Sorry for our lack of blogging lately. These last two weeks have been pretty crazy!
On November 27th, we welcomed a team from Janesville, WI that came to do a C.R.O.S.S. Project Hospice seminar and watch all of our kids during the AZ Team Retreat (more on that later). The C.R.O.S.S. Project emphasizes a biblical and spiritual response and application to HIV/AIDS for the Church and individual Christians. But we don’t do a lot of hands-on practical workshops in the area of basic hospice care. So, God graciously organized this WI-based team through Tim Hilty, our field leader, to come and put on a practical hospice workshop on the basics of caring for someone in a holistic way.
We had over 110 former or current C.R.O.S.S. Project students and care teams come and move around between different hospice stations that we set up out at Ciyanjano Christian Campgrounds that ACTION Zambia owns and operates on the outskirts of Lusaka.
–Sanitation and Rest: John Miller talked about sanitation around the home and the need for our bodies and the patient’s body to get rest.
–Blood-borne pathogens and Exercise: Carissa Hodges talked about blood-borne pathogens and techniques for helping a patient get physical exercise in bed.
–General hospice care, etc: Mary Miller talked about hospice care in general, caring for her own parents, hand-washing, listening, and dealing with end-of-life care.
–Bible-reading and prayer: John Chitambo and Eta Imasiku talked about reading the Bible and praying with patients.
–Wound care: Kristin Dearth talked about wound care.
–Repositioning and Sunlight: Both Kristin Dearth and Tim Hilty helped me out with teaching how to reposition a bed-bound patient. And I also talked about the need for sunlight.
In the end, the hospice seminar was a success! We received a lot of positive feedback about the seminar being very helpful and practical to the attendees. It was also a great time for people who live in very impoverished areas of Lusaka to get out into the beautiful countryside and enjoy some fellowship.
Thanks so much, Tychicus Ministries, for sending John, Mary, and Carissa to put on this seminar for us!
Kelly and Tricia Huckaby, our teammates, also wrote a blog about the hospice seminar here.
-
- John, Mary, John and Carissa
-
- John teaches on sanitation
-
- Lunch
-
- Repositioning Station
Derek and Kristin Dearth 
I have just spent 2 weeks at the Hospice House with the Fletcher family. I am in awe of all that Hospice does and for the service they are to our community. Thank you for your vision to teach the principles to those in your area.