Tuk Tuks and pork chops

We got on the buses this morning, drove a short distance and pulled up to a line of Tuk-Tuks. The buses could not make it into the area we were working in so we had to take the Tuk-Tucks. We crammed ourselves and supplies into and on top of them and off we went, over wood planked bridges that we watched the planks jump up after we crossed. It was really a highlight. Our Tuk-tuck group laughed the entire ride over yesterday when the kids returned from the beach. Jesse has not eaten anything except white rice since we arrived. Martha happily told me that Jesse really enjoyed lunch and ate very well. My first thought was, "wow, they must have found pasta". Wrong, they found PORK CHOPS!
I am not sure what part of the last name Connelly- COHEN Martha seemed to have missed. Once my heart stopped pounding out of my chest, and I realized the lightening bolts were not stiking, we had a good laugh, which continued onto the Tuk Tucks this morning. Possibly next time Martha could add a bit of shredded cheese to them and add a milkshake on the side!


Once we arrived, we took a medical team photo and then we set up our stations and saw another 300 or so people. One woman was waiting for the nurse and was spitting up blood. We raced her to the front of the line to the doctor in a panic. Turns out, many people here chew Betel nuts, sort of our equivalent of chewing tobacco. They chew it and spit it out but it looks like blood....not to mention how it turns their teeth black.

Our next unexpected event was the arrival of five men who were building another charity house and the roof collapsed in on them. This was the one day that due to bus confusion, Katherine did not have out main "for the team" medical bag that contained sutures. After much searching, a suture was found, lidocane was gotten from the dentist and out neuro-surgeon sutured up the gashed head wound. The other guys were badly bruised.


This is the hospital we were working out of. The FDA would shut us down if they saw us counting pills out of plastic grocery bags sitting around on dirty tables....








Went for a walk around after lunch and decided to try my hand at rice picking, the field workers laughed at me, go figure.

This house had dinner ready and waiting which has a different meaning here. Hey, this solves the lack of refrigeration problem....falling asleep now, will be back tomorrow.

Lastly, this is Gina, also from CT., who appears to be "switching teams". Sorry jean, I am only the messenger....

By the way, these are the only facilities available to us and it is awful! I had to put the photo up, one slip in that place and I would need a bullet to my head.

This is a bank of homes in Dong Thap where we are working.