Busy Schedule

Well, for those of you who look at my blog on a regular basis, I apologize for the delay in writing. It has been a very busy 6 weeks (maybe two months) here in Zambia. I’ll try to summarize my activities to catch you up. I warn you…there is a lot of catching up to do. You may want to read this when you have more time…

I am putting this into multiple blogs…it’s just too much for one!

AUGUST
Hospital Budget: The hospital started the budgeting process for the government grant they receive. This is 70% of the operating funds they receive. (The other 30% is supposed to come from third party supporters, although this may or may not be funded.) This particular budget process was for the next three years. I use the term "budget" loosely. The government gives them a number for each year that they are to budget but according to the management, they will be lucky to receive 75% of what they are promised. It was obvious from the way the process was managed that it was more of an exercise with no hope of seeing it in reality.

Since I have a computer and more computer skills than any of the current staff, I was volunteered to crunch the numbers. I used it as an opportunity to understand their challenges in managing the hospital. I now have a much better understanding of the expenses they have, why things are done a certain way and where the greatest needs are.

ILI (International Leadership Institute) Conference
As always in Africa, at least in Zambia, the one week it was supposed to take for the budget was extended to three weeks or was that four? During the four weeks I was scheduled to attend a weeklong conference in Lusaka. I thought that would be a time of catching up on correspondence but I was surprised by the schedule we kept. I should have known better since the conference is managed by Alfred Kalembo.

Alfred is Zambian by birth but he acts like an American when it comes to business! We stayed on time for the sessions and it was a very productive conference. I just had not counted on the 8am start and the 9pm finish each day. The conference was 5 ½ days of leadership training and was excellent. I was the only Muzungu (white person) participant and it was very interesting to sit in on the workshops with the Zambian participants. My cultural training continues. I met several new people and was encouraged by the work Alfred and his wife, Muumbe, do in Southern Africa. A praise that my computer was not stolen at this conference!

Preparation for Medical Team from Memphis, TN
When I returned from the conference in Lusaka I had one week to finalize and confirm plans for medical team from Christ United Methodist Church. Although I had been working with the hospital management on the budget, I had been diligent in reminding them that this team was coming and asking that all the supplies they needed would be available. Each time I inquired I was told “yes”.

The hospital appointed a new Medical in Charge and the “handover” meeting was held the Thursday night before the team was to arrive on Monday. Now understand we are in Africa and nothing happens quickly in Africa. At the “handover” meeting I learned that there was probably not enough oxygen, medications (especially pain medication needed for surgical patients), IV fluids or sterile gloves. Now, don’t forget, we are still working on the hospital budget which needs to be presented on Saturday!

I didn’t panic but I was not culturally sensitive either. I had to go to a few people later and apologize for my response to this information. I just felt responsible for the 10 people who were spending at a minimum of $2500 to travel and find when they arrive that they will not be able to minister in the way they had planned. Now, you will see later, I forgot who was in charge and whose agenda was suppose to be attended to.

I was able to find the sterile gloves in Lusaka (5 hours away), the oxygen in Choma (1 ½ hours away) and the drugs at a chemist in Livingstone (1 hour away). I picked the drugs up in Livingstone 1 hour before the team was to arrive on Monday at 130pm. I thought all my troubles were over….