One day in Kiribati

Last evening as I was walking to the school by moonlight, a lady on a motorcycle approached Joy and me--looking for "the doctor." Her 48 year old husband with a heart problem had suddenly become very short of breath. She gave me a ride back to our beach hut for my stethoscope and blood-pressure monitor. We arrived to find him lying comfortably on his back but breathing very fast without any pain. His blood pressure was low and his pulse was weak but normal rate. There was nothing I  could do for him and I was called out pronounce him dead at 1:30 this morning.  He will be buried today. He was apparently advised to leave the Island last month by a doctor on Tarawa, due to health concerns. He was scheduled to fly out next week. It is such a helpless feeling to know our patient needs to be in an emergency room and instead they are on a remote island with no medical facilities--except you.

We were just finishing our late breakfast this AM when a man on a motorcycle drove up a advised that a Tsunami may be coming ashore in 30 minutes--about two hours ago now. That is also a helpless feeling. There is really no "high ground" here. You just think of lots of things you never have thought of for a long time and pray that it will NOT hit here. We did not have time to get out to the sailing boat and get away from shore. (3 mile walk!!) The wave was due to hit 90 minutes ago and all is quiet with no wave coming ashore....yet.

I attached a photo of our new home on Abemama. It is in much need of repairs, but the kitchen hut in a higher priority. We hope to sleep in the smaller hut where there is more air flow as it is too hot in the bigger hut at night.

This is serious camping here! The wind generator has not generated a single watt in 3 days now. The "new" $300.00 battery for the twelve volt water pump will not hold a charge. Three of the five solar panels need to be fixed. The 240 V power from the school is to be reconnected "any day now," as of a week ago. There are no light bulbs even if there were power to the fixtures.... Base camp will be slowly, slowly put together, on "Island time!" I am so thankful for the small Honda generator that SFO has!!