Hiking, swimming, laughing

Can you picture yourself following a small, brutally strong African man with a machete through thick jungle and up steep cliffs to reach the highest waterfall in West Africa? Well I couldn't either... because I had no idea what I was getting myself into! After working a stretch of night shifts I could feel myself getting sick and wasn't sure how excited I was to to go on such a long adventure.

3am came far too early on Friday morning as the twelve of us sleepily piled into an old, creaky van and entrusted the drive to a hired African. Each border crossing (there were four) demanded a tiring amount of paperwork but praise the Lord we were eventually allowed to pass without too much hassle. Karl (our adventurous Aussie leader) did offer to barter off some of us girls in exchange for an expediated crossing...but luckily that was not necessary. :)

On our way through Togo we visited a Baptist mission hospital. This rural hospital set in the tropical mountains of Togo impressed us all! Megan, our Physical Therapist, was put right to work when we arrived as they were desperate for the input of a Physio. The rest of us were invited to tour the hospital and interact with the patients. Missionary doctors volunteer their time and all the nurses are locals who were trained on location. Because the Ship will be at port in Togo next year we were able to suggest that many of their patients who could not receive treatment come to us in the spring. It was such a treat to visualize an alternative way of serving medically in Africa!

Our drive carried on; we honked our way through narrow mountain roads which should technically be referred to as paths. At last we arrived at our hotel which overlooked the Wli Waterfall, the highest waterfall in West Africa. When we got out of the car it was as if we were all breathing for the first time. We never realized how polluted and smoggy Cotonou is until we soaked in the fresh mountain air, admired the lush tropical scenery and walked down dirt village roads, greeted by children who rarely see "yovos" or "white people."

To make a long story short...we had an incredible time. We hiked to the waterfall on Saturday which was much more strenuous than any of us had bargained for! Soaking in the waterfall, allowing the water to beat down on our backs was, well, painful but also extremely exilerating! Seriously, one of the most joyful moments of my life. I had a moment this weekend where God really freed me from a lot of anxiety. I have been a bit anxious about what to do next...where will God take me after this? Do I continue with missions? Travel? Get a job?...and it was this weekend that God stopped me and said "Angela, look around. You are sitting in Ghana. Did you ever think I would take you here? Trust me with what is next." Thank you, Lord. I can be an idiot :)
So after joyfully frolicking about we began the dangerous descent. Literally, dangerous....and FUN! Poor Cassidy, a super brave, beautiful ICU Trauma nurse was in front of me and took a hard fall...like most of us. But unfortunately she ended up a bit worse off. She recovered from the fall and turned around to look at me and held out her arm which was covered in dirt, sticks and bright red gushing blood. Ah! Had to think quick...we washed it off with the rest of my drinking water and I took my shirt too tourniquet the deep gash in her wrist. That got her down the mountain and luckily Karl was ultra prepared and had a suture kit in his pack. We created a makeshift operating room, got her a beer and watched her brave her way through stitches without pain meds.
Next day (ill make this shorter, I promise)... we explored Ghanan caves which turned out to be equally adventurous. The best part of this day was climbing down into a cave only to be greeted by a swarm of bats flying into my face!! I screamed like a little girl and our guide laughed at my fright...:)
I cannot tell you how refreshing it was to be active, to go jogging in the morning down a dirt village road as women got up to start their fires, to spend time with amazing people... Wow. We came back, re-energized for a week of work.
As for work, I am enjoying my little burn patients. They are precious! We have more fun the more I get to know them. This weekend they taught me how to count in Fon (a village language) and laughed as I danced in church. We are deep cleaning one of the wards in preparation for VVF (vaginal fistula) patients to arrive again. Their surgeries are very complicated and each one usually has a strain of infection that is extremely difficult to treat. We have lost a couple patients due to infection...sepsis... and are trying to prepare as much as possible.
I hope and pray this finds you well and that you are truly learning what it is to Live. Live joyfully. Live freely. Love with abandon. "Above all, love each other deeply..."1peter 3:9

On our way


Our fantastic group


The hospital in Togo...thats the nursery or neonatal ward on the left


An external fixator...rustic but useful


We did a lot of waiting at the borders... some beautiful friends


Finally we arrived! This is Ghana


Look at these little studs :)


On our way up...




The Wli WAterfall


One of the most joyful things to do! scary but fun


It hurt!!


We loved it


At the base of the falls when we came down...there was an AFrican dance party going on!


The hike down was rough..Cass with her tourniquet


And now..her stitches!!


Caving..


The rocks were quite slippery

The top was AMAZING


The kids were very curious...they don't see many white people. They were LOVELY and welcoming!!