It has been three weeks since we had our first screening that went so wrong. As a crew we have grown in numbers and are now at a full crew around 450. People are doing well with what happened on screening day or at least it appears they are. Time is the biggest help for people to give up their anger and sadness and helplessness. These past three weeks have flown by. We have already been in country for a month, it seems like we just left Durban but at the same time it feels like it was at least a year ago.

I have slowly begun to get out and explore the city. This is going to sound really ridiculous but it is something you have to make a point of, it is too easy to stay home on the ship and be comfortable. It is a lot harder to summons the energy to walk outside where it is hot and dirty and a little intimidating at times. I have gone to an art show to raise money to help with women’s prison and the women who are in the system to have legal help. To get an idea of traffic here, it took almost two hours to get there and 20 minuets to get back. I have just gone for walks with friends not looking for anything but just to explore. We have gone out in search of a place to chill deciding on the place because they had streamers in the door. A group of us went to the beach last week. Sierra Leone is known for its beaches. It was beautiful. We went because on Friday nights people play ultimate Frisbee, I don’t that is far to much running for not getting chased, but a team from an NGO asked us to play. I went to help watch kids so people could play but really to go to the beach. It had litter but it was beautiful, there was a strong current and we did not go out far. It was nice until people would come and stand in front of you trying to sell things to you. It was fine though. We went and had lunch after and it was just a nice day out.

The next week passed with out to much going on, we were all just hearing about the new screening which tool place this past Saturday. Before I even start I have to say it was amazing. It was smooth and calm and what I imagine a screening should be. This time not everyone was going, they had less people going for things like music and child’s ministry’s but more people for security and to escort people from one station to the next. I signed up to be an escort. Save the jokes, I have already heard um. Fir those with their minds out of the gutter that means I walk potential patients from one station to the next. I was excited to have a different experience of a screening day and was praying it would go smoothly. Screening happened on a Saturday so it was only if you wanted to go that you went. There were still more then enough people who wanted to go and help.

Because last time went poorly so fast they where not taking any chances. We found a different location that was easier to secure and started with a very strong security team. This included a group of guys going out the night before to make sure there was no one saving places or causing trouble before we get there. They went with one of our security officers Roger who is ex special forces and an all around bad ass. Well on the out side he is a teddy bear, kinda like dad. He seems tough but is all soft and like mom and dad it is his wife Barbra that you need to be worried about. Leading up to the guys leaving there were lots of jokes about a sleep over with uncle rog rog and him reading them to sleep. And you know what there is prof he help a book and pretended to read its fantastic.

There where groups who went out at all different times, some at midnight and two and then four that morning. The whole time screening people in line so that they did not wait for hours and have something we can not help with. All though it was a hard job for those people to say no all day, it made a huge difference to the line and the mood of the people waiting. I left at six and started right away. I was assigned to a medical friend to escort her patients in or unfortunately out if we were unable to help them. Everyone involved knew the stakes that things go well, even the crowd. No one wanted to have to shut down screening again and people behaved fantastically well. I moved with the crowds and where ever there was a cluster of people I would go and escort there to try and help. It was so smooth that most people had been seen or were waiting for their specific doctor to see them. For example if they have bo legs they were waiting for ortho to see them. They sent a few cars full of us home by like 10:30. It was a short day but an incredibly fulfilling day. I was able to talk with people and smile with kids. It was great. I had a chance to speak with women who had been at the screening at the stadium and to hear them say how they waited that day and where scared when fighting and rioting started and how when we closed screening down no one knew if they would get help. To hear them say how they were so pleased with today and how it was going made me smile. That is what we came for to help.

So far this week has been going well. I spent the rest of Saturday being lazy, I went in the pool and slept it was great. Sunday was spent watching tv shows with friends on lap tops and resting before the week. I am meant to hear about possibly extending for a second year by the end of this week. I want to stay but there is a lot to happen to allow me to stay. I need help financially and need to be allowed out of training programs so that I can spend time with family. Please pray that what is meant to happen will. I love and miss you all! Ang