Roosters in the Mist

From Mark today:

"HUGE rain last night. We were at the church service when it started. One room with about 25 people. The pastor was using a speaker system, but the rain on the metal roof drowned him out completely. As it fell in sheets, the courtyard on the uphill side of the church filled, and then began to come in below the side door of the church. Everyone got up and began moving chairs and speakers out of the water pouring onto the tile floor. Someone from the church decided to open those side doors to look at what was going on- that proved to be a mistake as the doors had been holding back even more water. The ladies of the church grabbed brooms and moved the water across the church and out the downhill door with amazing efficiency. After the rain slowed, church resumed. With all the doors open, I could see the children picking up al lthe green mango that had been blown from the mango tree in the courtyard. The service was not too unlike our familiar setting- a guitar and drumset for music, a songleader, a pastor preaching from Luke- I didn't get much more than that- except for understanding different numbers that
came up.

This morning I went walking with my camera as the sun came up. Mist in all the valleys around us. Apparently frogs come out in great numbers after the rain, as evidenced by the unlucky ones on the road. I took several pictures of the most striking or peculiar roosters along my route. It you give them 30 seconds,you can catch them crowing. Roosters in the mist. Today, I am scheduled to visit the homes of several local children who are believed to have significant cardiac disease- congenital vs. acquired rheumatic heart disease. A reminder of why we try to be vigilant with the treatment of strep throat. I will be taking a stethoscope, a light, an adult and pediatric BP cuff, and a pulse oximeter that was just donated and sent with our group. There is a city several hours away where they can get an echocardiogram, but even with this, cardiac surgery is not done in this country, so images must be sent to the US and elsewhere to find a hospital and group willing to sponsor such a treatment.

Breakfast is served, and I see a plate full of avacado halves!"