Alyssa in Africa: July 2014

David Livingston wandered all around Burundi, Lake Tanganyika, and north and south of here searching for the elusive "Source of the Nile". Some people say Stanley and Livingston had their famous meeting ("Dr. Livingston, I presume") here in Burundi and there is a rock to commemorate the event near Bujumbura. Unfortunately, Livingston never discovered the source and he died trying. It's been interesting to read a biography on Livingston recently and to track his routes on a large African map my grandpa gave me - many of his stops were quite near here. But, many years after his death, the southernmost source of the Nile was in fact found in Burundi - that is the southernmost source of Lake Victoria that then eventually becomes the Nile. Burundi lies right on the continental divide, so it makes sense that the source would be here. Just south of the ridge pictured below, water flows south instead of north. A German explorer discovered this source of the Nile here in Burundi in the 1930s and we visited it recently - less than an hour from Kibuye.

They've built up the site for tourism purposes, though we enjoyed being the only tourists there. The hole beneath our feet is the source of the Nile.

Erica is a Burundian doctor I work with and I'm enjoying getting to know her more

That tiny stream somehow becomes the great Nile river that I could see from an airplane once on a flight over Africa

Burundian scenery

The German explorer built a pyramid to commemorate the connection to Egypt

The extent of my own explorations - climbing the pyramid :)

McLaughlin family (except Toby)

Rachel and I on the continental divide

Hot springs nearby

I've reached the point in living in Burundi where my life seems normal. My routine is established and I expect to daily see colorfully clad mamas with babies on their backs and produce on their heads, to admit multiple children with malaria each day, to have red dirt perpetually on my shoes, and to exchange Kirundi greetings and handshakes dozens of times per day with patients, families, staff, even teammates. And so I forget to blog because I forget what is unique or notable about my life here.

But life is full, whether it's normal or not. I was pleasantly surprised yesterday to have a new group of nursing students correctly describe the differences between meningitis and cerebral malaria. A visiting nurse from our sister hospital in Rwanda facilitated productive and interesting discussion yesterday afternoon with our new NICU team and we were able to make some progress in our plans for caring for the premies. Jonas understands the importance of maintaining some records for the malnourished kids in the hospital's feeding program and is now weighing them every week. Pastor Luc approached me yesterday excited about starting up Bible study again with the new group of med students coming next month. We unfortunately had a too-small premie die because the power went out and he couldn't keep warm without the incubator. Within a few days, Ezekiel had hooked up the incubators to the hospital generator so now they will stay warm even when the power is out. I enjoyed participating in the intimate and worshipful communion service at church on Sunday - even though it meant 4 hours of church! And for the first time ever, the sermon was preached in French (with Kirundi translation) so I could actually understand it (thanks to a visiting preacher from Congo). And we played a very competitive and fun game of ultimate frisbee on Sunday afternoon. Hopefully the below pictures will help round out the description of normal life here in Burundi!

A Sunday afternoon hike

Typical sight at the hospital. I've actually started looking at all the colorful material worn by the women lately in thinking of curtains for my house. :) Let's see, how would that look in my bedroom…?

Cooking a goat feast in celebration of the completion of the McLaughlin's house

Saturday activity cooking plantains

The Cropsey family was so sweet to include me on their recent vacation here in Burundi on Lake Tanganyika - just a few hours from here (or longer if you get very lost on dirt roads and keep having to stop to ask directions in Kirundi - providing significant entertainment for many villagers shocked to see white people driving through their village attempting to speak Kirundi!)

Worth the trip! Beautiful sunsets and surroundings. Don't get in the water at dusk or dawn, though, cause you can't see what's coming! (Think crocs or hippos. :))

Love hanging out with these precious children

Surprise event in Bujumbura on the way back home - World Cup game on the big screen at one of our favorite restaurants. And we were eating with our Belgian friend Annelyse and her husband while watching the Belgian team beat the Algerians! What fun!