Christmas!

For those avid readers of Josh's Life, you will know I already talked about Christmas. We've had one yes, but what about second Christmas? Well, unlike Aragorn in the Fellowship of the Ring who ignores Pippin's longing, I was blessed with a second Christmas.

Yesterday, a team of doctors arrived from Wisconsin (I knew Wisconsin was amazing). This is their 6th year coming here. They started coming before the volcano erupted, and were actually here for the eruption. Only one of the 8 person team has not been here before, and many have been here multiple times. When they come, they bring bins of medical supplies and some things (sutures and some drugs) they bring enough of to last all year. HEAL Africa knows that January is the month for Wisconsin so they plan on it every year. They have training and they line up tough cases that can be used to teach people as well as getting tough surgeries done by doctors with lots of training and experience. The hospital has been gathering these cases for weeks and getting lecture ideas and in general, getting ready for this annual event.

Maji has been getting ready too. There are lots of bottled drinks here (coke, fanta, and beer) and the mamas have been baking bread and making granola. This Wisconsin team is so special that they actually have a lunch option. Like the mamas prepare lunch for them. That's unheard of. I've been here for almost 4 months and my lunch option is peanut butter and jelly or a bag of granola. These docs are getting all sorts of portable fare.

Because many of them have been here so many times, they see Goma, the hospital, and Maji change with real interest. Joe downplayed the new house that's being build for Lyn and him and the team insisted on getting a tour. You can tell the team is loved by Goma and that they love to be here.

You can also tell that the team loves me (or some other way was convinced to be my personal UPS) as they brought some stuff for me from home. I sent a list of some stuff that would be nice to have and I got everything on the list and then some. Most prominent of which is a pair of Wisconsin Badger shorts that I'm wearing right now over my Badger lounge pants (along with my red badger t-shirt over my white badger long sleeved t-shirt and badger hat). I figured since it's second Christmas I might as well celebrate in style. They also brought Megan's Christmas present for me, which I greatly like and will enjoy for years to come. Most prominent besides that was my WATER POLO BALL and tennis racket. I'm so excited, especially about the ball. Now I just have to find an air pump and Mikasa is my Wilson.