Blog Mar 31, 2017
Hotter than ...well anyway it is hot.  The humidity is coming up in the 30% range whereas before it usually was 8-10%.   The temperature outside is 106+ but also in the OR was at least that.   The A/C was not working but yesterday it was cleaned or recharged and it is working fairly well now.  It is fairly comfortable in the OR with temp in the low 90's ((we brought a thermometer over) now.   The low last night in the house was 91F but it was 99F at 2200.  We soak the bed with perspiration so have to keep drinking lots of water during the night.   Last night I finally decided to "sleep" on the floor which seemed a little cooler.   A lot of the patients  sleep outside under the trees and on the ground.  How do you tell if a new baby has a fever if the ambient temperature is 106 or more.  The only A/C is in the OR.   Actually there is one in Danae and Olen's house but we are not using it.  I don't want to be too privileged more than the rest of the missionaries. 
The MCD came today and scrubbed in for a few cases of surgery.   He actually has been quite nice so far.   He wanted to see what was happening on our "freebie" cases that had been advertised.   We are doing lots of hernias and hydroceles for "free" but have to pay for the materials meds and suture so the price can be adjusted somewhat.  We have done 24 "freebies" so far this week and have done 30 procedures in the past 3 days.  This offer was good for only this week but we will have quite a few that were signed up to carry over into next week before we get them all done.  Our surgery load was quite low so we offered free hernia or hydrocele surgery this week only.   The price figures out to be about half price.   
The generators are being worked on.  I"m thankful for the little 12KVA generator so we can keep water and lights going.   The new water pump is working well so far..   We have got work started on the new water tank on the new tower that was built about 3 years ago by the well that was done about 4 years ago.   They are building scaffolding now.  The old water tank is really leaking a lot.  The tank labor and materials will cost about USD3000.  Then we hope to get the old tank repaired etc.   We need a new blood bank refrigerator which will cost about USD500.   The OR A/C seems to be cooling fair now so that USD500 maybe can wait awhile.  The generator work will be another about USD700 maybe more.  
We are having lots of maternity cases lately.   Most of them are normal deliveries but we are also having quite a few that arrive with fetal demise before or after delivery.  
We are hoping some of our "bush churches" will become churches but will need church buildings.  There is about enough to qualify for a shipment of "one day church" materials.   They can send materials for 30 in a container.   
This hot season is only March, April , and May.   The rest of the year is not too bad in fact may get down in the 50's in Dec and Jan.  
Pray for us
Love  
Rollin and  Dolores Bland 
Hopital Adventiste de Bere
Boite Postal 52
Kelo, Tandjile,  Chad,  Afrique
Blog  www.weareamissionarybland.blogspot.com