Monday, April 20, 2009

April 20

Today is April 20th and I will be at Chitokoloki for another 5 or 6 days, then north to Sakeji.  I have been keeping busy with different projects, one working to fix up a small  diesel generator for the hospital as the large hospital generator has quit.  The little one will only run necessary equipment in the operating room and the operating lights.  Surgeries have been going strong as people travel many miles to come to Chit.  Emergencies arrive at all times, often in the middle of the night when people have already traveled 6 or 8 hours.  Recently we had a gun shot victim arrive in the middle of the night, he came down the river in a canoe. He had been shot three times and his house burnt.  The hospital has only one surgeon at present as one had to go north to Kalene for a few months.
This week I hope to finish another well.  It is difficult because the Canadian Well Drilling team have all gone home. This last well is at the Chia Village and they have promised two village men to help me.  They will work hard but with the language barrier  it becomes a real challenge.  I hope we don't make any mistakes.  It is always nerve wracking when you have 100 ft of steel pipe held by two pipe wrenches.  Then when you consider that this is the first time these men have held a pipe wrench it is a worry.  If the pipe drops to the bottom of the well it is a real tragedy. By next week I should be up in Sakeji getting ready for the second term of school. I am not sure how I will get there the easy way or the long way.  It is two hours by plane or 16 to 18 hours by vehicle.  The only problem is the plane cost is $300 -1000 depending on who else is going.   I am hoping that we get a plane full but there is not much chance of that.  Tim

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