Well, in just a few hours I'll be getting on a plane from London headed back to Maputo, Mozambique with a short stop in Johannesburg, SA. I'm ready to be back and see all my darling little tots as well as get back on some sort of schedule (ha, as if I really keep a schedule there). I have to admit though, Jackie and I had a blast in London, around England, and our day trip to Paris.....I'm exhausted and think jet lag's going to hit me pretty well tomorrow when I finally touch down. I know I'll have a lot to adjust to pretty quickly, as the other nurse that's been helping me in the baby house and running the HIV program is leaving for America permanently this Friday. I'll be sad to see her go. We do have a nursing student here for about 5 more months to help me out, so I'm excited to meet her and see where she's fitting in. I foresee me needing LOTS of help in the near future.....things that have changed with the kids medically while I'm gone:
-Lucia who has HIV and is seriously malnourished has been formally diagnosed with Tuberculosis. We expected this since the beginning, but we could never get them to treat her as she kept testing negative (it's hard with the immunocompromised). So she's started on medications for TB.
-Lorenco (twins with Francisco) has been sick on and off for the few months before I left and kept coming up with about 5-10 huge nodules on his neck and shoulders every few weeks. He has tested positive for HIV (after 2 other negative tests). We suspect he also has Tuberculosis and previously tested negative due to his status and the type he has. He'll probably be starting on medications for both very soon. We're getting Francisco tested as well (for the 3rd time as well) just in case.
-We received a new kid (whom I'll update more on when I get back and get the full story)....he's 2.5 years old and little over 11.5 lbs. He can just barely sit up on his own. I don't know much more.
So this brings my HIV kids total up to 7 (including the BH, nursery, and toddler house) out of the just under 50 kids I'm serving. 2 are still being treated for Tuberculosis as well and 3 are still battling the malnutrition battle. Please pray for myself and the other staff in all of these areas caring for these children. Also pray for my quick adjustment to being back in Mozambique, in a HOT climate, and speaking Portuguese. Pray for safe travels on this last leg of my journey with little to no jet lag. Pray I settle back in quickly and find a good healthy pace back on base. Bare with me as I finally get out a new newsletter to update you on the last few months and time at home. The past few have been crazy, but I have lots to share, so I promise to have it out super soon! Thanks in advance for all the prayers offered up. I am truly blessed to have such an amazing, faithful team partnering with me to serve. If it wasn't for all of you supporters, I know I wouldn't be able to do it. I am so grateful!
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