Song time!

This week we had a half hour of really quiet moments on the ward. One of the girls I work with Inneke, plays the guitar, so we decided we'd have a song session!
One of the older male patients (we called 'papa' - a sign of respect to those older then yourself), was a little preoccupied with one of the babies in the bed next to him. Papa Moses is about 75 years old, and such a gentleman, smiling and trying to help all the time, despite his eye problem. The little one in the bed next to him is about 14 months old, a little game ensues...baby Sonnie pushes a new found bright piece of card shaped in a heart over the bed cotside to Papa Moses, then disappears behind the cotside giggling, Papa puts the heart on his head, and sonnie pops up. The heart is grabbed by a little podgy hand, and then Papa hides...the game goes on. I could have watched the interaction all day, but on with the other story...

So with the chairs in the middle of the ward Inneke began playing some songs, many the patients knew, some they didn't . Two of our little girl are very excited by the whole thing, and come really close. So, then it was time for some kiddy songs, back in my old familiar comfort zone for a few minutes!! The songs 'HIgher Higher' and 'Who's the king of the jungle' appear from the depths of some of the nurses hearts! The girls loved the action songs, and before a few times through had passed, we had te adults doing the monkey actions, waves and laughing so much! The atmosphere was fantastic, even those in beds who were newly post surgery, joined in where they could, and made suggestions for other songs. Do you know, I am pretty sure these times are as good if not better than any other medicine they could have.
Between our shift change overs we always have a time to pray, but sometimes we sing or ask our translators (local Liberians who work on the ward) to start singing for us, and we all join in 'African' stylee... Instead we thought we'd get all the nurses to come and join the singing. So for 20 minutes we just praised and sang, and got the little ones to show everyone the actions to the new songs they'd learnt. Sooooo much fun! Now how many times have you done that in a shift change over? In fact, half way through i had to escort a patient down to the OR (check me out getting all American... theatre I mean, clearly!!) and he was still singing 'Who's the king...'
Tee hee!! Can you see why I love it here yet?