Hump day.

Hump day – the day people go riding the camels. What did you think I meant? Actually I was talking with one of the other doctors about camel rides yesterday. It is apparently the touristy thing to do. My touristy thing to do is take pictures. I'm not saying I don't want to ride a camel, just that it is further down on my bucket list. Wednesdays are however special for several reasons here: 1) they have cinnamon buns at the CC (which I think stands for community centre or centre communitaire). 2) Right after the cinnamon buns, the traveling butcher rolls up on his motorcycle to sell you meat of the back of his bike (literally). Wednesday is also market day in Galmi. All the tents are set up and you can buy any of the local produce, fabrics, and other interesting wares.a It is also often the day the SIM plane arrives with new missionaries and takes others back to Niamey. I will be on that plane next week Lord willing.

We always pray before we start rounds in the morning. A good way to start the day. After the prayer and before we started rounds they asked

me to see a lady that had been stuck at 9 cm for 2 hours (so she was almost fully dilated). She had had 10 other vaginal deliveries and this was her 11^th baby. When I examined her she was fully dilated and ready to push, but for some reason she said she couldn't. I was able to do a forcep delivery that went very smoothly and she delivered a healthy baby boy. We will talk to her about family planning. For the most part, rounds went well. There is one lady who will have to go back to the OR because her sutures came apart, but everyone else seems to be doing well.

Then I went with a couple of the women here to see the market for the first time. They were buying fabric, but we also looked at clothing, food spices, and other interesting items. Like may other places, bartering is the norm here. One of the women spoke fluent hausa so she was able to barter well for the prices. They also bought spices and some lettuce. You can buy all sorts of fruit, and if you are so inclined roasted grasshoppers. I thought the chickens they were carrying around were dead, but then one clucked at me. I don't know how they get away with carrying them by their legs like that.

I saw another chameleon on the path between the hospital and the homes. This one moved a little bit faster, but was still pretty slow. Funny feet, funny eyes. What else can I say.

Ephesians 3:20,21

Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.