Tough Dilemmas

It’s been a week. Only the usual power failures and internet challenges; no illness and no water loss. Certain things are just part of the daily routine and I accept the inconveniences and adapt. Meanwhile, back at home there are blizzards and power failures too, what’s the difference? It’s just hotter here!


I continue to teach CPR to the nursing students which is mostly going well. This week’s moral dilemma involved having a distinct feeling that some of the students had cheated on the exam I gave them. After discussing it with another “tutor “ (which is how we are referred to, not teachers or professors), it was decided that I should write another exam and retest them. This was rather awkward, as the other tutor outright asked them if they cheated, which of course they denied. I tried to handle it by saying that it was important to learn the skills, and that getting 100% did not guarantee that they were capable of saving anyone’s life. In the end, I may not be their friends, but hopefully I gained their respect. Certainly things like this happen all the time in the US as well.

So the end of the week involved some bittersweet fun, as it is Ryan’s last week, and there have been many parties. On one evening 3 of us went to a local bar to play pool, and the only way to get there besides walking (which my bum hip wouldn’t allow) was by the terrifying boda-boda. These are hired motorcyclists who ferry people around for short distances. I swore on a stack of Bibles that I would never ride one, as no one wears a helmet on these death traps. But on an impulsive whim I decided to try it as it was only a 10 minute ride. I was quite a sight to see, climbing over the bike with my arthritic hip and hanging onto this young African man for dear life. Well now I can say I did it at least, though I don’t plan to hasten my death by making a habit of it!



The parties for Ryan have been fun, and sad. In my life, I don’t think I’ve ever befriended anyone so different from me. He’s really an amazing person, a deeply spiritual young man, a dedicated and compassionate nurse, hilariously funny and extremely creative. In our many talks about the meaning of this mission experience, we came to realize that we were dealing with similar issues, just at opposite ends of the life spectrum: loneliness, alienation and a need for personal transformation. His sensitivity is reflected in the goodbye card he painted for me which included my 3 children…





Comments

  1. Helen the road warriorFebruary 28, 2023 at 7:12 AM

    What a lovely gift from Ryan! Very special!

    ReplyDelete
  2. xMarch 1, 2023 at 2:12 PM

    Agree, love that card!

    ReplyDelete
  3. KathleenMarch 5, 2023 at 6:44 PM

    What a connection you have made! The card is so perfect, as was the timing for this freindship in both of your lives. Lucky you (:

    ReplyDelete

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