Indian Antics IV

Hello again! Another week is over but the weather has not changed a bit - dry, hot and so very dusty! Weathermen have it so easy here - They probably only write four weather reports, one for each season. Today I’ll take you out to a few more villages and introduce you to a few of the volunteers working here. You'll also feel the exhilaration of an early morning jog, and feel the sweat dripping down your neck as we trek up into the Malkangiri ranges. Thank you all for your support, and I encourage you to keep in touch with news and more questions.

Recent News
Sitting here in the coolness of a Sunday morning I can hear the sound of the water bore, methodically pumping up and down, as the locals begin work for the day. I was up at 6:00am this morning, and set out for a jog in the grey of the dawn. I headed east, out of town, running towards distant mountains, silhouetted by the glow of the rising sun. As my feet beat the uneven dirt road I marvelled at the sights I was passing. Looking out to the left (north) were the closest ranges to Malkangiri, rising sharply about 200m away. Between them and the road were the clusters of fields that surrounds Malkangiri town. These fields, now fully harvested, have two-foot mounds separating them. These allow the farmers to walk throughout the crops, even during the monsoon floods. Squatting at the edge of these fields, beside the road, the locals use the 'public toilet'. Carrying their full 'pani lota' (water jugs) from their houses, they comfortably squat, tucking their pijama korto up, and proceed with their morning chores.

Also along the road, men and boys (as young as 10yo) speed walk, laden with coal and wood. Their heavy loads are carried with apparent ease on a bamboo pole, weighing down on their shoulder and flexes with every step. Women too are out early, walking into town with baskets, full to the brim, balanced precariously on their heads. Reaching my destination, I see the early morning light dancing on the ripples of one of Orissa's largest dams. The sun has not yet popped its head over the mountains, but soon will be glaring down through the Indian haze. Turning, to make my way back into town, I'm passed by a passenger bus. Decorated colourfully with tinsel and streamers, it passes in a cloud of dust, passengers peering out the glassless windows. I love my morning run here and know that when I'm back, doing my morning runs in Australia, the sounds, smells and sights will all come flooding back.

The week gone
This last week has been eventful but, for once, there were no unwanted surprises (like police visits or malaria). Sunday morning I went along to a small house church and shared some songs with the young minister there. One of the RHS staff, Sabita, goes there and together with Matt, I went to her house just next door for a drink and a couple of bananas after the service. Sabita lives with her parents who are both Hindu. Her house is mud brick, with three small rooms, all with cow-dung floors. Since there is obviously no dining room, we sat in her neat but cluttered room chewing away on some small, but 100% organic, bananas. Sunday afternoon was free, so together with some of the other volunteers, I walked out across the fields to the bottom of the closest mountain range. I saw no bears or tigers, but did see one evil looking hyena, sizing me up with its beady eyes. It soon retreated when I got closer though. Climbing up on a huge grey rock (much like the one in the Lion King) we hang our legs off the edge and watched the sun sink below the dusty horizon. The dry land stretched in front of us, Malkangiri blending perfectly into the surrounding fields. It's not what I imagined India to be like, but I liked it. I really liked it!

Monday morning I met some new Interserve volunteers; David, an accountant from Sydney, and Charlotte and Rebecca, 5th year meddies from NZ. As it turned out David lives just near my father's parents, and after chatting for a while I found out we have some mutual friends up in Sydney - what a small world! The clinic was unusually busy for a Monday and there were a few memorable cases. One man presented with a psychiatric illness after being badly electrocuted a year ago. He has daily turns of violence and abuse along with splitting headaches. It is always sad to see psych patients come through, because, though we can give them some medication, the support structures for them and their families are not in place. We also had another leprosy case, a woman in her later thirties. The extent of the disease indicated she had been infected for ten years, but it was only this last year that she'd received medication supplied by the government. Government policy here is to treat for one year only, after which they will still have leprosy but won't be infectious. Dr Iris has found that five years treatment with good skin care will result in complete resolution and a negative result on a smear. Some of the local skin care treatment includes tumeric, which has antiseptic properties, and til oil, which helps in healing. It is common to see women here looking very yellow and jaundiced because of the tumeric they've rubbed on their skin.

Tuesday, market day, brought in the typical 25 odd patients and kept us busy until evening. With the medical van parked alongside the clinic we have access to ultrasound and X-ray equipment. It was given to RHS as an award from World Vision International and has been invaluable in the medical work. Having learnt to set up both the X-ray and the ultrasound, I quickly learnt how to take and develop the X-rays manually (a skill I would never use in any developed country). Very pleased with my first X-ray I found it easy to identify the TB changes in the apex of both lungs. Over the next few days I got more practise taking and developing X-rays, and loved holding the finished product up to the light seeing how I'd done. One patient of note is a 20yo girl called Padma. She has severe oedema all over her body and a grossly enlarged heart and liver. The best and most appropriate drugs for heart failure are not available her but we do our best with what we've got. She is lucky to be alive and it will be a miracle if even a bit of normality can be restored to her life (see prayer points).

Wednesday morning was another busy couple of hours at the clinic. After finishing up there, we set out to visit Tula in med-afternoon. By the time we trekked to her village, it was already growing dark. With her family gathering around, we were astonished to find that her oedema had improved so much (see prayer points). Leaving her with some fresh fruit and bikkies, we took the now dark track back to the medical van. I loved these evening drives back to Malkangiri, and sat with the window open wide watching the stars, the trees and the fireflies flash past the van. Inevitably I'd doze off and sleep until finally pulling up back here at the house.

Kalimela
On Thursday we set out to the clinic at Kalimela. During a break in the busy day I wandered into town to have a look around the market. People were crowded everywhere and the sellers had their wares spread out lining the road on either side. There was jewellery, copperware, stainless steel cooking pots, foods, clothing, rugs and even a roadside dentist! Yes you heard me correctly. Grinning up at me the old man sat with two trays of dirty teeth before him. A woman, his latest victim, I mean patient, sat beside him clutching her jaw. A poster in front of his stall promoted oral health, but this was the only similarity I could draw to any dentist I've ever been to. Moving on, I walked into the fruit and vegie section. The colours and smells were amazing, and I picked out some to take home. On the way back to the clinic I saw a cow pinch an eggplant. The sellers jumped up and chased it away with sticks and shouting. Mmm, what a way to treat a god!?!

Fair and Lovely
Friday was also quite a busy day at the clinic. We saw malaria, glandular TB, infections, another psych patient and a guy with abdominal pain. The latter case was interesting because of his left arm. He had obviously had a full break halfway up his humerus but had never had it reset. As a result it had healed very crooked with a big bony callous. These people are so tough! I also came across another skin treatment called 'Fair and Lovely’. Used by some women, it burns off the top layer of skin, leaving a lighter complexion. Unfortunately it also destroys the skin, leaving patchy pigmentation. Strange how everyone all over the world wants to look just that little bit different.

Out and About
I took most of Saturday off, in need of a bit of R&R. In the morning I headed up into the nearby ranges with Dave and a 15yo girl, Bibi, from over the road. Arriving at the foot of the mountains we set out to a relatively small peak. Bibi was already urging us to turn back, telling us about tigers and bears up there. We'd been warned often about walking at dawn and dusk, but in the midday heat felt pretty confident we'd be safe. Pushing up the steep slope we clambered over huge grey boulders and pushed through the dry undergrowth. Leaving Bibi with our packs partway up (she couldn't go any further) we made it to the rocky outcrop at the peak. From here, with a fifteen-metre drop on three sides, we could see for miles. To the north we had the range continuing east west. Looking back over the paddocks to the east we could see Malkangiri, then distant ranges further away. The temperature was over thirty and the trek up the mountain had soaked me with sweat. But to see this view it was definately worth every drop. The trek back down was done in about a quarter of the time, Bibi having found a hidden reserve of energy for getting home for lunch. She carefully guided us back to the village, steering us away from any female bathing areas or 'public toilets'. Splashing cold water over myself back at the house I settled down for a long afternoon nap.

Later today I'll be heading out to a village to take part in the first of about fifteen Christmas programs to be run by RHS in different villages. It promises to be an exciting night, with lots of music and yummy food. I can't believe Christmas is already so close. In no time at all I'll be on my way back to Australia - time really has flown. Thankyou again for your support and prayers. I'll leave you again with more prayer requests, and hope your plans for the festive season are going well.