Poland Town square Warsaw

Suitcases found at Auschwitz belonging to Jewish Prisoners

Remains of one of the many gas chambers
Looking out the front gate of Birkinau Concentration Camp - prisoners arrived by train Inside of living quarters at Birkinau Camp. Three tiered beds, about 8 people to a tier!
Birkinau Work Camp, each chimney was a wooden dormatory - so many!!
Polish Pottery - thanks Lisa!Town Sqaure Warsaw

Cold and Dark at 4pm - we found a cozy cafe

Cute bundled kids in Krakow
Krakow Old TownKrakow Artwork

Important Polish Snack - pretzelWe found this restaurant on the first day and ate almost every meal there!
Streets of Krakow Town Square Krakow

Word Made Flesh Field Visit to Moldova Last week I visited Moldova in my role as Health Advisor for Word Made Flesh (WMF). The country of Moldova is situated in Eastern Europe between Romania and Ukraine. Clock tower and Cathederal

The people have strong ties to Romania and Russia (Moldova was part of Romania and more recently, the Soviet Union).

King Stephen the Great

This is WMFs newest field. The team of US and Romanian staff arrived, after much planning, in January 2010. After a lot of research they have discerned doors opening for them to spend time with 'at risk' children and youths who have been placed in institutions (boarding schools) by order of the government. During my visit I was able to go to the school with the team one afternoon. They had just been given a space in which to meet with the kids, run activities (like art) and assist with homework. Tired WMF staff after cleaning out the rooms - they moved out the beds and moved in desks and chairs.The Coatroom!

The team requested First Aid training and so while I was there we spent 2 mornings completing American Red Cross First Aid training. They will be able to use the skills to develop a first aid kit, administer any needed first aid, and possibly incorporate basic first aid in lessons to the kids.

First Aid Training in the WMF Office

On the weekend we went to a traditional and historic village complete with monestary and hermit caves in the cliff! We were having a nice quiet scenic picnic until a bus of Moldovan teachers arrived and picniced with us, offering us their copious food items.

The Battlefield of Al Alamein

Yesterday I was able to join a group exploring the WW2 battlefield of Al Alamein west of Alexandria on the North (Mediterranean) coast of Egypt. In July - November 1942 Australian, British, New Zealand and South African troops battled and ultimately ousted the German and Italian forces led by General Romel who were trying to invade Egypt from Libya. This was the 'high-water mark'; the furtherest point the Axis forces came into Egypt (111km from Alexandria).

A friend who is a WW2 buff and a British Colonel who is also very interested in the battle guided our group. We went to the Commonwealth cemetary where nore than 4000 soldiers are buried. The Australians (3 of us) laid a wreath at the memorial.

We also went to the various battle sites along the front line and the battles were described. My favourite was 'the blockhouse' (below) which was a railway shed used as a Medical post by the Germans. This was one of the first buildings captured in a big offensive at the end of October / early November 1942. The Australian forces took over the building and convinced the German medical team working there to continue. They were soon inundated with the wounded either walking in, or being carried on stretchers from the fighting going on around them. In one night they cared for more than 265 wounded (mostly on stretchers), including digging some of their patients out when the ceiling collapsed from the shelling!

Below is the original Al Alamein railway station. The British are trying to get funding to make this into a little museum. The rail line comes from Alexandria. Supplies would have been brought in and wounded out via this railway.

Mel's Job

Many of you know that I (Mel) finished up at the school at the end of last school year and started a new position as an Epidemiologist (finally making full use of that Public Health degree)!! I am working at one of the CDC's (i.e. US Center of Disease Control and Prevention) global disease detection units. I am in a sub-unit dealing with hospital acquired infections. This takes me into local hospitals and I work doctors and nurses, mainly infection control teams. The first three months have been fun, but working full time gives me less time to do things like update our blog!

Mel working with infection control nurses in Alexandria.

Mel doing a survey at a hospital.