Class day #2

Tuesday evening, 7:00PM. 4 hour class today with the men plus 2 others who are interested in animal husbandry, going over the various medicines again, how we used them and why. A review is also in order. These fellas would never make it using my vet truck.. I set up the box time and again in a fairly neat and orderly way (ya think?) and they go crashing through everything, throwing it back in any way they can, sort of like a recently graduated veterinarian!! Sooo, what I thought I would do, is require that I fill the box, then they would do a complete inventory of all meds and supplies, then re-inventory it after we had made a hiking trip. That way, they would know how much or what they had used, and we can keep track of what to re-order, etc. They thought that was a really good idea, after trying for 1/2 hour to understand why that was necessary. The goal here is for the Gujjar men (at least some of them) to become businessmen, and after describing to them that they could work and earn nothing, or worse, end up owing someone money after all their hard work, they started to understand a bit about capitalism and making a living.
Sometimes, though, you just have to take a break where you can. This old guy was probably going on 65 years of age, but he walked up that hill without even breaking a sweat, leading the horses while we rode. Enlarge the photo and check out his beard. It is common for the older men with the longer beards to dye with Henna, which is the red color. These folks squat on their haunches all the time, and rarely sit. If they do sit, they are cross-legged. Well, my knees won't allow me to do much of either, so I look pretty awkward in their lodgings when I visit.
The children have been a highlight. No matter where we go, whether it is in the valley, or high in the mountains, there is always a smile. The adults don't usually smile until you greet them with 'Salaam a likum', which means 'Hello, my friend'. Then, they will smile and greet you. The family bond is amazing, in the mountain or in the villages. It is common for extended families to share campsites as I have previously noted, but it is also common for families to share houses in the village. One family might have it's own room for sleeping, but share a common cooking area. When I asked how many people were in this one village, I was told approx 100 hearths, which means that number should be multiplied by 4-6 because a hearth is just a cooking area.
Finally, you will notice the fine ceramic tile in the bathroom in my suite. The 'loo' is a very simple structure. Guys, you face one way for a certain function, then face the other way for another. Ladies, it is pretty simple for you to figure out which way you face. The good news is that you never have to worry if the lid is up or down!! I will be getting supper, then coming back for another, later post. The internet and the modem is acting up, so I will post this now, and hope to post again in several hours. 'Tika' for reading. BLN

Afterthoughts/photos

Monday night, and I am just checking your replys. I couldn't help but send some more photos. #1 is mainstreet Sonamag, with the restaurant, beside the general store, beside the open air butcher shop, with garbage collection going on as we watch. In this part of the world, someone likely does own the cow and it is not someone's reincarnated grandmother. The Muslim own and use them, and since pasture is so cheap, & garbage is free -- well, go figure!
Is that alot of volts?? It is common for folks to get electrocuted while trying to tap into open lines and steal electricity!

Skeet, this photo is for you. The chicken is a very important product in this part of the world and so is eggs. We often have hard boiled eggs for breakfast. One morning I had an omelet, which was a deep fried cracked, fresh egg, fried in butter. Yummy!










The only 'water' buffalo that I have seen. There were 3 of them at this camp, at 6,200'. They tend to look for the wet places to lay -- this also happens to be where the women wash clothes and dishes! All rightly, then ..... More tomorrow. BLN

Monday evening, 7:00PM. It is probably early AM for you. The first photo is the 'office' in Brane-Nishat where I have a room in a side building that was formerly the 1st wife's quarters. It is common for Muslem men to illegally take a 2nd wife, then have her somewhere nearby. The man and his 2nd wife left for holiday and the 1st wife took over the property and now the pai group rents it. The grounds are well kept by a groundskeeper who gets paid US $2.00/day. He tends the plants and reseeds the flowers which are beautiful! There are many new birds here. The Myna is common, the English Sparrow must be all over the world, there are Kites which are a type of hawk, and vultures that are pretty awesome looking. It is said that if you start a fire anywhere, they will come circling. It is Hindi custom to cremate their dead and the vultures like to be near the funeral pyre (sp?) for clean-up. I am told that you can find body parts laying in your yard at any time! Titus Gall is my host. He is Danish and speaks many languages. The Gujjar language is Urdu, but there are many languages here in Northern India, depending on your tribe. All of the locals, even the indigent, speak at least 3 languages -- and I struggle with English!! Titus has been in country for 15 years, owns an engineering firm that develops earthquake resistant shelters, and feels strongly about God's calling to work with these people. He is driven to seek God's will in his life, and he walks the walk. Europeans and English are automatically given a measure of respect here, and since he is 6'8" tall, he stands out! His wife Kathy is one of the few women who drives a vehicle here, and she generates lots of stares. There is a significant support staff for his work. There is a contact in New Delhi, and an a nurse/book keeper at the office. I am writing from the office when I blog in. We tried to set up the computer so that I could send remote from my room, but there were too many technicalities and firewalls in my laptop, and I wasn't about to disturb any of that (you are welcome Rachael). My international Verizon cell phone has been junk, so the Skype has finally worked well. (thanks Matt) There are volunteers here often, some that come to stay for an extended stay. Titus has been not so subtle in his efforts to recruit me to stay or come back for a MUCH longer stay. I will leave that kind of decision up to God, and currently I haven't received that calling. I do however, feel like my skills have been used effectively, and that the balance of this week will be given over to working with the men, teaching and mentoring. Lee Lee, they have all been to some sort of primary school, several to secondary school, and all can understand English and speak the language, although some of them still struggle. No matter, we can communicate quite well. They are quick to pitch in, and since they are paid, I have no problems with allowing them to carry the gear! The little girl in the next photo was herding the goats. You will notice a patch on her forehead to ward off evil spirits. Well LBS, that is where my foot bandage went! This is a very superstitious group, and in spite of how well you think you are making headway, generations of family teaching don't leave overnight. The background is this; I had treated one of those goats for footrot the previous week (foot rot is an infection between the claws). I had placed a wad of cotton soaked in bleach between the claws and fashioned a bandage out of duct tape that I had brought along. None of the men had ever seen such a thing! I also gave Sulfa drugs orally (thanks for the applicators, Dr. Dan), trimmed to hoof, and left medicine for follow-up treatment. when I came back a week later, the goat was fine, the bandage had disappeared, but my guess is that the rest of that tape is somewhere in camp!! I just HAD to have this photo. Strong JuJu, that duct tape!! Having said that life is tough and superstition is rampant, the men still seem to want to trust. They shake hands with a firm grip and they won't shake with someone they don't trust. I have seen them walk up to someone as if they were going to shake, then drop their hand and spit at their neighbor's feet as an insult. The ultimate insult is to pick a booger and literally flick it at your neighbor, then turn your back on him and walk away. I also noticed the women shaking hands, and male family members often hug. I have seen father's and mother's both hug their children, but I have seen very little affection between men and women.
I was bold enough to ask one of the boy's this question -- since there are often 2-3 generations in camp, often in the same tent, how do young couples find quiet/personal time. At first I didn't think he was going to ask me, and even through his dark skin I could seen him blushing. He simply said "They often take a walk to look at the stars!" The weather has been nice today, and I am over my case of the 'Delhi Belly' -- vomiting & diarrhea from 2 days ago. I must have eaten something rotton, and besides, Titus noted that visitors didn't get the full experience without at least one attack of the 'loose motion'. Well, trust me, I have now had the full experience and I would have been better off throwing the Lomotil over my shoulder during that 24 hr seige.

There will be a class tomorrow for the boys, so I need to spend time on my lesson plan. The nurse/book keeper now has a virus and I visited her today to give advise. They didn't tell me that I would be doing MD work too, Mixon. More tomorrow. BLN

Down Time

Monday, 9:30 AM. I got to sleep until I woke up, which is like a vacation day for me. I prepared fried potatoes/onions and scrambled some eggs. NO red pepper or chilli pepper!! This is an off day to catch up. I will be planning some lessons for the men who return to work tomorrow. Did someone say that the children are the same, no matter where they go?? They wear plastic shoes, no socks and can walk these steep hills like billie goats. English slip and slide and they giggle when they see this fat guy. Other than the rich Hindu's, I am the biggest thing in town(weight wise!). The bread that the little one on the right is eating is typical for tea when we are being invited into their home. Only after the guests are given Chi and fed do they take the left overs! This is a typical photo of a couple in the mountain families. The gentleman went with us the day we tried to go onto the 2nd highest highway in this part of the country. (We were trying to connect with part of his extended family.) The road was built by the army for strategic purposes (read about the Kargil war in 2002-2003), and passes across the mountain to a village where some of his cousins spend the summer. We didn't make it past 15,500' because of snow banks and avalanche. But we did see some of his people along the road, and dewormed a number of goats along the way. At one point during the day, when it was raining, he wanted to borrow my 'cap'. He immediately put it on backwards like any other redneck and took off over the hill. At the end of the day, I gave it to him, after much protesting that he should not take such a fine gift!

I am constantly struck by the smells. It is a privilege to be invited into the homes, but it is a very striking odor -- sort of a combination of a wet burlap sack, a burned out building, and rancid butter. The people seem to be clean, and their tents and mud homes are swept clean, with the most clever mud cooking stoves I have ever seen. The women are in charge of this, and they can make a new one (they know which clays to use) in 4 hours, when the kitchen is in service. They only eat meat for weddings and other really special occasions. I was asking about some of the animals and their breedings and their milking. One of the men gave me a curt answer that that was something for the women to discuss, and that was that. CVM needs to send a woman to these parts to talk about such things! Lee Lee????




Did I mention that I was collecting souvineers.?? Those wicked horse shoes were left on this dead mule. This is the only dead horse I have seen. I see bones, and have seen one dead cow/calf (bear kill), and one dead dog and one dead sheep in the road. The Muslims would NEVER go near this corpse, even to collect these valuable shoes. This one only had on 3 shoes, and both of Titus's boys wanted one, so I scored on only one. Everyone wanted me to tell them why this animal died. Holly, want to post this one?? (:

The final photo is especially for Dr Dan Woodworth. (Would someone make sure he sees this??). Dr. Dan has been going to Central America for years to make sure the prople there have clean water (sounds familiar!). He has a true missionary spirit and has been a close friend and advisor since I first came to Waynesboro, some 22 years ago. He is a mentor in the truest sense, and challenged me to do, teach, observe. He calls this the 'Budda' stance, when the teacher no longer needs to be involved, demonstrating that you have taught the locals the skills needed to carry on after you leave. This is a very powerful feeling. It is no different than teaching a farmer, a new intern, or brand spanking new veterinarian. When they finally 'get it', it's pretty sweet. Yes, much will be left undone, and there is already plans for the next CVM individual or team who arrives. Many thanks to all who have posted comments on this site. I am specifically encouraged to see them. The power just went off (again), but we have battery back up for the computers, but I don't want to chance it. More later today. Make mine a double, Mixon! BLN

5 days in the thin air

Sunday evening, 8:00PM. It appears that I can only send 4 photos per blog, so I will have more photos tomorrow when I am resting. The mountain scenery is magnificant. those are glaciers that you see in the first photo, and new snow noted on the second. As we hike up these areas, it is incredible how many animals and how over-grazed the area is. Generations have been coming to these pastures, and what Titus and his team are noticing is that fewer and fewer of these people are coming as the children and young men look for better ways -- something other than the 'old' ways. We have discussed making this a business for the men, and next week we will be schooling them on Economics 101 concerning actual costs of meds, transportation, etc. It is easy to 'give' English medicine (their term) away, but this makes the Gujjar look for handouts, instead of expecting to pay. There is no liscense needed in this part of the world, just the ability to generate confidence in your ability. Since there is such a tight family connection, this could lead to something good for the four men we are currently working with. Although none of these four are Christian, they know that I am, and

have not yet reported anyone to the authorities. Currently, in Kashmir, we would be asked to leave if the thought was that we were there to evangelize. I did meet several men on the mountain who are believers, and I will post their photos in subsequent entries. Brian, Cindy & Grace -- the children seem to have lots to play with. They are often dirty, but smiling and not terribly shy. They play with sticks, and old bottles, and I have seen wire fashioned into a steering wheel, attached to a longer shaft like the steering column, with a can at the bottom for them to push along -- very inventive. I am also happy to report that my 1st patient that was put on IV fluids has recovered and is nearly ready for resuming his work activities.!! I would be in jail in the US for the services that I proveded!!

I have done far more horse work than I had imagined. A common complaint is that the horse is 'weak', when actually he is malnourished and heavily parasitized. Saddle sores are the next most common complaint. Paige, I know it is sad, but they don't think they are doing something wrong -- instead they believe it is the animals fault that his back is sore! I have heard time and again that this happens every year! I have seen some of the


saddle blankets that have an area cut out over the point of the withers, where even with heavy riders and heavy loads, there is no friction. Titus and I have discussed having some of the men's wives build these during the winter to sell during the tourist season as another source of family income. Many of the horses also have a sharp spine, as a result of breeding. Add this to no body fat and the situation is ripe for bruising. There is lots of infection surrounding these sore areas and some of these horses are little buggers. I helped the boys build the first rope twitch that they have ever seen, and I couldn't get Ajas to lay his down. I think he was taking it to bed with him at night!! The next most common problem is front leg injuries where these wicked little shoes/nails strike the front legs on the inside and gash them open. The Gujjar all want a 'shot' of Penicillin (they pronounce it Peni-cil-ean) of Terramycin ointment (pronounced Terra-my-seen). Weak horses are often given only Calcium under the skin? (I have never given Calcium to a horse.) These just need forage and a good dewormer!

The food has been pretty spicey, and no matter where you go, you are invited in for 'Chi' and often flour bread, called 'chopate' (I think that is how it is spelled). It has been raining in the valleys -- stop and go showers with the temperature plunging each time it rains. I have always slept warm, but sometimes it is really cold when I get up at night to go admire the stars (for that night-time pressure relief, Brummy). It was cold when we got back to the office last evening, but it is going to warm up again this week. I will go on to bed now, and post again tomorrow. I spoke to Nancy Lee on Skype this evening, and I hope that Hammy is feeling better. Rice and beans for supper this PM. Everything has red chili in it and is spicey -- I am ready for some beef! More tomorrow.

5 day camping trip

Sunday, July 5th; Sorry to miss the annual Bowman 4th picnic, Sis, but I was having a completely different experience. I am exhausted, but exhilerated. This is great work, and the 4 men are learning many new skills. As you can see, there is more than one way to make a vet call. We drove as far as we could and made an additional 2,500' trek up the hill to a village that needed our service. These horses are quite sturdy, although quite small. I had been prepped to see lots of goats and sheep with foot problems, but the horses have been a significant part of our work. The Gujjar use these animals to transport pilgrims and tourists from place to place, which increases their income significantly. Some of the men will live in camps near the areas of concentration of work, which are quite an experience.
No matter where we go, we gather a crowd. This goat was in the high country, you can see the tent and the glacier in the background. All these kids and women come close, but when you take a picture, the young women tend to try to hide their faces. The devout Muslim believe that a camera steals their soul. However, many giggle and want a 'photo' (a copy) when you show them on the camera. The children have no such problem with photos and stand shyly as you click away. We have had rain showers nearly every day, which signals the start of the monsoon season. The northern area does not get torrential rains, but thunder in the Himalayas is powerful!. When we went back to the mountain, we returned to several of our former patients. The calf that had eaten the poison grass (Rhodendron) was up and eating!! The people all came out to thank Dr Bruce Sahib! This was a wonderful experience, but as we say at CVC, only God heals animals, we just try to be His instrument, and especially try not to hinder healing!
We are encountering groups of goats like this for deworming -- liquid Albendazole is the most economical and available in the country. With this group, they were herded to a wide spot along side the river. The goats wouldn't dare jump in the river, so they stand quitely by while the children and young girls shepherd them. When we are deworming, the men come to help, but most often, the children are the ones doing the field work. Most of the goats have shaggy hair, with all kinds of horn conformations and color patterns. In this male dominated society, NOTHING is ever castrated. If selective breeding takes place, it is very quietly done. According to the Muslim faith, this is for God to decide. A devout Muslim prays to thank God for not making him a woman, a Jew, and a pig, in that order.
We are also seeing lots of sheep. There is very little variety in the sheep breeds. There is some variety in color. ALL of the pasture that I have visited, no matter what elevation, is badly overgrazed. This photo is of a 'Choppar', who is a hired shepherd. These sheep can travel several miles a day to graze, but then return to the camp at night for safety. I have yet to see any predators of any kind. I have seen marmots (they call them moles) lizards, and lots of birds. There are some mountain flowers that are quite delicate and beautiful. Somehow, I have lost some of my photos, so I will sign off now, and get some more rest. I am exhausted, but exhillerated! I am definitely feeling the effects of the altitude. I keep a low grade headache, and constantly drink fluids to ward off dehydration. Like any good livestock veterinarian, I have been stomped on, kicked, and smashed a bit. (Future photos will show a scab on my forehead, on the bridge of my nose, and you can't see my upper lip!) Some of these horses are pretty wicked, and they strike with purpose! More on that later. Thank you for your prayers, I feel perfectly safe. I will post again this evening. BLN

Monday, the 29th. Titus and I went shopping today for more veterinary supplies. Many of these were purchased at the veterinary supply center, many were bought at the local pharmacy. Downtown is a mess, with helter-skelter traffic, horns blowing, dirt, garbage and LOTS of people. Clearly, I prefer the country and the mountains. We are preparing for a longer mountain trip this time. the quanset hut at left is our base camp at 11,000'. It is VERY comfortable and the toilet is behind the big rock in the background. (: This is where we will spend tomorrow night, then we will move on up to the higher pastures that don't usually get any Westerners, at 15,000' - 15,500'. This will be a 2 1/2 - 3 hour hike up and I am sure my lungs will burn, but I am already glad that I have been preparing. I am not the strongest hiker in the group, but the men seem to think that Dr. Bruce Sahib is OK in the mountains.
Did I say that the children were beautiful? I don't know if the blog will allow you to blow up this photo, but this is one of the most beautiful children that I have ever seen (besides my own, of course!). The man in the background was so pleased that a short, fat, white man from US would hike to his campsite. We talked for an hour of how we were honoring him, just by being there. There is a huge pilgrimage taking place in this area, where Hindu men and women (Yatri) are travelling to a sacred cave at around 14,800' near this area. (The Amaranth Cave -- this is where, according to Hindu legend, that life originated). Every day, this man takes his horses and goes to earn money by horse-back riding these pilgrims to the cave. Some say it is cheating, and that you should walk, but that is not a discussion for me to be a part of. The point is, this man and his family have a 5-6 week window to make money from the tourists, and they need healthy animals to do this. We have encountered a small number of Christian men in the area, and they are very discreet about their faith. They could be ousted from their camp or even worse, killed by some of the more militant Muslims that might be in the area. Please note the bridge we had to cross in order to get to his camp. I think it was one lane, no passing!! The water is glacier melt which is very cold and running fast and deep. CVC vet's please note the yellow 'vet' box that I built from scratch. We also carry buckets with basic supplies. Would someone call Becky Mcglothlin at Virginia Blood Services and tell her my hat made it to the mountain!!? LBW, I am going to wear my Virginia Wildlife one next, look for it!
This is one of the typical 'summer homes' of the Gujjar. Note the brush piled around the tents. This is to ward off bears and other hungry critters at night. The fire is just inside the opening, and there could be as many a 8-10 people sleeping in this shelter. We will be camping at or near similar shelters for the next several nights, and I hope to bring you some great photos. Please don't be alarmed if I don't check in for 3-5 days, I am not sure yet. I cherish your comments and your prayers. To my brothers Thomas and Kenneth, I thank you for your notes of encouragement. Us old farm boys are pretty handy with practical stuff, and these people have benefitted from their first glance at duct tape. It's magic the way it sticks and it makes a heck of a bandage for a foot!! I really don't miss a thing at home (except for you NLB), and I lack for nothing. (I take that back, a hot shower would be nice....., I am bathing in a bucket, but that is better than many nights on the ATC!) The next few days should be SWEET!! Andiamo!!