Notes from Stephen, Wan, Kweilin, and Li

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Nazareth, charity victims, cow farm, Brackenridge

We stayed much of the day in the house and in the afternoon we visited a cow farm and a pretty garden.

We gave food and clothing to some needy people outside the hospital. Mommy knows all the locals, so she brought in needy people one at a time and we gave them tea and biscuits, talked with them, and sent them off with clothes.

Our first "charity victim" was an old, crazy woman who stands all day outside the hospital, singing religious songs and preaching at no one. Her daughter doesn't help her because the daughter's husband rejects the woman. She had such an appetite! She ate everything we put in front of her: sweet potato, tea, and biscuits, and she took a couple bananas in her bag. We gave her a shirt.

Next, Mommy brought in a 30-something-year-old man who hasn't worked since 1999, when he lost his right hand in a car accident. He used to drive a matatu (minivan taxi). We gave him some clothes and a little money for his daughter. His wife died of AIDS, but he and his daughter are HIV-negative, thank gosh.

We took a walk through the pediatric ward at the hospital and gave toys to a few children. I would feel so lonely if I were nine years old living in the hospital with a broken arm and no family! A nurse got jealous and asked me, "Why do you give to these children but not to my little one?" I didn't know how to respond, but Mommy said she's used to that. She just laughs off the question.

We drove to a nearby farm and saw a veterinarian tending to a cow. The cow has salmanella. When we arrived, the veterinarian had his arm (covered by a long plastic glove) down her anus. He scooped out some poop and smelled it. He went around to the front to deliver his medication. He hooked the cow's nose with pincers and tied the pincers to the ceiling to immobilize the cow. Then he pushed a bottle of iodine down the cow's throat and emptied it. The cow was gasping for breath! After he extracted his arm, the cow coughed all over his face. After the iodine, the veterinarian delivered several injections. All his motions were big and forceful--I guess you have to, with such a big animal.

We drove on to a pretty garden compound called Brackenhurst. The compound has lots of grass and flowers and trees. They were having a conference about home-schooling, so we saw lots of mothers and kids.

posted by Li at 1:03 PM