OPERATION SMILE

We volunteered for Operation Smile at Ngaliema Hospital 7-8 June. We walked to the back of the grounds where patients were checked in, examined and accepted or rejected for the free operation to correct cleft palate and hare lip.

View of some of the hospital grounds.

On the way to the reception area.

Some or our LDS member volunteers at Operation Smile.

Children are entertained by staff with toys and health instruction. This is an electric whirlygig toy.

Sister Moon speaking with one of the staff members who was in charge of instructing the children.

A large staff of volunteers accompanies the project which conducts operations around the globe. Equipment is packed in large trunks. This one was packed with electronic medical testing equipment, thermometers, blood pressure, pulse monitors, cords and computers.

Sue and Sister Moon in the intake area.

Intake personnel interviewed applicants, filled out medical history, and passed them to a reviewer, then a photo of the candidate with the case number for future identification. Sue and I took the photos the first day. We saw each individual which was a very touching experience.

Children are entertained with games that help them learn about cleanliness while having fun.

Parents with children being interviewed at the intake table.

Sister Chantal Van Hauvermat, left, Sue, Sister Grana, right, Sister Van Hauvermat's mother, also volunteered. The Granas and the Van Hauvermats are Church employees for Finance and Construction respectively.

Fleet of hospital Toyotas parked in rows, apparently never driven.

children being instructed, the second day.

Woman washing clothes at a station near the intake area.

Patients waiting in the hall outside the intake area.

Following intake and photograph, patients meet with doctors for assessment at this row of desks.

Patients wait to see doctors following photos.

Brother and Sister Van Hauvermat  waiting to photograph a patient. The adult is the patient.

Patients waiting in the hall just outside the entrance to the intake area.

Mother with sleeping child next in line. The wait can be long.

Patients being interviewed and forms completed.

Some patients have facial deformities not related to hare lip or cleft palate, which the doctors will treat if they are able, or they may be funded to fly to other countries for treatment.

Saturday we were not needed so we went to ShopRite for groceries.

Later in the day we helped Eddie move into his new home, including dinner in the plastic bag.

Eddie, his wife, and two children on their couch in their new rented home near his hardware stand. 

The entry area to Eddie's apartment which abuts other apartments, forming a common entry patio paved with a mosaic of broken tiles.

African Grey Parrot, somebody's pet in the garden by Eddie's apartment.

Eddie's hardware stall.

Quincaillerie means hardware. Elder Moon buying something at the store.

A view of the Quincaillerie in the African equivalent of a "strip mall". 

That evening the condensation train from air conditioner in our kitchen became clogged and dripped onto the controller which I disassembled, dried out, and it resumed working.