The energy of our Week 4 Team was to put our heads down and plow through. There were lots of things that needed that last frustrating thing done in order to call it completed.

The concrete floor pours got done.

Days and days of digging and hundreds of wheelbarrow loads of gravel were hauled while working on the landscaping plan. One of the local guys has done landscaping before and it's going to look beautiful.

We also tackled organizing the hospital storage rooms and that is progressing. They are hugely understaffed and really needed some help with shelving and sorting and cleaning. Big task!

The shower stalls were all installed and we are standing by to assist the local plumber who is a bit overwhelmed.

One day when we were in the process of digging the trench and installing the drain lines that go from the showers to the septic tank, I was crouched down in a waste deep narrow trench trying to glue the next piece of pipe into place. When I stood back up one of the guys handed me his shoe and wanted me to glue the flopping sole back on for him. I laughed and used some of the pipe glue on his shoe. Worked great. Next day I had a line up of shoes from the guys for gluing.....I might have a new profession in Africa!

Ellen who is a doula, has been working with the waiting mothers to help them prepare for giving birth in the circumstances they will encounter here at the hospital. Of course no pain meds for birth nor during stitching afterwards. One of the mothers made a great connection with Ellen and named her twins Dillon and Ellen in her honor. Way cool.

Oh yeah, one more cobra down and a big one sighted but not caught. We watch where we walk.

Power and water and sleep have all been scarce this week but we made it through with tasks accomplished and bodies intact.

Here's to wishing for some rain,

Rome

(See more project photos on Facebook)

Some of our hard-working local volunteers celebrate the end of a log day of digging and landscaping. Meet Wonder, Clever, Hussen, Norest, and Norman.

Kathy talks with Julie, a Seattle cardiologist, who volunteered in the hospital and on the job site

Schoolgirls on their way home.