Visitor from Tanzania

Laura, a volunteer working in Tanzania we met in Rome, used her vacation time to visit us here in Balaka.  She is a nurse from Minnesota and has some experience in developing countries as she studied in the Dominican Repulic for a few months.  She is staying with two other volunteers: Jain, a doctor from India, and Ania, pharmacist from Poland.  Her experience seems a little more difficult than ours as she sees the affects of diseases and malnutrition up close.  I don't think I would do well in a hospital in Africa but she seems to be handling things well.  Her service if for one year so she will be goin home in a few months.  Her plans are to go to medical school and continue working in mission clinics.  We have been showing her as much of Balaka as we can while trying to get everything done for school before we have a retreat later this month.  She was very surprised how different Malawi is from Tanzania and couldn't believe how dry it was here.  She leaves today and is looking forward to a 30 hour crowded bus ride.