My Adventure Part V: Outreach #2

I was able to go to another school to do an outreach this time with Dr. Sorensen and Jenna. We joined two PHDOs named Dennis and John Bosco. This time the oral hygiene instruction was given to the entire school and they treated us with a singing of their national anthem. It was so neat. I have it on video, but blogger won't upload it...

Dr. Sorensen, Jenna, Me, Jon Bosco, and Dennis

I learned quite a bit about about how the people of Uganda take care of their teeth. A lot of the families can't afford to buy toothbrushes and definitely can't afford tooth floss so they go and pull branches off of trees and strip them down to brush their teeth. Oh the things we take for granted here in the west. I was also able to assist Dennis by mixing the Fuji IX (so my dad's instruction came in handy) and cleaning his instruments. He assumed that because my dad was a dentist I knew all about dentistry even though I told him that I have had no formal dental training. When he found out I didn't know much at all he took it into his hands to teach me every thing he could! I definitely learned a lot.

The makeshift "toothbrushes"


Assisting Dennis

This school was definitely a wealthier one. They raised their own chickens, grew their own vegetables, and had their own well with clean water. They fed us lunch when we were done. It was actually really good! We had chicken, rice, and a salad.

Kids pumping water at the well


Jenna and Dr. Sorensen eating lunch. That's my bowl in the middle!

The kids at this school were so beautiful too. I just didn't get to spend as much time with them like I did at the other school. I got to watch a group of kids in gym class playing with their banana fiber jump ropes. I also got to watch a kindergarten class eating their lunch outside. It was their classroom that we took over to do the work.

Some of the beautiful Kindergarteners


Waiting for some dental work


Gym class. I so remember playing this game in elementary school.
I don't think we ever got the ropes that high though...

Joseph was our driver that day and Jenna I had a very interesting conversation with him that I'll never forget. It started with Jenna asking why you don't see very many elderly people in Uganda. Joseph told us that the life expectancy in Uganda was 45 and that a persons age was very deceiving. Because of how hard life was for them, people often looked much older than they were. This got me thinking so I asked Joseph if he minded if I asked how old he was. He thought it was strange that anyone would mind revealing their age as every year you grow older is a reason to celebrate for you have made it another year when so many don't. That really made me think about birthdays a little differently. It also made me grateful that I live in a country where we live a lot longer! There are so many children running around without parents there because they keep having children later in life and then they die so young leaving their families behind. So sad...

The top of the Mulago Hospital

The next day was another free day as my dad had already left for Rwanda. Dr. Sorensen was kind enough to take Jenna and I to the Mulago hospital so that we could see the dental school my dad built. It was so surreal to see it in person after hearing so much about it. We got to talk to some of the professors and wander around the school. Some of the equipment is still the older stuff but a lot of it was really new, better than a lot of the equipment you see here in the west!

New dental chairs


Old x-ray. If I had to get an x-ray from that I would be scared of going to the dentist too!

After we were done at the dental school we wandered around the rest of the hospital. My mom had made 2 blankets for me to give to a couple of new mothers in need so we thought it would be best if I went to a neonatal unit and give the blankets to the mothers myself. After meeting with some head honchos and whatnot I was finally able to go to the neonatal unit. The head nurse there picked two mothers that she felt would benefit most from the blankets. It was such a beautiful experience. The women were amazing and the babies so sweet and tiny. I think the biggest baby I saw was maybe 5lbs...

Beautiful mom #1 and babe.
She didn't speak or understand English but I could tell she was grateful.

Beautiful mom #2 and babe. See how tiny?

Giving those blankets was another highlight for me. Those women and babes are so sweet. I just wish I had more to give. More blankets and more time.

When we were done at the hospital Jenna and I went to a local salon and spent 4 hours getting our hair braided! It was fun but it hurt really bad. I had to take some Advil for a couple of days until the braids loosened up a bit. Jenna, with my help, ended up taking hers out that very night. As many as she could anyway. It took almost as long to take them out as it did to get them in!

It was our last night in Rwanda and we got kicked out of our nice rooms and put in the back of the guest house where there are no emergency generators for when the power goes out. We did get kerosene lamps just in case though!

My lovely bed in the new room...

After a good sleep we were off to meet my dad in Rwanda!