Adventures in Fundraising

One of my own philosophies in life is ‘if you don’t ask… you don’t get’…. So sometimes I just ask.

I think I’m almost ready for my journey. Well the organised part of me should be as there are only five weeks left until I finish work. Needless to say the last few weeks have been fairly busy as well.  I've been pleasantly surprised with the support that has come from various place and I've had donations of equipment that I haven’t really known how to deal with. The airline I’m flying with will only allow their standard luggage allowance.

And I really do think I need to take some clothes with me!

So then I remembered that the hospital I work at supports their sister hospital, which is also in Nairobi, by sending a container once a year with used equipment in it.  So, I asked the question… is there any space in the container to send a few things? Sure there is… but I had to get it to them in 8 days’ time. They were packing the container and I didn't want to miss the deadline. So I packed up some of the things that I had already collected, and then put the call out for other things that I hadn't planned on taking at all because of the aforementioned lack of luggage space. Once again, my beautiful quilt group came to the fore and answered the call for old towels – which will be very useful. I’d also sourced some knitted items (mostly jumpers and beanies), some baby clothes,  some toys, some books, and lots of medical equipment that is clean but no longer sterile, or is now out of date.  Another company gave suture materials and also some theater clogs!!! So they have all been packed and are slowly making their way over to Africa…. Yay!! I even had a random visit from a midwife who'd spent time in Ethiopia and had a contact for someone who was giving away a couple of fetal heart rate dopplers. I'll be picking them up tomorrow. 

The actual fundraising has been going well. I’m very happy with the response to the quilt. I’m still selling tickets and it will be drawn on May 2^nd, so if you still want to get some tickets, please see the previous posting for the details on how to get them. It’s funny how people react when you start to fund raise  My department at work have fallen behind the ‘gold coin donation morning teas’ really very well and I’m sure some of the doctors are putting in more than a gold coin… in fact one of the older more crusty doctors often finds creative ways to give me money! Thanks hunny!! I think he thinks that I haven't noticed! Another couple of doctors have also donated $200 each and some donations have come from quilting friends as well. Thanks very much one and all.

Part of my getting ready to go has included my sewing kit. Those who know me know that I need something to do for those quiet times. I've had this little kit stashed in the cupboard for a while now. I started this years ago, but didn't get very far at all. So I've been cutting squares of fabrics to take with me to make into a quilt. It will be made using an Apple Core design on the principle of a charm quilt which means no piece of fabric is repeated more than once. I've also been tidying the fabric stash as I go. I’ll keep you posted with the progress of my quilt as well. 

Thanks for keeping up with my progress and feel free to pass on the blog to anyone you think might be interested.

Twists and Turns

I have a good life. I have an easy life. I've had my share of 

ups and downs, but in reality - it's still been an easy life. I've always had people around me who care, I've always had somewhere to live and food on the table and clothes in my cupboard. I have a good job. I've never really lacked for anything. I'm fortunate that I have all this and still, can see that I am fortunate. I thank my parents and God for giving me a social conscience, and I think that is why I still have this need to go to Africa. I believe that I have something to contribute.

Things have changed since I last wrote. That happens. There have been some changes to my  travel plans. It seems that our government has changed it's travel advice for westerners living and working in Somaliland to 'Do Not Travel'. After talking it over with my very supportive better half, we thought it best to look elsewhere to see how I can continue the pursuit of my dream and still work as a midwife in a 3rd world country.

After looking at many options I have now arranged to work with Moffat and Fred at FreMo Medical Clinic and Birthing Centre in Nairobi, Kenya. Midwives that I work with have visited the clinic in their travels and there is also a midwife here in Queensland who also supports this clinic. Reading her blog makes me realise that I can also work there and have the type of experience I am open to - one of learning and sharing. Talking with Moffat via email gives glimpses of his passion to bring good health care to his community. I am looking forward to going now.

Because FreMo is located in a slum, and they are doing the very best they can under extremely difficult circumstances I have decided to fund-raise in an effort to help FreMo. Their new project is the setting up of a second birthing room, which is appropriate for I will possibly be working in this room. To that end, I am raffling off one of my patchwork quilts.

This is a new quilt and pieced by myself from fabrics that I have hand dyed and hand painted. My friend Jane R. did the most wonderful quilting which really sets off the quite simple medallion style of the quilt. You can join in this raffle by sending moeny directly to Moffat's PayPal account (moffat2002US@yahoo.com). For every $5 donation I will allocate 3 raffle tickets to you. Simply post the receipt in the comments box below and I will allocate your tickets.  

My leaving date is still the end of May. My current employers are still very supportive of my endeavours and have gone so far as to put together a mission box of equipment for me to take. Hiccoughs aside - the 5 year plan is progressing well.

Henry David Thoreau,  "I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived. I did not wish to live what was not life, living is so dear; nor did I wish to practice resignation, unless it was quite necessary. I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life, to live so sturdily and Spartan-like as to put to rout all that was not life, to cut a broad swath and shave close, to drive life into a corner, and reduce it to its lowest terms, and, if it proved to be mean, why then to get the whole and genuine meanness of it, and publish its meanness to the world; or if it were sublime, to know it by experience, and be able to give a true account of it in my next excursion."

The Five Year Plan

I always knew that I wanted to be a midwife. It seemed like the kind of job where I could look after people, not have to deal with sickness and also make a difference in people’s lives. Working with women and babies is the bonus. Well that is the short answer anyway. Most of my early years of work, higher education and travel revolved around becoming a midwife. I achieved my midwifery qualification in London in 1991 from St Mary's Hospital in Paddington before returning home to Australia in 1993 and I have worked in a large tertiary hospital ever since. 

 

Now that my son is of an age where he can (supposedly) be responsible for himself, it is my time to have another adventure.  I've been planning this adventure in one shape or form for the last five years. It's been through many permutations however, I've always wanted to work somewhere in the developing world, where I will have a cultural challenge and where just maybe, I can contribute in a positive way. Working with refugee women here in Australia has simply strengthened that goal. If anyone of you hasn't heard of the Millenium Developement Goals then reading more about that will give more insight into the why. I can't do much about numbers 1 and 8, I don't have much influence in number 2 but numbers 3, 4 and 5 are directly related to the work that I do, and number 6 is my other sphere of specialty - HIV in pregnant women - and number 7 is how I try to live the rest of my life. But, more about that later.

 

I was reading a fabulous book called Half the Sky which galvanised my thinking in many ways and also introduced me to Edna Adan Maternity Hospital in Somaliland. I could relate to her mission and was impressed with her dedication. I wrote and asked if I could work with her and 6 hours later she responded with a resounding yes. Now what to do? I had spent the last 9 years working in an antenatal clinics. I needed more experience in birth suites so late 2012 I moved out of my comfort zone and started working part time in our birth suites and part time continuing to care for pregnant women of a refugee background.

 

This blog is an attempt to share this journey with friends and family and work colleagues who may be interested, instead of splashing it all over facebook.  Stay tuned for more to come, it’ll be slow to start with, as I don’t leave until end of May. However, I will add occasionally before then.

 

 

"If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavours to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with success unexpected in common hours." -  Henry David Thoreau