Compliments of the Season

 “Compliments of the Season!” “Happy Christmas!” “Happy 2014!”  These were the three most frequent comments heard during the holiday season here in Zambia.  Even though I live in Zambia – officially an English speaking country – by the twists on the English language, idioms, and slang I grew up with, I can say that, “Toto, I’ve a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore.” 

The holiday season was definitely packed with excitement.  We seem to have had a nonstop stream of family and friends in Lusaka over the last few months! 

1. Dr. Omar Hanuch, Dr. Andrea Sandoz, and their three children (Manuel, Felipe, and Cecilia), from Rochester, NY, visited us in Zambia for three weeks (December 15, 2013 – January 3, 2014).  

Omar is an experienced ophthalmologist, and it was great having him around to bounce ideas off.   

Andrea is a Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist, and she was able to give some lectures to the Psychiatry residents at University Teaching Hospital.  

Manuel and Felipe, both teenage boys, helped out doing visual acuities and organizing things (like the big box of eyeglass frames that were donated by one of Cornerstone Eye Associates’ frame vendors).  They even spent a few days with PJ Minor helping build a “One-Day School” and a “One-Day Church.”  

 

Little 8-year-old Cecilia, a gymnast, artist, and pianist, helped babysit Jaycee, keeping her entertained and giggling.  Colored rubber bands are the "thing" these days, and Ceci was able to make some beautiful bracelets and works of art.  Jaycee just liked to play with them and wear them. 

By the end of the Hanuch family stay, Jaycee had learned how to dribble a soccerball (thanks, Felipe) and do a headstand (with Ceclia’s support). After so much play time, she certainly was a happy camper.

Many thanks to the Hanuch family, Cornerstone Eye Associates, Genesse Park Blvd SDA Church, and Manuel’s high school (Harley School) who were able to raise money for the purchase of much-needed surgical microinstruments for Lusaka Eye Hospital!

2.  Christmas Day was celebrated in a special way with the Hanuch family and the Minor family by going out to the local community to sing Christmas carols and give out gifts.   

Our keyboard in tow in the bed of the truck, which we eventually plugged into our generator, played to the tune of violin accompaniment by PJ and Manuel, we were able to recruit a small audience.  However, when the gifts started to come out, it turned into a small mob, as everyone wanted a bar of soap or pair of jeans.   

The whole ordeal frightened little Cecilia to tears, but everyone eventually calmed down and seemed to appreciate the effort we had made to share Christ and some of the gifts we had prepared.  The Christmas lunch, prepared lovingly by Carla Minor and Mom, was especially tasty after that adventure under the hot sun. 

3.  Paul and Dr. Matt Hayden from International Caring Hands were able to reconnect and serve the people of Zambia using the mobile dental clinic once again.  They were able to provide free dental care to the people of Kafue. 

4. My cousin-in-law, Dr. Tae-Woong Im, and his daughter, Taylin Im, also had the opportunity to visit us in Zambia for a little over two weeks (December 26, 2013 – January 10, 2014)!  Although they arrived the day after Christmas, their arrival truly felt like Santa bringing huge bags of presents to eager children on Christmas Day.  The large bags were filled with exotic tasting snacks (like Happy Cola candy or Wasabi flavored rice crackers), presents for Jaycee (thanks, Helen, Jaycee LOVES the pink roller bag/backpack and clothes you got her), presents for us (Bluetooth speaker), and goodies sent from my parents. 

My niece, Taylin, an accomplished pianist and bright college student from Brown University, had a chance to shadow me in clinic and in the operating theatre.  Try as I might to convince her that ophthalmology is the best.field.ever, I’m not so sure I succeeded.  =)  I remember that tender age of 20 as if it were just yesterday – having dreams and goals, but not sure any of them were going to come to fruition.  Regardless of what field she ends up pursuing, I’m sure Taylin will be amazing at whatever she does.  

During the time they were here, Tae acted as my personal business and management consultant.  He has built up two hospitals back in California, has had to deal with all the administrative challenges that I am learning to face, and has had to strategize on ways to improve efficiency or terminate doctors sensitively or motivate slacking employees.  He took time to observe how things ran at my hospital, then offered feedback and suggestions on how to make it work better.  All at no charge!  =)  Thanks, Tae, for the long chats over the dinner table.  You have no idea how much verbalizing some of the problems and solutions has helped me become a better leader. 

5. No year is complete without finishing it off with a trip to Victoria Falls!  Paul, Paul’s Mom, Tae, Taylin, Jaycee, and I spent some time down in Livingstone from December 30, 2013 – January 2, 2014.  The highlight of the trip definitely included our time whitewater rafting down the Zambezi River.   

Jaycee was a little underage for the whitewater rafting, so she stayed back at the hotel with Mom.   

She especially enjoyed the swimming pool.  

 

 

But, we thoroughly enjoyed an experience that has been dubbed by both National Geographic and Frommers as one of the top 10 whitewater rafting experiences in the world!

 

 

 

 6. Immediately following our trip to Livingstone, we headed out for a weekend getaway and Part 2 of our New Year Adventure, to a place we had heard about but had never ventured before.  The Lower Zambezi.  This is a National Park that is known for its wildlife and beauty.  Unfortunately, since it is the rainy season, we could not drive to the National Park.  Thus, we were forced to charter a private plane, which was to land on a short straight airstrip 5 minutes from the lodge.   

The flight was supposed to last only about 25 minutes, but as we arrived at the airstrip we ended up turning around and going all the way back to Lusaka, as the pilot found the clouds too low for us to land.  

 

5 hours later, after a significant clearing of the dense rain clouds, we finally tried again, this time landing safely near the Royal Zambezi Lodge. 

The game drives were different from others we had been on – much more green and lush, much more rain and mud to slosh through.  

One of the game drives turned into the off-roading adventure of our lives, as the Range Rover worked its 4x4 to the max, sloshing mud everywhere, driving through rivers, getting stuck a few times, and finally breaking down (fortunately another safari vehicle was able to pick us up).  

It is always a thrill to see the majestic and beautiful cats – leopard and lion – on any safari trip.   

 

The river safaris were great, with tons of crocs and hippos to view. 

 

 

 And the canoe trip down one of the channels off the Zambezi River was serene and peaceful. 

 

7. After that escapade and arriving home tired on Sunday night, it was back to work on Monday! The trend is for January to be extremely slow, but by God’s grace our clinics and theatre days have been filled and busy.  We are especially grateful for the fact that we have a donation of 8-10 corneal tissues coming in this week, brought by Midwest Eye Banks, and facilitated by the group of American ophthalmologists that volunteer their services at the Zimba Eye Clinic.  We are also very grateful to Loma Linda University’s Global Outreach office (especially to you, Jerry Daly), for sending us a huge air shipment filled with amazing things like a donated operating chair, nasopharyngeal airways and trach tubes, ophthalmic suture, gloves, ophthalmoscope/otoscope wall units, pulse oximeters, eye drops, etc.  This is such a generous gesture on the part of Loma Linda University’s Global Health Initiative, and it is certainly greatly appreciated. 

8.  Back at home, we continue to attend the Lusaka Eye Hospital SDA Church.  In the last few weeks, we have seen some progress when it comes to installing benches at our church, and we hope that the benches will finally be installed by June 2014.  It’s great to have a bit of back support during our long church services. 

Jaycee is now able to participate in the children’s Sabbath School.  She enjoys listening and clapping to the children’s songs, and she doesn’t seem to mind when others play with her hair. 

 

9.  By the way, we have recently gotten wind of a new little video clip that was made by the General Conference Office of Adventist Mission, featuring the work at Lusaka Adventist Dental Services and Lusaka Eye Hospital.  Enjoy!

The End.