December

These last couple days here in Gimbie have been absolutely great. It's
not that much has happened it's just that I really do enjoy it here.
In the OPD lately I've taken it upon myself to lighten up the mood a
little bit. So when I call people's names I occasionally use an
announcers voice and call them like they're on the Price in Right.
Even though 95 percent on them don't know what I'm saying after I say
their name. All of the people seem so get a pretty big kick out of it.

The other day the staff got their turn to have a good laugh at my
expense. About mid-morning I was getting really thirsty so I decided I
would run up to my house and get some water to drink. When I returned,
the thermometer I use was nowhere to be found. I went around to all
the other examination rooms to ask the doctors and nurses if they had
seen it. None on them had. This really puzzled me because I couldn't
figure out who would have taken it. Finally, I gave up and returned to
my work. About a half an hour later the x-ray tech came into my room
holding the thermometer and sporting a huge grin on his face. The
nurse from the next room over, Burhane, also came in and she could not
stop laughing for all she was worth. Birara, the x-ray tech who has
become one of my favorite people to see around the hospital because of
his great personality, then went on to explain that I had left the
thermometer in someone's armpit. Apparently, the man had tried to tell
me that he still had thermometer, but to no avail. ( in my defense
generally when I tell the people to go back and sit down, they all try
to say many things to me, so I generally just say "yes, yes" and send
them on there way). So anyway this poor man had carried the
thermometer back into the waiting room, then to the docor who sent him
the get an x-ray. There when Birara was getting him all set to go the
thermometer dropped to the ground. Boy was that ever the funny story
of the day.

Another story is that we caught a thief…on camera. To make a good
story short, we had been noticing that we where would occasionally
lose money when we left it on our dressers. So one day to check and
make sure, I left a small some of money out, and sure enough, that
afternoon half of it was gone. So the next day we again put out some
bait but this time Fletch set up his camera in a top secret location.
Sure enough, we caught a "tief" (Ethiopian can't pronounce the "th"
sound). It was our cleaner, Negusay. After taking her to the police
station and showing the film, because she would not admit to it even
though we showed her the video, we released her of her duties. I do
feel a little bit bad about it, because she not is jobless with a
baby, but what else could we do? Oh yeah, and the police men thought
the video was the greatest thing ever created. I don't know if it's
possible but I'll try and get the video up on this blog.

In other news, Justin's father, Brad, is now here in Gimbie. It's has
really been great having him around. Also pray for Fletch, he's been
sick for a couple of days with a throat and ear infection. I am happy
to say that I have not caught that bug… yet, it's been tough though
because a lot of American candy is in our house presently. Now, the
three of us are just counting the days till we leave for our Christmas
holiday. We are going to the island of Zanzibar for Christmas. Man can
I hardly wait. I've never had Christmas away from the northwest, but
Christmas on the beach with two of my best friends also doesn't sound
half bad. Bye for now.

Nk