First Impressions

February 7, 2009
Mbale, Uganda

First Impressions:
I have arrived. What an experience it has and will continue to be! Landing in Africa is a bit of a different than say, Logan… I walked off the plane and on to the tarmac through thick warm air. The customs agent welcomed me and informed me that my 5 months will turn into a year long stay. I proceeded to baggage claim and discovered only one of my two pieces of luggage made it. Fortunately, the bag which arrived was the one packed with CURE medical supplies. Bag in hand, I visually located my private driver, Paddy, who was standing by his car holding a handmade sign which read: “Julie Friesen – CURE Mbale.” I approached his small sedan, and headed towards the passenger’s side when I received a look from Paddy which said, “Really? You’re going to drive?” Only then did it strike me that Africans drive “British-style” – with the driver’s wheel on the “wrong” side. I laughed and assured Paddy that I had no desire to drive. With the car loaded, we began the drive to Mbale, which I had been told could take 2-5 hours.
 Paddy masterfully weaved his way through the streets of Entebbe to Kampala and stopped at a grocery store so I could get some food. I must admit that after flying 15 hours, losing a bag, not understanding the language or currency… shopping seemed a bit daunting. The only guidance I had received from my host was to get fruit I paced up and down the aisles of the market but saw no fruit. Thinking it would look bad if I walked out with nothing, I bought some water and proceeded to stand at the front of the store looking for Paddy. I believe it was pretty easy to find me… a bit harder to find him. He found me… and noted that I had not bought much and that I should go grocery shopping… Hmm… I guess I had missed something in the earlier translation… He let me go in on my own again and I bought what I felt was necessary for a week, and then approached the cashier with some anxious sweats beginning. How am I to pay for this?? The line behind me got longer as I quietly whispered to the cashier, “Can I pay with U.S. dollars?” She said yes and then had to get on the loud speaker to call her manager to assist her with the conversion… By now my very white skin had turned red as I gave them money and then deduced from their stares that I have not given enough… I said, “What if I give you this?” as I pulled out some kind of Ugandan shilling… I guess it covered the bill because with that I was off… Welcome to Uganda ☺
The 2-5 hour trip took 5 hours and I was very happy to see the sign for the CURE Children’s Hospital as we entered Mbale. We drove through a gate and saw a small complex of buildings. The compound is situated on a beautifully manicured plot of land. I got out of the car and met Derek, the Executive Director of the hospital, who is also from the US. Derek wasn’t supposed to be there when I arrived as he had planned to be in Northern Uganda with a team, but he went down with Malaria the week before and could not make the trek so he was there to welcome me. Bummer for him, but it was a huge blessing for me.
I toured the site and then was able to see the babies. The hospital is mainly dedicated to children with hydrocephalus and Spina Bifida. They range in age from 1 week to 10 years and will stay between 3 days and 3 weeks. These babies are amazing and their mothers may be even more so. Many label hydrocephalus children as “babies with big heads” and consider it a genetic disorder from the mom. As a result, many fathers will leave the mother after she has a baby with a big head. If they don’t leave them, it is excuse for abuse and neglect! So these mothers exhibit a lot of bravery to push beyond the social stigma and bring their babies to the “big head hospital” to be treated! The physicians here are on the frontline, leading the world in surgeries for hydrocephalus. More on that later but CURE does 900 surgeries per year to treat children with hydrocephalus compared to about 30 such surgeries in the US.