Libreville, Gabon

Tuesday evening I made it to Libreville, Gabon. I was so excited to actually to make it. It took awhile to get through customs and security where I then got my bags. It is a humbling experience to travel in a different country and not speak other languages. I finally got to leave the airport where I then was to find someone to pick me up. I realized I did not ask who would nor did I look up people to see what they looked like. Game plan I was just looking for an American. I found Tim Brokopp the missionary who lives in Libreville. There was a huge moment of relief because I MADE IT! And I did it with help but traveled solo.
   We then got in a car that had Kristy, Kelli, (which are the two I was to meet up with in Frankfurt with), Heather the intern, and Steve who is the pilot who lives here. Which a little background on him and his work here. They have a plane here in Gabon although right now it is on the way to America to be fixed. But when it is here and working, he flies people from Libreville to Bongolo where the hospital is that is ran by other missionaries and the church. I don't know why the church does not talk more about what is going on here.
God is working here and doing amazing things with amazing people. There are clinics in the city where they see patients five times a week and give medicine. Not only do they get consulted with a medical person but they also get medicine on the spot all for a good price. Now if they were to go see someone else in the city. They would get charged to see someone but also then charged for the medicince and most likely its not the medicine they needed. And I will explain Bongolo hospital later.
  But on the way to the stmo center where I was going to stay, I got to see to the city. It is always hard to see poverty mostly because I know I have so much in the states and then to go somewhere where there is much less, makes you feel uncomfortable. I know that I need to be uncomfortable at times. And that quote like much has been given therefore much is expected goes throught your head. I do have much to give is the point. We then made it to the place where Tim and Meredith live downstairs and I with the ladies here got to go upstairs to stay. This house is amazing. Definietely not what I was expecting. In fact because it is such a big house in Libreville, it is expected that they have a guard 24 hours and house help. It has always been like that for this missionary house. So I am definitely safe in this house. Also violence is not an issue in Gabon. I did not see people holding guns in the streets. Although issues like STDs and HIV are more prevalent. For there 1.5 million people in Gabon and 10% of them are HIV positive.  There is also domestic violence for a husband feels that he has the right to hit his wife.
   The next day which was Wednesday, I got to go to the clinic. I have pictures and a video of it all to give you a visual sometime. I got to go into the consultation room with Kelli who is a PA. I wanted to see what medicine is like here and how it can be used just so that maybe someday I could be coming out here when I am a doctor. This clinic though has two parts to it. A regular clinic and also an eye clinic. Due to the sun, there are a lot of eye problems. The clinic depending upon the day can see patients from 15 to 50 people. After our time at the clinic we got to walk up this hill where there is a CMA church and Christian book store. I did find books that I would even want to buy it just was in French. But that took up the majority of our day. The other details aren't as interesting.