Malaria

I've had another "first-time" experience this past week: my first bout of malaria! Although I take the recommended precautions (anti-malarials, mosquito nets, repellent), they cannot prevent malaria 100% of the time. 

Perhaps if you are like me and read a few too many "jungle adventure" stories as a child, malaria conjures up images of someone lying on a bed deathly sick and burning with fever. In fact, while malaria can be serious if left untreated, it wasn't nearly that dramatic for me. It was more like a stomach flu which just wouldn't go away. But one of my housemates is a medical doctor, and there is a dispensary right down the road from my house. Sure enough, I tested positive for malaria, but after a round of treatments I have now fully recovered and am back to normal activities again.

On another topic, the weather is heating up, as we are now getting close to "hot season" - late dry season, which is the hottest time of the year in Chad.  Daytime temperatures are already often over 40° C / 104° F, and nights are sometimes very warm as well. I am told that April will be even hotter. We don't have air conditioning, but we will do what we can to stay cool. 

In closing, please pray for my coworker, Dr Joy Hart, as she is about to leave on furlough, and will begin her journey back to the USA tomorrow morning.  She will be in the States until November or December. Pray for safe traveling, and a refreshing time with family and friends during her furlough.