Wednesday morning saw us heading off for the final inspection of the new clinic in Rushangarumwe. It was a rather straightforward trip, a little over an hour to Ngundu, ten km north, then a quick left turn. Except our guide wasn’t sure about that turn, so we went a few meters past, stopped, and made a call. We returned to the first turn and off we were. Not a very good road, but passable. After a while, we saw what we thought was the next turn, to the left. We were wrong. So we were off on a road leading to somewhere great, I am sure. Just not where we were going. After a while, the road got worse, so we asked directions from someone who didn’t even know about the clinic, but this road did go there. So we turned around and started back.
About halfway back, we stopped again for new directions. “Yes, you are going right, just turn left around the corner.” So we turned left around the corner. We came to another clinic, not our own, and power lines on the road. New direction. And those were right. Until. . . while on this road, we developed a terrible screeching noise. Some had come loose. After a quick inspection, we discovered that a skip plate had two of three bolts come out, and it was dragging. With no tools, we first tried to take it off, but no go. Then we found some nylon twine and tied it up. Surprisingly, it works and all was good to the clinic. The picture beside this is a young man at the clinic wiring it up instead of twine. (I meant to fix that today, but . . . it’s hot.)
We traveled down this new road. And our guide decided to ask for further instruction. No, we had missed a turn. (In our defense, the road we wanted was blocked by a van.) Finally, on the right road, headed in the right direction, we were making progress. Our guide, our preacher, Pastor Mupa, who said he knew the way, told us we needed to cross a “high bridge.” Now, Shelton folks may be thinking of the Steel Bridge. Not that high. Yet, we did find said bridge and soon enough the shops near the clinic, and finally the clinic itself. Total time from the highway to the clinic was 90 minutes or so.
When we arrived, we saw that the inspection team was already there, looking, writing, questioning the pastor, pointing, writing, well, you get the point. While some was in English, we introduced ourselves and then stepped away to let them do their thing. We did hover some and made notes of things we did hear and understand. I confess, it didn’t look like I thought it should look for a final inspection, but there we were. The clinic building was inspected, and then we moved on to the nurses’ housing. There are three three-bedroom houses. Small but nicish. Again, notes were made, and Sherry did some measuring for curtains. Then the team of inspectors moved on to the Waiting Mothers’ rooms. We didn’t follow. At this point, I was a bit discouraged and thinking about the money we were racking up.
The preacher took us for a walk around, the inspectors sat waiting for our boss, Dr B. Mugabe (the preacher) showed us all the things they wanted, metal doors, a different sink, a sink next to the bathrooms, painting, oh so much painting. There was a concrete skirt that needed to be added, and, well, it was long. Then Dr B arrived and Sherry, Simon, and I found a chair. After Dr. B was finished with his debate, most of the list was pared down, a lot. We have painting to do, the concrete must be added, it was not a new sink (lost in translation) it was a pre-wash tub before the sink. And all we are going to do is the clinic building. The rest can wait.
We then started home. With no problems, no detours, and a cold drink in hand, down the muddy, rutted, stream crossing, rocky road we headed. No problems, no issues. It took us 65 minutes to travel the road, and next time I won’t need a guide to get there. And that will be in the next week or two as we are going to order, deliver, and apply said paint. All in all a ten-hour trip. God kept us safe, and though we wandered from the path a time or two, we always found our way back. (There might be a sermon in there somewhere.) Ladies and gentlemen, those who faithfully prayed for and financially supported getting this project done, THANK YOU! We have a clinic at Rushangarumwe.