Orphans Unlimited Report

From: "Brenda Lange"
Date: July 9, 2011 3:08:23 AM CDT
Subject: Blog July 9, 2011WATER WELL DRILLING STARTS TODAY

The geology team from our water well company has located good water sources in 3 of the villages where water wells are desperately needed.But all of us are frustrated as no adequate underground water can be found in the area nearest our Meluco mission station.

The geology team will return in 14 days to try again in an area further out that could still be within range of our “water fetcher” on his bicycle.For 4 years, our Meluco mission has been on water rationing.

Each day our “water pumping man” has to pump water at 3a.m., which is the only time the ONE well in the area lacks a big crowd. This well serves over 5,000 people. A hand pump well if pumped 12 hours a day can serve about 1000 people.This is water rationing in its truest sense.

IN THE BUSH, THE LITTLEST OF THINGS CAN TAKE YOU DOWN
Don Hitsman and our team of corn sprayers were scheduled to go to Meluco on Thursday this week to spray 10 tons or corn purchased in the only part of Meluco county that survived the January drought. On Wed. afternoon, Don mentioned he had a bit of diarrhea, so he was given a strong dysentery treatment (we lovingly call the “BOMB”) which took care of the issue as he was fine on Thursday morning.

When Don left, he had with him our normal bush survival kit containing all he’d need to handle malaria, dysentery, and small wounds, as he would be in the bush for 3 days.Twelve hours later, Don calls me (Meluco now has a cell tower) saying his situation was worse and he was vomiting and had diarrhea again. (Living in a bush latrine is not nice since it’s just a hole in the ground without a seat.) I instructed him to eat some bread and take another “Bomb” treatment.

Our truck driver then drove him in our 6 ton truck to the Meluco hospital 2 miles away for a malaria test. Bouncing down a rough road when you are sick is NOT a nice experience, but when it’s the only vehicle in town, you deal with it. Don’s malaria test was negative, but the hospital staff started him on malaria treatment all the same. Better safe than sorry, since these finger stick malaria tests are not always correct.

So all bases were covered.On our side, I alerted Eric, who threw a few things in his car, plus 4 rolls of toilet paper, and within 40 minutes was on the road to rescue Don in case he grew worse. Arriving 5 hours later (9:30p.m.), Eric arrived at our base to find Don resting in his tent, weak and tired from “living in the outhouse” J, but otherwise doing OK.

After 2 days on malaria treatment, it is evident he had only amoebic dysentery and not malaria. With electrolyte replacement and a day’s rest, he and his trusty hammer were back at work around our Balama station. Don is a strong, healthy guy, but an infestation of amoebas, probably from something as simple as eating with his hands after touching a fruit peel, showed the whole team how fast amoebic dysentery can take down an adult.

FYI: Fruit peels place 2nd ONLY to dirty drinking water in causing amoebic dysentery. AMOEBIC DYSENTERY is the #1 killer in northern Mozambique, as it can kill a baby in 12 hours, a small child in a day, and adults in 3 days due to electrolyte imbalance and dehydration.

Water wells are a clean source of water, and the reason Orphans Unlimited will continue to put in more water wells as the Lord provides the funds.Clean water means fewer orphans.

PRAISE THE LORD for the dedication and faithfulness of BLESSINGS INTERNATIONAL IN TULSA, OK who provide missionaries around the world with the life-saving medication that stops this deadly killer.

FYI: The “Bomb” is called Tinidazole in 500mg tablets.

Highly recommended you take some with you if traveling where clean water isn’t readily available.It’s a true life saver.

BLESSINGS TO ALL FROM THE BALAMA STAFF!

Bush Bunny Brenda