pray for each of our kids here that they would know the freedom and joy that comes with assurance of eternal life.
Here is a young boy who has spent more time in his life at the hospital than at school. He has seen friends come and go, some through discharge, others not. When he first arrived at the hospital he went through the same transition as when he arrived here. For the first 10 days whenever one of us would visit he would just start weeping uncontrollably, wanting to come home. Now, he tells the Mama's when they visit
that he knows he is sick and doesn't want to leave until he gets completely better. When we visit now, instead of asking to come home, he asks that we bring him this toy or that. One frequent request is that we bring a computer so he can play Mario Bros. (a favorite on the classroom computers here at The Pines). It is still difficult when his friends leave, or when he is moved to another ward, but he is taking it nicely. We continue to pray that he will be healed and returned to us quickly, but we are encouraged by the small progress we see every day. Pray with us.
We received him at The Pines in late May this year, and of all the children we have, he had the most difficult transition. Usually, the children adjust quickly without crying at all. You must remember that the kids we get
have usually been neglected or even abandoned, so for them to receive good food and loving care is more than they have probably ever known. Boetie Boet however was a little different. He is a very sensitive boy by nature, and has been through more in his short life than any of us can ever imagine.He was referred here through a sister organization we work with called Morningstar. Morningstar is a Christian daycare run for HIV+ children who come from the poorest homes. The director of Morningstar had tried to get him placed with us when we first opened, due to his unhealthy living environment, but the government placed him with another person for care. In fact, we were recently looking through some old pictures and found a photo of him visiting here at the grand opening, almost a year before we were able to take any kids at all.
Boetie Boet's family was very unstable and he was not getting the proper care and nutrition that he needed. Fortunately he was receiving some care and nourishment through Morningstar or he wouldn't be alive with us today. I'm not sure the exact timeframe, but I believe about a year or so ago he was orphaned, and went to live with another adult who agreed to take him in. In situations like this, the government gives a small grant for the care of the child, but it is barely enough to feed a small child. Oftentimes people will take in several children in order to collect the grant money for them, but whether or not the funds actually are used for the care of the child is very much a concern. It seems this may have been the case in Boetie Boet's situation.
Finally, in May the government removed him from the place he was staying and put him with us. For 3 days straight he cried, and not just wimpering, but full blown sobbing. Finally he stopped crying, and after about a month we were able to get him to smile and play with other children. Many of the children when they first arrive are infected with TB, and such was the case with Boetie Boet. He began treatment, and doctors tell us that once treatment begins they are no longer contagious. In addition to TB he had other various ailments that frequently accompany an HIV compromised immune system, such as ringworm, common colds, etc... After several months of living at The Pines, his overall condition seemed to improve, but some of these symptoms would not go away, so we took him to the medical clinic for a checkup.
At this checkup the doctors determined he may still have active TB, and they ordered him to be admitted to the hospital immediately for treatment. This was three weeks ago. After initial admission he began treatment but it seemed to have no affect. The doctors began then to suspect he is infected with a resistant strain of TB, which they currently are unsure how to treat. It takes at least 6 weeks for the tests to come back, and after that time a plan will be made on how best to proceed. As far as we have been told he would have to go into isolation treatment at a hospital about 2 hours away from here from 9 months to a year.
At the public hospital patients are given meals, but often not in a manner suitable for small children. For instance, they may receive an orange, but it wouldn't be peeled. Also, between meals they are pretty much on their own. They basically just sit in their small bed with nothing to do.
It is the responsibility of family to provide any other needs a child might have. We have been able to send someone every day to sit with him, but obviously if he is sent to the other hospital that may become prohibitive. Since he is already behind the eight ball when it comes to school and development we have made a distinct effort to provide stimulation for his mind. He has a good stack of coloring books, crayons, small toys, story books, and K-level schoolwork. Everyday he is read to and played with. Actually, when I have been there he seems to be the life of the party, even though it is completely contradictory to his normal personality. The whole time I am there children from all over the ward come to borrow his crayons and coloring pages, or return toys he has lent them. It seems he finds more joy sharing with the other kids than playing with things himself.One day while I was visiting with him we talked about Jesus. He knows what sin is, and he knows what Jesus did for us, and while I was there that day he stopped right in the middle of our conversation so he could pray for forgiveness for his sins. I don't know if he had ever done that before, and obviously God sees the heart, but we pray for each of our kids here that they would know the freedom and joy that comes with assurance of eternal life.
Here is a young boy who has spent more time in his life at the hospital than at school. He has seen friends come and go, some through discharge, others not. When he first arrived at the hospital he went through the same transition as when he arrived here. For the first 10 days whenever one of us would visit he would just start weeping uncontrollably, wanting to come home. Now, he tells the Mama's when they visit
that he knows he is sick and doesn't want to leave until he gets completely better. When we visit now, instead of asking to come home, he asks that we bring him this toy or that. One frequent request is that we bring a computer so he can play Mario Bros. (a favorite on the classroom computers here at The Pines). It is still difficult when his friends leave, or when he is moved to another ward, but he is taking it nicely. We continue to pray that he will be healed and returned to us quickly, but we are encouraged by the small progress we see every day. Pray with us.
Saturday, September 13, 2008
The Life and Times of Louis & Amber - Childbirth 2
First of all, I'd like to apologize for the previous post. Obviously I wasn't in my right mind. Apparently the pain medication I was taking for the delivery was getting to me. Actually, Mama Maggie O'Tool would be proud - neither Amber nor me took pain medication other than the local she received right before the baby came.
I guess that spoils the big announcement. Yes, we had a baby boy, officially to be named Drake Thomas O'Tool. He weighed in at 4.17kg's and measured 55cm long. As you can see from the photo, a large portion of that is in the nose. It is the famous O'Tool trademark. I'm really quite pleased about it. Hopefully as he grows it will get flat on the end just like mine. A few months back Meredith actually asked me who bit the end of my nose off.
So, back to more information on the delivery. As common as childbirth is on my side of the family you'd think it would be old hat by now, but every time another one joins the crowd there is a mad rush to hear all the details. I'll spare you most of them, but to satiate the appetite of
who long to know, I will fill in a few of the highlights. We went to a checkup on Monday morning and the doctor told us the baby would be there by Wednesday, but just in case, he wanted us to schedule an appointment for Thursday morning. On Thursday morning he told us he was leaving town for the weekend on Friday afternoon, so he wanted us to come in Thursday night so he could monitor Amber. At 9:45pm we left our apartment and headed downstairs to drop Meredith off with Brian & Lois. Halfway down the stairs Amber stops and says "my water just broke" Fortunately, it was just a small leak, so we weren't slipping and sliding the rest of the way down.
We arrived at the hospital around 10:15, and by 11:00 Amber was feeling her first contractions. These were relatively minor (I know, easy for me to say) but they were light enough that she was able to catch a couple hours of sleep. My contractions were also light enough for me to sleep as well. About 4:00am the nurses came to check on Amber and that's when the adventures described in detail in a previous post took place. Serious contractions started around 5:00, and by 6:00 our conversation died down and it was pretty much just me talking to her.
I couldn't really tell if I was being more irritating, or if it was helping, but she never told me to knock it off, so I just kept yammering away. At about 6:50 the doctor showed up and did a quick exam, telling us that Amber was 5cm dialated. At 7:15 he came back and checked again, and it was at 9cm. He told us that there would be a baby delivered within half an hour.
Around 7:30 Amber started getting the contractions where she had to push, but they made her wait for a few contractions. Finally, she put her foot down - figuratively of course, because they don't really like you're feet to be down when you're delivering - and she told them she was going to push.
It took 4 good contractions with her pushing, but the Drake finally popped his little head out to meet the world. About a week ago I spoke with Maggie on the phone, and she gave me some tips on what to say to help coach Amber through. I figured with the vast experience my mom has with this sort of thing I would follow her advice. On the third contraction, I broke out the patented Maggie coaching techniques, and for whatever reason this made Amber laugh. So I guess it accomplished the objective of taking her mind off the pain. Apparently I need more practice.
Anyway, for those of you who need some brushing up on your metric conversion tables, the measurements are as follows: 9 lbs. 3 oz. and 21.5 inches long. Not the cutest baby in the nursery, but we'll keep him. Hopefully he grows out of it like Meredith did. I was never so lucky.
Through the whole thing Amber was really a champ. The doctors and nurses were impressed with her demeanor. And I found out later that she really did appreciate me talking so much, so that's nice to know. I'm also happy to report that I am recovering nicely. So is Amber.
I guess that spoils the big announcement. Yes, we had a baby boy, officially to be named Drake Thomas O'Tool. He weighed in at 4.17kg's and measured 55cm long. As you can see from the photo, a large portion of that is in the nose. It is the famous O'Tool trademark. I'm really quite pleased about it. Hopefully as he grows it will get flat on the end just like mine. A few months back Meredith actually asked me who bit the end of my nose off.So, back to more information on the delivery. As common as childbirth is on my side of the family you'd think it would be old hat by now, but every time another one joins the crowd there is a mad rush to hear all the details. I'll spare you most of them, but to satiate the appetite of
who long to know, I will fill in a few of the highlights. We went to a checkup on Monday morning and the doctor told us the baby would be there by Wednesday, but just in case, he wanted us to schedule an appointment for Thursday morning. On Thursday morning he told us he was leaving town for the weekend on Friday afternoon, so he wanted us to come in Thursday night so he could monitor Amber. At 9:45pm we left our apartment and headed downstairs to drop Meredith off with Brian & Lois. Halfway down the stairs Amber stops and says "my water just broke" Fortunately, it was just a small leak, so we weren't slipping and sliding the rest of the way down.
We arrived at the hospital around 10:15, and by 11:00 Amber was feeling her first contractions. These were relatively minor (I know, easy for me to say) but they were light enough that she was able to catch a couple hours of sleep. My contractions were also light enough for me to sleep as well. About 4:00am the nurses came to check on Amber and that's when the adventures described in detail in a previous post took place. Serious contractions started around 5:00, and by 6:00 our conversation died down and it was pretty much just me talking to her.
I couldn't really tell if I was being more irritating, or if it was helping, but she never told me to knock it off, so I just kept yammering away. At about 6:50 the doctor showed up and did a quick exam, telling us that Amber was 5cm dialated. At 7:15 he came back and checked again, and it was at 9cm. He told us that there would be a baby delivered within half an hour.Around 7:30 Amber started getting the contractions where she had to push, but they made her wait for a few contractions. Finally, she put her foot down - figuratively of course, because they don't really like you're feet to be down when you're delivering - and she told them she was going to push.
It took 4 good contractions with her pushing, but the Drake finally popped his little head out to meet the world. About a week ago I spoke with Maggie on the phone, and she gave me some tips on what to say to help coach Amber through. I figured with the vast experience my mom has with this sort of thing I would follow her advice. On the third contraction, I broke out the patented Maggie coaching techniques, and for whatever reason this made Amber laugh. So I guess it accomplished the objective of taking her mind off the pain. Apparently I need more practice.
Anyway, for those of you who need some brushing up on your metric conversion tables, the measurements are as follows: 9 lbs. 3 oz. and 21.5 inches long. Not the cutest baby in the nursery, but we'll keep him. Hopefully he grows out of it like Meredith did. I was never so lucky.
Through the whole thing Amber was really a champ. The doctors and nurses were impressed with her demeanor. And I found out later that she really did appreciate me talking so much, so that's nice to know. I'm also happy to report that I am recovering nicely. So is Amber.
The Life and Times of Louis & Amber - Childbirth
As many of you know, and the rest soon to find out, Amber has been pregnant for about the past nine months. All things considered, the pregnancy has been quite uneventful, at least relatively speaking. There have been so many other “events” in our lives in the past nine months that it takes a pretty substantial level of eventfulness to really qualify as eventful. But I digress. Amber has been quite a trooper throughout this whole process, with nary a complaint filed, except for the common emphasis upon whom the blame for her current condition lies. Of course, that would be yours truly. But I emphasize that she was more involved with our cross-continental transplant than I was, and since then she has adjusted quite nicely with a positive disposition at almost all times.
Part of that transplant and adjustment related to the medical field. Within the South African medical community there exists a dichotomy. On the one hand, there is the government funded healthcare and hospitals. On the other there is private healthcare for those who can afford it. Without getting into a discussion regarding government sponsored healthcare and the politics that go along with it, suffice it to say that the private industry is quite superior here.The private healthcare tends also to be quite reasonably priced as well. In fact, the full bill for an office visit here is often less than a normal co-pay would be with an American corporate insurance policy. Another time I will share with you the intricacies of the public healthcare system.
We then, as a couple, have gotten to know Dr. Fourie and the pre-natal division here at the local medical clinic. I highly recommend Dr. Fourie’s services, and we couldn’t be more pleased (up to this point) with the care we have received. However, there are a few differences of note between medical customs here, and medical customs on the other side of the Atlantic. One of those is the enema. What a lovely experience these are and I encourage you all to explore this option fully; quite healthy, really. The enema is standard procedure, the modus operendi – or M.O. if you will – whenever an expecting mother is admitted to the medical clinic. Our friend who had a baby here in May was able to strategically avoid this portion of the experience during her labor, as she was too far advanced when she actually arrived at the hospital. Amber was hoping to employ the same scheme in order to bypass this procedure as well.
Afrikaans is the primary language spoken in this area of South Africa. It is a derivative of Dutch, and since coming here we have learned it is almost completely identical to Flemish. As you well know, Flemish is one of the official languages of Belgium. Belgium is a small European country bordering France and they are renowned for their chocolates, diamonds, and Flem; hence the term “Flemish”. And as you would imagine for a language named after throat mucus, when spoken, the speaker often sounds as if they are clearing their throat. It comes out with kind of a “hoch”-ing noise. Anyway, neither Amber nor me speak a lick of Afrikaans (although occasionally when I clear my throat it is mistaken for a term of endearment) and when we first arrived at the hospital on the evening of delivery most of the nurses were not aware of this predicament. Thus they continued to speak Afrikaans almost exclusively.
It was not uncommon for them to carry on entire conversations of which we were left totally in the dark. I was impressed with myself when I deciphered they were talking about Amber’s water breaking. I knew this because she said “whoosh” while simultaneously thrusting her hands down and outward (just imagine how you would mime water breaking). So I didn’t exactly understand Afrikaans, just the sign language that went along with it. Later however, I did pick up a word that is universal in any language. In the midst of string of conversation that sounded roughly like this – “adhalv alieru hoch ahsldk hoch hoch hoch ahsdklf Metamucil ahlka hoch hoch ahslkdj hoch” – Take a close look at that sentence and see if you can find the one word familiar the world over. Let me give you a hint: It’s in the same family as prune juice. That’s right. The word is Metamucil. Here we experienced another dichotomy. While overjoyed by the identification of a single word, there was also the disturbing realization of what exactly that word would mean.
Part of that transplant and adjustment related to the medical field. Within the South African medical community there exists a dichotomy. On the one hand, there is the government funded healthcare and hospitals. On the other there is private healthcare for those who can afford it. Without getting into a discussion regarding government sponsored healthcare and the politics that go along with it, suffice it to say that the private industry is quite superior here.The private healthcare tends also to be quite reasonably priced as well. In fact, the full bill for an office visit here is often less than a normal co-pay would be with an American corporate insurance policy. Another time I will share with you the intricacies of the public healthcare system.
We then, as a couple, have gotten to know Dr. Fourie and the pre-natal division here at the local medical clinic. I highly recommend Dr. Fourie’s services, and we couldn’t be more pleased (up to this point) with the care we have received. However, there are a few differences of note between medical customs here, and medical customs on the other side of the Atlantic. One of those is the enema. What a lovely experience these are and I encourage you all to explore this option fully; quite healthy, really. The enema is standard procedure, the modus operendi – or M.O. if you will – whenever an expecting mother is admitted to the medical clinic. Our friend who had a baby here in May was able to strategically avoid this portion of the experience during her labor, as she was too far advanced when she actually arrived at the hospital. Amber was hoping to employ the same scheme in order to bypass this procedure as well.
Afrikaans is the primary language spoken in this area of South Africa. It is a derivative of Dutch, and since coming here we have learned it is almost completely identical to Flemish. As you well know, Flemish is one of the official languages of Belgium. Belgium is a small European country bordering France and they are renowned for their chocolates, diamonds, and Flem; hence the term “Flemish”. And as you would imagine for a language named after throat mucus, when spoken, the speaker often sounds as if they are clearing their throat. It comes out with kind of a “hoch”-ing noise. Anyway, neither Amber nor me speak a lick of Afrikaans (although occasionally when I clear my throat it is mistaken for a term of endearment) and when we first arrived at the hospital on the evening of delivery most of the nurses were not aware of this predicament. Thus they continued to speak Afrikaans almost exclusively.
It was not uncommon for them to carry on entire conversations of which we were left totally in the dark. I was impressed with myself when I deciphered they were talking about Amber’s water breaking. I knew this because she said “whoosh” while simultaneously thrusting her hands down and outward (just imagine how you would mime water breaking). So I didn’t exactly understand Afrikaans, just the sign language that went along with it. Later however, I did pick up a word that is universal in any language. In the midst of string of conversation that sounded roughly like this – “adhalv alieru hoch ahsldk hoch hoch hoch ahsdklf Metamucil ahlka hoch hoch ahslkdj hoch” – Take a close look at that sentence and see if you can find the one word familiar the world over. Let me give you a hint: It’s in the same family as prune juice. That’s right. The word is Metamucil. Here we experienced another dichotomy. While overjoyed by the identification of a single word, there was also the disturbing realization of what exactly that word would mean.
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
The Life and Times of Louis & Amber - Entry 2
This past week a few interesting things happened here on this side of the ocean. Let me regale you with the tales:
So last week I got a little lazy and decided to skip shaving my entire face, instead leaving a small patch known commonly as a Goatee. Now while I'm no wolf-man, I have since reaching the adolescent stage of life consistently grown more and more facial hair. Not to get into the specifics, but for about 3 years now I need to shave every day or I start to look like a hooligan, what with the patchy growth and all. After two or three days of fighting the Abe Lincoln/Ken Hamm cheek beard or uncomfortable neck beard while neglecting my manly chin and mustache sections, I have a noticeable level of growth on my chin and upper lip. It is at this time I decide to shave it all. This maneuver on my part does not escape the notice of some of the children here. Several of the older girls decided to give me the 5th degree on why I would choose to remove the goatee. One girl goes so far as to say that when I do have the mini-beard it is the same as a pig. I query her on this description and she proceeds to tell me that when you skin a pig, the inside of its skin is about the same as my 3-day growth, and you have to work and work to scrape it off. Huh.
Along the same lines, I must relate to you a story that although it did not take place this last week, must be shared while we're on the vein of follicular growths. I believe it is common knowledge that most people of African descent share the common trait of tight, curly hair. Most of them have little to no hair on their arms or legs. So they think it odd that white people have hairy arms and legs. For example, I was at a house in Thabong recently and there was a young boy about 7 years old or so. He was fascinated by my arms and stayed close to me, petting my arms as one would pet a puppy, rabbit, or other such cuddly creature (which would fit, because if I am anything, it is cute and cuddly). So the children here one day told one of the American team members that white people take dog tablets to make their hair straight and to grow hair on their arms and/or legs. The team member was somewhat taken aback, as you would imagine. It turns out that some African people really do take dog tablets. I'm not sure if the tablets are made of dog, or if they are intended to be given to dogs. I suppose this would be a classic case of six of one, half dozen of the other, as one may not be any more desirable than the other to a western mind. And with the holidays coming up, I thought this would be a good time to mention that if you are looking for a unique gift for that special someone, and if that special someone needs more hair on their arms and legs, I would be more than happy to acquire dog tablets and ship them to you for a minimal fee.
The third event that I must make known to you all relates to the staff here at The Pines. We employ a gardener named Leonard. Leonard lives here on the property with his wife Temperance and daughter. Temperance has been expecting for quite some time now: About 9 months to be exact. So it came as no surprise when, on Sunday morning, her water broke and she needed to go to the medical clinic. Leonard notified Brian & Lois of the new turn of events, and they graciously offered to drive her to the clinic. Leonard declined, as he determined the ambulance was sufficient transportation. The problem is that no one is ever able to find our facility without substantial searching. Because of this, Brian & Lois took Temperance in their vehicle and found the ambulance. I'm not sure if it is a cultural thing or what the reasoning is, but Leonard refused to go the the clinic with Temperance. I can understand this, as for centuries men were not allowed in the birthing room and probably for good reason. No one needs to go through what us fathers go through during the birthing process. It is really quite agonizing. And so Leonard wisely avoided this, and therefore avoided the undue blame and crushed fingers that go along with it. Before we all laud Leonard for his wisdom, I must continue my narrative. Temperance, by all accounts, made it to the hospital and through delivery admirably. She then conversed with Leonard via the telephone, telling him of the birth of their child. When we, the missionaries, spoke with Leonard later that day we asked him how things were going. He told us the baby had arrived. Of course, the logical question that follows relates to the gender of the child. It was at this point we learned Leonard had neglected to ask Temperance the gender of the child. Again, maybe this is a cultural thing. Leonard was later happy to learn that he is now the father of a healthy little boy. And we were happy as well.
The End.
So last week I got a little lazy and decided to skip shaving my entire face, instead leaving a small patch known commonly as a Goatee. Now while I'm no wolf-man, I have since reaching the adolescent stage of life consistently grown more and more facial hair. Not to get into the specifics, but for about 3 years now I need to shave every day or I start to look like a hooligan, what with the patchy growth and all. After two or three days of fighting the Abe Lincoln/Ken Hamm cheek beard or uncomfortable neck beard while neglecting my manly chin and mustache sections, I have a noticeable level of growth on my chin and upper lip. It is at this time I decide to shave it all. This maneuver on my part does not escape the notice of some of the children here. Several of the older girls decided to give me the 5th degree on why I would choose to remove the goatee. One girl goes so far as to say that when I do have the mini-beard it is the same as a pig. I query her on this description and she proceeds to tell me that when you skin a pig, the inside of its skin is about the same as my 3-day growth, and you have to work and work to scrape it off. Huh.
Along the same lines, I must relate to you a story that although it did not take place this last week, must be shared while we're on the vein of follicular growths. I believe it is common knowledge that most people of African descent share the common trait of tight, curly hair. Most of them have little to no hair on their arms or legs. So they think it odd that white people have hairy arms and legs. For example, I was at a house in Thabong recently and there was a young boy about 7 years old or so. He was fascinated by my arms and stayed close to me, petting my arms as one would pet a puppy, rabbit, or other such cuddly creature (which would fit, because if I am anything, it is cute and cuddly). So the children here one day told one of the American team members that white people take dog tablets to make their hair straight and to grow hair on their arms and/or legs. The team member was somewhat taken aback, as you would imagine. It turns out that some African people really do take dog tablets. I'm not sure if the tablets are made of dog, or if they are intended to be given to dogs. I suppose this would be a classic case of six of one, half dozen of the other, as one may not be any more desirable than the other to a western mind. And with the holidays coming up, I thought this would be a good time to mention that if you are looking for a unique gift for that special someone, and if that special someone needs more hair on their arms and legs, I would be more than happy to acquire dog tablets and ship them to you for a minimal fee.
The third event that I must make known to you all relates to the staff here at The Pines. We employ a gardener named Leonard. Leonard lives here on the property with his wife Temperance and daughter. Temperance has been expecting for quite some time now: About 9 months to be exact. So it came as no surprise when, on Sunday morning, her water broke and she needed to go to the medical clinic. Leonard notified Brian & Lois of the new turn of events, and they graciously offered to drive her to the clinic. Leonard declined, as he determined the ambulance was sufficient transportation. The problem is that no one is ever able to find our facility without substantial searching. Because of this, Brian & Lois took Temperance in their vehicle and found the ambulance. I'm not sure if it is a cultural thing or what the reasoning is, but Leonard refused to go the the clinic with Temperance. I can understand this, as for centuries men were not allowed in the birthing room and probably for good reason. No one needs to go through what us fathers go through during the birthing process. It is really quite agonizing. And so Leonard wisely avoided this, and therefore avoided the undue blame and crushed fingers that go along with it. Before we all laud Leonard for his wisdom, I must continue my narrative. Temperance, by all accounts, made it to the hospital and through delivery admirably. She then conversed with Leonard via the telephone, telling him of the birth of their child. When we, the missionaries, spoke with Leonard later that day we asked him how things were going. He told us the baby had arrived. Of course, the logical question that follows relates to the gender of the child. It was at this point we learned Leonard had neglected to ask Temperance the gender of the child. Again, maybe this is a cultural thing. Leonard was later happy to learn that he is now the father of a healthy little boy. And we were happy as well.
The End.
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Life and Times of Louis & Amber
Since we've moved to Africa, many people have asked us, nay, even encouraged us to keep a journal. Up until now, I have remained heedless of their advice. It's not that I didn't want to keep a journal, it's just that I've never been all that excited about writing "Dear Diary". I never put it that high on my priority list. Hopefully starting now, I will attempt to make all of you my diary subjects, allowing you firsthand looks into daily life here at The Pines. Unfortunately, many of you may find it's not as glamorous as one might imagine. So, here is the first installment of The Life & Times of Louis & Amber.
So today, Friday, August twenty-second, in the year of our Lord 2008, the duty fell on me to assist the children with homework. Since many of our children came from vulnerable situations, most of them are a few grade levels behind in their studies. Because of that, we attempt to push them to excel and do more homework than required by their teachers. Recently, we had 5 computers donated, the process headed up by one Bruce Hall. These computers have become excellent motivation. Not only are the kids learning valuable computer skills that will help them in the future, but their love for the computers motivates them to work harder and faster on their homework.
We have set specific rules they must follow. One is that each child must read a book at their current level before being allowed to use the computer each day. By so doing, we hope to improve their reading skills, grammar, and vocabulary. We also ask the older children as they read, to take one of the small ones with them. This keeps the small ones busy and out of trouble, and also allows them further exposure to English and its accompanying advantages.
Anyway, all that to say that our 4 oldest girls just this week graduated from Dr. Seuss and other such entralling volumes, to what we call here "Chapter Books". Since I personally know many of you who may read this blog, I will explain: Chapter Books are books that have chapters. Now, while we have many children that have shown an aptitude for learning, I must emphasize again that none of them have won any awards in the classic Pizza Hut Book-It program. Reading for themselves is something relatively new. We don't have to worry about stocking up on Preparation H because our kids are spending too much time reading on the john.
Well, today one of the older girls came to me with a new book. I saw she was reading chapter 1, when she had just started a 10 chapter book on Wednesday. Surprised, I asked her how she finished the first book so quickly. She looked at me like I was stupid and said, "It was only 5 pages". It was then that I realized she didn't know that a book with chapters is actually one long story divided neatly into sections. It took about 5 minutes and a translator to help her understand why exactly she needed to read the whole book from front to back, but I'm happy to report, I think we made progress.
I say this just to give you an example of some of the day-to-day experiences that make this such an enjoyable work. It is a wonderful feeling to be able to see a child learn something for the first time. Just recently, one of our girls-age 14- saw her first automatic hand dryer in a bathroom. Of course, I wasn't there, but to hear the story told, she was flabergasted that you just wave your hands underneath and it turns on by itself. It is also so fulfilling to be able to see firsthand their hunger to learn about God. Our twice-weekly Bible Studies are supposed to last for one hour, but they would sit for three and ask questions. I just can't believe God has called us to a work like this. It seems like it is too much fun to actually be classified as "ministry", but I'm here to tell you there is nothing better in life than living for God.
Signing out,
Louis
So today, Friday, August twenty-second, in the year of our Lord 2008, the duty fell on me to assist the children with homework. Since many of our children came from vulnerable situations, most of them are a few grade levels behind in their studies. Because of that, we attempt to push them to excel and do more homework than required by their teachers. Recently, we had 5 computers donated, the process headed up by one Bruce Hall. These computers have become excellent motivation. Not only are the kids learning valuable computer skills that will help them in the future, but their love for the computers motivates them to work harder and faster on their homework.
We have set specific rules they must follow. One is that each child must read a book at their current level before being allowed to use the computer each day. By so doing, we hope to improve their reading skills, grammar, and vocabulary. We also ask the older children as they read, to take one of the small ones with them. This keeps the small ones busy and out of trouble, and also allows them further exposure to English and its accompanying advantages.
Anyway, all that to say that our 4 oldest girls just this week graduated from Dr. Seuss and other such entralling volumes, to what we call here "Chapter Books". Since I personally know many of you who may read this blog, I will explain: Chapter Books are books that have chapters. Now, while we have many children that have shown an aptitude for learning, I must emphasize again that none of them have won any awards in the classic Pizza Hut Book-It program. Reading for themselves is something relatively new. We don't have to worry about stocking up on Preparation H because our kids are spending too much time reading on the john.
Well, today one of the older girls came to me with a new book. I saw she was reading chapter 1, when she had just started a 10 chapter book on Wednesday. Surprised, I asked her how she finished the first book so quickly. She looked at me like I was stupid and said, "It was only 5 pages". It was then that I realized she didn't know that a book with chapters is actually one long story divided neatly into sections. It took about 5 minutes and a translator to help her understand why exactly she needed to read the whole book from front to back, but I'm happy to report, I think we made progress.
I say this just to give you an example of some of the day-to-day experiences that make this such an enjoyable work. It is a wonderful feeling to be able to see a child learn something for the first time. Just recently, one of our girls-age 14- saw her first automatic hand dryer in a bathroom. Of course, I wasn't there, but to hear the story told, she was flabergasted that you just wave your hands underneath and it turns on by itself. It is also so fulfilling to be able to see firsthand their hunger to learn about God. Our twice-weekly Bible Studies are supposed to last for one hour, but they would sit for three and ask questions. I just can't believe God has called us to a work like this. It seems like it is too much fun to actually be classified as "ministry", but I'm here to tell you there is nothing better in life than living for God.
Signing out,
Louis
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