Home Sweet Home

I had the pleasure of being able to take this family home this past week and boy were they ever happy to be home. We have it pretty easy in Canada, where we have easy access to basic and life giving attention in our hospitals and medical clinics. Out here in the jungle, women who are pregnant do not have the access that women back in Canada have and if there is any difficulties they may have to walk several hours and possibly days to get access to any medical attention. Fortunately this family lives in a village that has Community Health Care Workers, a radio and an airstrip.

When this woman started to have some complications with her pregnancy she was able to see a Community Health Care Workers right away. When the Health Care Workers realized that this was something more than what they could handle, they went to their HF radio and made a call to the Dr's here in Rumginae, who in turn advised that she should come to Rumginae to deliver.

This is not the end of the story, she then had to pack up herself and her little daughter and then fly to Rumginae. You maybe wondering why the husband did not go with her, but he had good reason. She was not expected to deliver for another month and her husband is a teacher, the only teacher in the community, so he was not able to leave then. Not only was she going to be in Rumginae without her husband she was also responsible to feed herself and her daughter as well as doing all their own laundry. The hospital here does not have the staff to do these things.  Patients here often come to hospital with a guardian to help out with these things.

A few days before she was to give birth I was able to bring her husband to Rumginae so he would be able to help out with their daughter when mom was delivering. A week later they were very excited  to be returning to their home where they would have the support of family and community.

 Home Sweet Home!!!

Jay for the Marshes

Unexpected Visitor

How Jay saw it I'm not sure but it's a good thing he did as I had just sent Kaleb out onto the deck to get a dish that he had left outside.  I can just imagine the scare he would have got!  Instead we all got to join in on the fright.  It is not everyday that we get a snake out on the deck, especially since we gave the one back that we were snake sitting.  We decided that we should go get a closer look and "Mel go get your camera"! Out we go onto the deck to get a better view,except Carter, the smart one!  Of course I, Mel, end up being the closest while trying to get a good picture so we have some proof and maybe we can figure out what it is.  So far the whole time we are out on the deck the snake is going about his business of climbing up the veranda, seemingly oblivious to all the on lookers.  Then Jay decides he is going to get a broom handle and give it a poke, but before he can do this, all of a sudden the snake senses he is not alone and starts meander off of the pole to get a closer look (amazing how they can do this, hanging out in mid-air, I wish my abs were that strong!) .  At this point I am getting a little nervous and stepped back, then the snake follows suit, except he is much faster which makes me scream and jump for the door.  Unfortunately Kaleb and Jay were in my way and I ended up sandwiching all of us up against the closed door, which may I add, Carter, who is on the inside, is not helping to open.   Long story short, turns out we are scarier than the snake and he made a better get away than we did!! 

 We have been told that poisonous snakes here can not climb, if that is of any reassurance to Grandmas. After our heart rates returned to normal, we figured out that it was probably some sort of constrictor coming up to help us with critters in our attic!  

Next time we will leave the door open for a quicker get away!

Mel for the Marshes

Fungus Foot

Welcome to the tropics where everything grows well!!  Ever since we have arrived here in Rumginae I have been battling a case of what we would call athletes foot.  It has kind of come and gone and at some times drives me crazy, my feet and toes are so itchy, however since arriving back at Rumginae from Hagen it has stepped it up a notch.  Now patches of skin on my toes is breaking down and falling off.  This creates a problem as there are open sores on my feet which are now infected, not terribly surprising!  Best thing for fungus is to keep the area dry, a difficult task when every time I step out the door I am walking on squishy grass.  We are now into rainy season here and if we thought it was wet before...  last night over 5 inches of rain fell and not very quietly I might add, lots of flashes and crashes!
Well I think that I have the infection just about under control and am now slathering on the fungal cream Jay was given for his Rumginae rash (another one of the treats experienced here and different from the heat rash!) 
I will spare you pictures but only wanted to share with you a little bit more of the day to day at Rumginae.
Mel for the Marshes  

The Real PNG SuperStore

Well are you up for a real cultural experience?  Then head on down to the Hagen Market!  This is one of the first places that we visited upon arriving in the country.  It is certainly one way to just throw yourself in there.  It was a little over whelming and the boys stuck pretty close to us.  There are hoards of people all over and if you are to just stand back and give others the right of way you will get nowhere.  You need to look purposeful and just step out and go, oh but watch out for the ladies packing the huge bilums full of veggies.  They are a wide load and they pack a punch if you get in the way of their swinging bags.  If you are looking for a cart, you are out of luck, however they do sell market bags as you enter.  These bags are very resourcefully sewn from feed bags and can carry a large amount of veggies.  There is one problem, the bag often gets to heavy for me before I'm finished; problem solved there are boys hanging around the market who are happy to carry my bag and confirm what was already suspected, yes I am a wimp!  (especially when compared to a PNG meri)  This is the place to come for fresh fruit and veggies and a few other assorted things.  Since pictures are worth a thousand words I finally got some to share with you.  I am sorry that I can not pass along the smells and sounds that go along but you will have to do your best with what you have.  Smell, not bad once you get in, after you get past the piles of garbage and rotting veggies!  Sounds, just a low roar of many many people under a tin roof!  

A load of coconuts being delivered to the market, good thing we don't eat the outside!

One of the long rows of veggies, veggies and more veggies.  It is very easy to get turned around and just walk in circles.  Ah but the selection is great.   

The carrot lady.  I love the way they neatly arrange all of the veggies.  Each of these piles is 1kina about 50 cents

what size of orange do you want, that will determine what you pay, 20, 30, 40 toa

Jay buying a hand of bananas, so yummy!

Pineapple alley!  Do you think there are enough?  All different vender's with the same thing.  People determine who they will buy from by who is their one talk (same tribe)

A bunch  of peanuts anyone?  Great for a snack.  These are raw yet and tastes similar to a pea.

Oh beautiful berries!  I love the way they tower them up in these bowls. 

Need a new outfit ladies/  If you are looking for a one size fits all 'meri blous' this is the place to come.  You can find one in any color.  One major problem, they are made our of polyester and a little like wearing a plastic bag.  I feel sorry for the ladies here

The friendly tobacco man

And for one last thing on your list, chicken for supper.  Okay it may not be quite as easy as a grilled chicken from Real Canadian Superstore!

Happy shopping! 
Sad now that I am in Rumginae I no longer get to enjoy the market, however I am incredibly grateful for my veggie lady for doing my veggie shop for me and I get it air delivered by a very handsome pilot!
Mel for the Marshes