July 22 After traveling over the wretched dirt road from Sumbawanga to Mbeya I sit in the computer area of the Golden City hotel trying to do this post on an ancient computer attached to a phone modem. It is taking a long time and there definitely won’t be any pictures. The trip to Sumbawanga was very successful. It was hard saying goodbye to Jasper and the staff. Everyone there has been so kind and gracious to us. I believe we actually did make a difference for the reasons that I explained in my last post. Having had he opportunity to be here 3 times a year apart I do see progress. It is slow, uneven and disorganized but the place is moving forward. In the hospital it’s the little things; gloves being more easily available, drains and tubes accessible and a wider variety of medications. There has been a substantial improvement in the electrical situation both on a city-wide level and the installation of effective emergency generators at the hospital. Though voltage variations still play havoc with the equipment we experienced no power outages this trip. I mentioned the two new buildings under construction and there is a real sense of excitement and anticipation among the staff. They want to make things better. I mentioned before we left that I was excited to be working with Ara. I said that I expected to be impressed and I was not disappointed. This is the most time I’ve gotten to spend with him since he moved out to go to college 17 years ago and it has been fun getting to know him again as a grown man. As a surgeon he has the technical skill, knowledge and judgment that I would expect of someone with such superb training and these are exceptional. But most of all I was taken by his ferocious, single-minded commitment to making everything he does exactly right no matter what. This is the same quality I saw when he was a small boy building with Legos and later when he was a high school wrestler. Only the best will do. The best part is that he manages this while being and exceptionally nice and caring person. Ara is going to have a wonderful career. So there: I’ve had my proud father moment. Thanks for your indulgence. So now we’re on our way to Arusha – yuk! 18 hour bus trip tomorrow starting at 5am. The Regional Commissioner (Governor) of Rukwa, where Sumbawanga is located, is currently on vacation at his permanent home in Arusha. We are friends and he has asked that I call when I get there. I expect it will be a dinner invitation for Friday night and I welcome the meeting because I get a chance to hear the updates of what is going on and to put in my 2 cents also. Saturday we take to the bush in search of great wildlife pictures and get to stay in some neat lodges and tent camps. After that it’s back to Arizona via Dar es Salaam, Dubai and New York. I don’t know if I’ll have a chance to post any more so if not I’ll tell about the safari when I return.
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