ngirilover: Last week in Moshi-wow-Oncology Symposium, Dinners, home-A-5 joy, JB's 60th

Our last week in Moshi was hectic and fun. The Social-Behavioral Health KCMC-Duke Health Collaborative hosted a number of speakers who talked about HIV and mental health related complications. As I think back on it, there were such a variety of topics, it was a bit daunting. We had our Keynote Speaker Chris Colvin from University of Capetown speak about a variety of approaches to HIV-prevention and care, using different modalities, their successes and failures and possibilities. Dr. Ringo, one of 13 psychiatrists in Tanzania, and the only one in Kilimanjaro, talked about mental health problems that are prevalent in our area and why these folks are so vulnerable to HIV-infection, Dorothy Dow talked about Mental Illness in HIV-infected adolescents, Catherine Staton talked about Motor Vehicle Injuries related to Alcohol Use and subsequently more vulnerability to HIV, Jan Osterman looked at cost effectiveness of HIV-testing, Dafrosa Itemba talked about TAWREF's community efforts.....and more. I was most proud of my Moshi Community Advisory Board, twenty members attended the all day meeting and made comments pertinent to the meeting. Next year, we will prepare our own talk!

As always with one of these symposiums, we get to host dinners at some of our favorite places. Sal Salinero was the first night dinner.

Jan Osterman and John at Sal Salinero

Chris and our Site Leader Blandina

Ahazi & Nickolaus who was newly arrived back from Duke

Sweet Vera Wright and Jan

Jenn, John and Catherine

Food was good and company delightful!
After the symposium was finished, we managed to fit in another night at Mkulima. As usual, our waitress was there and set up fantastic tables for us all, we had most delicious food, and sang an early Happy Birthday to my now 60 year old husband (what took him so long?)

Crispina and Catherine

No one quite like Glory!

At home we started preparing for a 10x40 meter container to be delivered to the back of A-5 where all the research project's medical records were to be stored. The work was interesting in this preparation, the first day cement blocks were delivered, the second day bags of concrete were delivered (mixed with rocks), the third day (Sunday-the day before the container was scheduled to be delivered) the fundis came out to put the foundation down. It was a very hot day, so the work progressed (despite 8 workers) very slowly indeed. Since you need to have 5 days after concrete pouring before the container can be delivered, there were some unhappy project leaders come Monday when they had to postpone the container again. But, our yard was happy. Flowers blooming, birds singing and wow, three ducks joined Pauli's chickens. I do not think either set of animals are very happy about these additions, and not yet sure exactly why the ducks came to call, or set up homes with the chickens but there they are. Perhaps they are more scary to the dogs who have decided that coming back to try to kill our chickens is a good idea.

First duck with Mzungu the rooster

beautiful aromatic flowers (related to honeysuckle?)

The tractor has now ploughed the garden all ready for the Spring rains.

So finally the Medical Records will get their new home come this Friday.

John finally turned 60 on Saturday, and we were incredibly blessed to be able to spend it at Makuru Farm with Nic, Sylvie, Greg, Terrie and a few friends. The sunset at the dam was perfect (both Kili and Mehru shining), dinner magical with a full moon, delicious lamb, beautiful friendships, and even fresh baked birthday cake to top it all off. Both of our lives have been enriched beyond our wildest dreams by our time in Kilimanjaro, and most particularly the dear friendship that we have with Nic and Sylvie Emmanuel.