This post is a little gross- just a warning!

It's been a tough weekend here. Well, at the house. Things in town are calmed down now, after some bold propaganda was spread all over town a couple days ago which basically told all those who want to break the union to go back to their own island and stop causing trouble! It seems most of that group are from the neighboring island, which is known to be more radical and conservative in their religion and politics (those two are pretty much melded together for them). Now they are being very sheepish and quiet! I am glad people here are taking a stand against them.

Bob had to go to the mainland for a couple days. Elisha got very sick while he was gone. He had a red spot on his leg which appeared to be a boil. (Nothing new about that around here.) But the day before yesterday his whole lower leg became hard and red and hot, but still it did not come to a head. He had a slight fever. This was strange. Also he had something like hives- small welts appeared all over him for a little while, then disappeared. This was definitely weird. Had he been bitten by some sort of poisonous African insect???  I tried pricking the center of it, but only blood came out. That night I put a charcoal poultice on it, and by the morning it had pulled some of the infection out. In the morning I took off the poultice while he was in the shower, and pressed the wound as it drained.  It was very painful for him. As I was washing it and pressing it, Elisha, pointing, said, "Dudu." I looked up and there was a thin, white, worm about three inches long. Oh, Lord, was that the problem? I am not sure, but I think that thing was in his skin. Absolutely disgusting. Oh, the adventures of living in Africa!

Later his fever increased, and by afternoon he was very sick. He began vomiting, and quickly became dehydrated. This was looking very bad. I called Bob, who said he was coming home, asking him to bring antibiotics. But when Bob tarried, I saw that even if he brought the antibiotics they probably wouldn't stay in him- he was puking up everything. I didn't want to bring him to the hospital for an IV- I would rather avoid those places, be it here or in the USA! I prayed and thought, and decided to try giving him a garlic enema. Yes, crazy. But I was desperate. He was so sick, that he didn't care much. He slept feverishly all night, and in the morning I gave him another one, with chamomile and catnip. That seemed to help him almost right away. The fever left, and we went to shower and wash off the charcoal poultice again. It had pulled lots of the infection out.
He drank some juice and ate a banana, and it stayed down. Hallelujah! He is drinking lots of herbal high-C tea today, and eating a little food. He felt puny, and is hobbling around on the sore leg a bit. I am still putting poultices on the leg, and it looks much better. It is softer and not so hot, but it's still painful. Pray for his full recovery. I am so thankful he is getting better, and did not have to go to the hospital. The Lord is good.