Blog Aug 17, 2017

We have been back in Chad since Aug 3.  It is rainy season any "roads" are passable if you have 4 wheel high clearance .  We have had 6 inches (15 cm) rain this week so far on this very flat land.  It took us 11 hours to get the 350 km (about 200 miles) from NDJ to Bere over the very rough and slick mud and deep water holes.  We blew out one tire on the way.   We have since found another way that is a little bit faster.  The 42 km from here to Kelo normally takes about 2 hours if you hurry.  The government "has no money" so nothing is being done to any "roads".  We spent 13 days in France, Spain, Portugal, Andorra, and Monaco on the way back to Chad.  We had rented an RV and drove 5527km (about 3316 miles) and saw lots of interesting places including Paris, Chartres, Chateau de Chambord, Nimes (the best preserved Roman amphitheatre), Pont du Gard (well preserved longest Roman aquaduct), Josselin, Carcassone (old walled medieval city with turrets), Mont St Michel (abbey and fortress on a large rock away from shore in high tide), Dune du Pilat (the largest dune in Europe), the Normandy beaches ie. Omaha beach and museum, Giverny (home and gardins of Clalude Monet impressionist artist), Carnet (with alignment of old large stones over 200 years), etc.   The big problem was this was  "high season" meaning everyone is on vacation and on the road with much traffic everywhere.  We spent E400 (about $475) just on toll road fees and about $800 on fuel.  France is expensive although the bus and metro in Paris was not bad.
While in the USA we went to our oldest granddaughter's graduation from dental hygiene at LLU, California then visited my brother Reggie and family in Denver then to Hot Springs, S. Dak to visit Duane Smith (a friend and classmate of college, med school, and internship) that is not doing very well.   We were also at the Oklahoma campmeeting in July.  
Our hospital census is staying 50-60 since we got back with several long termers that are taking a long time to get ready to go home but Peds and Maternity have been busy.  We have had 5 c-sections this week.  We have had several still births since we got back.  We have had 2 typhoid perforation of small intestine, also a ruptured appendix with bowel leakage and 2 pelvic abcesses.  Dr. Debbie Mullins was here when we got here but left 2 days later after being here with Danae almost 2 weeks.  
Olen and Danae and kids are back in the USA as Olen's mom is expected to expire any time with cancer.  I think all the children and siblings are thee.  Is a very trying time for all of them as it has been coming on for quite a while.  We all take hope that the resurection and coming of Jesus will be soon.  Olen and Danae and kids left on the same plane that we came in on so we barely were able to say hello and good by.   They barely arrived in NDJ in time because their bus had problems and took 14 hours to get to NDJ from Bere.
Our emails are  drbland42@gmail.com and dfbland01@gmail.com 
Love,  
Rollin and  Dolores Bland 
Hopital Adventiste de Bere
Boite Postal 52
Kelo, Tandjile,  Chad,  Afrique
Blog  www.weareamissionarybland.blogspot.com