PNG Fun Facts

WEEK 6

It has been a long, eventful week. We have spent majority of the week in the Bamu river. It is the poorest area of the Western Province. Every day we stopped in different villages bringing health care and offering dental services. 

A fun time for me was going off the ship to gather dental patients. As I got off, I immediately sunk into the mud and thought I was going to loose my shoes (I have a great picture of this). I went into the village and brought 8 patients back. Throughout the days, I took care of many patients and really tried to just love on every person I encountered.

So some fun facts...

-I was asked by a patient if I was from PNG (this patient was from PNG). He said that I look like someone from Central Province. Well, today we arrived in Central Province and I can see why. My hair is pretty wild over here, I feel like Simba. Plus, I have gotten pretty dark. So, I thought it was cool to go "home" today lol.

-Sea sickness is no joke. Literally I bounce off my bed at night because the waves hit underneath our boat. It reminds me of a massive earthquake every time. The toilet and I have become buddies, unfortunately! (I know Mom, I need to try the oils)

-I have come to love apples, which I never care for back home. 

-I get new dental assistants every day, for the most part. I am extremely grateful for them but I will admit that when they accidentally put the patients saliva all over my leg, it's not too fun. 

-I would say that 95% of PNG people have never been to the Dentist which means I get to do some INSANE cleanings. I have so many fun pictures to show, which may make some of you want to vomit. One of my assistants was looking away, gagging, as I did a cleaning. It was such a bad case that I literally felt like I was opening a Christmas present, it brought me so much joy. I definitely think this is the right field for me.

-During clinic, the alarm went off to evacuate the ship. In this case we are called to go to our meeting spot for evacuation. For a second there I was a little worried. We gathered all our patients and headed over to meet. Come to find out, #1 the alarm didn't go off for too long as it would in an emergency and #2 it was a false alarm.

-There is a huge language barrier, for example, I began cleaning a lady's teeth and all of a sudden my assistant, Jacienta, says very kindly, "um Gabby, I think she is in pain." I responded, "what? That's impossible. where I am cleaning there should not be any pain. Why do you think that?" She responds, "Well, she is squeezing my wrist." I look over and the patient has a death grip on Jacienta's wrist. I stop immediately and call the translator over, who mind you has explained at least 5 times that I would be doing a cleaning. Well come to find out, the patient is thinking that I am pulling her teeth in an area where there is no pain when in reality, I am just cleaning her teeth. It took about 3 more times for him to explain after this so that I could continue.

-I get called Doctor all the time. I just accept it.  

-We can't show our knees because it is culturally inappropriate so it is a struggle trying to get out of these boats when mud is everywhere, trying not to slip and to also make sure your cupris do not ride up.

-I absolutely hate the feeling of mud on my feet. It's absolutely awful. I need some rain boots to wear out here.

-Hair braiding is the fashion here on the ship since all the village people love to put their hands in our hair.

 

Well, these are some fun highlights. Things are going well. I will say that I struggled this week with wanting to come home because I definitely miss all of you tremendously. It makes me sad to know I am missing out on so much back home but I know that this is the season God has in store for me right now. 

With that said, Happy Mother's Day to my beautiful Momma. I love that even though I am almost 25 years old, you check up on my and want to make sure that I am okay. You have been such a huge supporter of me all my life and I know that your prayers for me in this season, are really working. I love you Mom and I miss you!!! Thank you for being such a selfless example to me. 

XOXO