Zorash was back at work this morning; she said that she went to help one of the other teams with their TB screening and she felt like she had to stay and help them because so many people came out to be screened. She said that they found one person with TB at the village she screened on Friday. She said that it was an older person and now they have to go back and screen everyone that lives in the house with them. Another team is in charge of distributing the drugs and making sure that the people comply with the instructions for taking the medicine. The regime is very strict! The medicine has to be taken at the same time everyday; it will be difficult for an older person to take the drugs on schedule so they will have to enlist the help of his family to remind them to take the drugs on time. The drugs have to be taken for several months. The non-government organization that is working on this project is not only providing the screen for free but the drugs are also free. We cautioned Zorash to be very careful when she is handling the sputum samples.
The caregiver of the orphan that came a couple days ago has not yet come back to the Center but she did call Zorash this morning and she is having trouble getting the doctor’s orders for the formula. Zorash told her the name of the actual doctor she is supposed to talk to for the order. Someone is just giving her the runaround. Hopefully they will come tomorrow.
Amama had a cold last week and now Meri has the cold. I told them that if they were not careful and did not stop eating and drinking after each other they would all have it! Amama is still putting bleach in the water she washes the dishes in. Thank you very much. I don’t want a cold or whatever it is that they are passing around! You know Timothy Niligrini had a cold on Sunday; we will see him tonight at Bible Study; I wonder how many of his family members he has infected.
Armed robbers attacked a couple vehicles at the bridge just before we get to Kulkpeni. They attacked them on Saturday evening. Timothy said that it was not quite dark when they were attacked. He said that the first vehicle was a semi truck hauling onions that had a flat tire. The driver was fixing the flat and someone stopped to help him; just as they were finishing changing the tire the men came out of the bush and surrounded them. The second vehicle that was attacked was carrying some of the people that had attended a wedding at Meri’s house. She said that they were on the bus going back to Tamale when they were attacked at the same place near the river at Kulkpeni. Evidently some of the men from Kulkpeni had a gun and were waiting; when they heard the armed robbers fire a warning shot they in turn fired a shot and the robbers ran away before they could take anything from the people on the bus! No, that is a little too close to home for my liking! That is the only road to Kulkpeni and Tamale. We go to Kulkpeni every Sunday and Wednesday evening. We will have to be extra careful!
Please keep us and the work in your prayers.
In HIS Service,
Steve, Kandie and Skeeter
The Monkeyshines
I am feeling much calmer after my terrible ordeal yesterday! I was subdued yesterday evening but I am back to my old rowdy self again!
This morning a strange man walked through the Child Center; I let out several warning screeches and the man left the Child Center. I was very proud of myself for being able to chase that stranger away and protect the ladies in the Center. After he left I perched myself on top of the scrap basket and stood up on my hind legs and watched to make sure that he had really left the building! Did you know that monkeys make great watchdogs?
My Uncle Charlie (Mom’s brother-in-law) said that they have changed the name of Monkeypox to M-Pox because it a discriminatory term! I fully agree! I hate the name Monkeypox; it sounds like it comes from Monkeys. That is like saying Chicken Pox comes from Chickens! Really! No one believes that and no one should believe that just because I am a monkey that I am going to give them Monkeypox! So be careful from now on if you are in the presence of a monkey; please refer to them as M-Pox so as not to offend us! Ghana has found its first case of M-Pox down in the southern part of Ghana; hopefully they can contain it and it won’t become too serious.
Watchdog signing off!
Love, Skeeter
