far west. . .

this weekend a few of us took off to go spend the weekend with miss pat in the far west. . .

it was truly a great time. for me it was a great encouragement. just to be able to be in the quiet country side. (well maybe not really all that quiet because around three in the morning one night while i was sleeping on the porch i heard what i thought was a dog next to me crunching on bones or something, it turned out to be a pig eating rocks.) anyway. . .

i was able to do clinic for miss pat on monday which was such a blessing for me. for me it was simple, sometimes here in st. louis there are so many people and things going on that it can be overwhelming. it was great to just see a few patients, get them medication and talk and laugh with them. (the above picture)

the afternoon on monday another couple here had been to a beautiful beach there in the far west, so off we went a few at a time on the four wheeler to this amazing beach! our time at the beach was cut short by a rain storm that we tried to ride out, but then the thunder started and off we went back to miss pat's. where we were stuck, due to lots of mud and a high river which no one could get across to come get us. so instead we headed out this morning and tap-tapped to the river, took a little boat across and then walked to the next tap-tap station to get home. (a tap-tap is the local tranportation - open flat bed trucks with benches around the edges)

right before the second storm monday i went for a walk and found these flowers. they were so beautiful. it always amazes me how beauty can still be found even amidst such poverty that exists here. it makes me think of the human spirit, that it will prevail. that there is beauty in every thing, every day, every person. sometimes you just have to look.