As far as we know there is only one veterinarian in all of Papua New Guinea and on Saturday he visited our house. Gibasa, the vet, doesn’t often make it to Ukarumpa—maybe once a year depending on whether there is enough business to make it worth his while. Someone in the community will ask around to see how many animals need “fixing” and then contact Gibasa and work out a time for him to visit. This time it was our turn to host.
Besides our own cat (who was fixed a year ago), we’re looking after two that belong to our landlord. One is a young male who has been delighting the neighborhood with his nighttime scraps and serenades. <cough> So in order to restore goodwill among our friends, we asked our landlord for permission to have Pepper fixed.
The vet, arrived mid-morning and set up shop in our carport. We provided tables, chairs, and refreshments for staff and the patients’ owners. I quietly thanked God and my sister-in-law for providing a red, plastic tablecloth for the occasion.
During the course of the morning, I acted as receptionists and let people know when to bring their pets. At times, Gibasa had quite an audience. Claire and Isaiah bravely observed several surgeries and I’m calling the experience “Home School Biology 101”.
And in case you’re wondering if the cat in the photo is Pepper…it isn’t. Pepper apparently got wind of what was in store for him and vacated the premises on Friday evening—not to be seen again until Sunday afternoon when the vet was safely in another tropical location. <grrrr>
Be warned, Pepper! Jon was watching the vet very carefully, you may get fixed yet…just without the benefit of anesthesia. <wink>
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