Today was a long but exciting day at the clinic. On day one we had registered approximately 160 families for treatment but due to time constraints we were only able to treat 34 families (that’s about 100 people.) So we made a valiant attempt to clear up our backlog by heading out to start the clinic at 9 AM rather than 1PM. Here’s what we saw once we arrived at the site.

The people represented in this picture were brand new patients; just to the left of this photograph families 34 – 160 were sitting patiently in the waiting area and providing pre-screening information (name, age, general complaint) to our volunteers.

Our first order of  business was to approximate the number of people who could be treated during the day and send the rest away to their homes with a promise of future treatment if possible. Many of these people have literally walked miles with children on their backs and don’t have food or water with them; so its important to release anyone who can’t be seen back to their homes as soon as possible so that both they and their children can eat and drink.

By 11AM we realized that we weren’t going to be able to clear the backlog from the previous day; so we asked the local policemen working with us to help us distribute 80 numbers to the new people so that we could send them home. There were more than 80 families present and we had to turn some people away; but its best not to promise to treat more people than is actually possible.

Burundian policeman helping us distribute tickets

Our doctors managed to get some work done today as the outreach team worked with the local police and other volunteers to control the crowd. They treated about 110 patients representing families 35 – 100.  Here are some photos of the team in action.

Dave preparing to clean an infection.

Faye administering tylenol to a child with a really high fever...

Pam posing with some happy patients and their medicines.

However the big suprise of the day happened around 2 in the afternoon. A caravan of SUVs and soldiers pulled up to the clinic and the First Lady of the Republic of Burundi, Denise Nkurunziza, stopped by to pay us a visit!!! She arrived with the President’s chief protocol officer as well as with members of the local media. She asked us a few specific questions about the work we were doing; and she later thanked the team for leaving their families behind to come and volunteer to help the people of Bubanza. She promised to pray for us so that the Lord would bless us for our sacrifices. Our leader said that it was our priviledge as Christians to be of service to her country. Finally she posed for a photo with members of our team.

Denise Nkurunziza stops by to pay us a visit...

We have more work to do in Bubanza; so we heading out even earlier than we left today so that we can also tend to the local volunteers who are helping us with the clinic but happen to be sick themselves.