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Thursday, August 24, 2017

Hospital Visitor


People visit the hospital all the time, mostly they are friends and family members of patients admitted to the hospital, but occassionally we get other visitors.  As I was walking to take a patient to the Emergency Room to be admitted, I came across a group of doctors and PNGians in the walkway between the OPD and ER.  Pictures were being taken and I wondered what was happening and then I saw the bird.  I wasn’t sure what specific kind of bird it was, but it was definitely a Bird of Paradise.  I wanted just a picture of the bird, but instead, got put next to the bird to get a picture with the bird.  The guy holding the bird, brought it by to try and sell it.  He caught it outside his house not too far away and brought it to the hospital, hoping that one of the missionaries might buy it.  While some might pay to go and find the bird in their native habitat, buying the bird from the guy to free it, only encourages them to capture more birds to sell them as well.  So we typically refrain from buying, but do enjoy looking.  This guy was a Magnificent Bird of Paradise, and he was Magnificent to see, and to see so upclose.  

So if you are ever in PNG, you may not want to visit a hospital as a patient, but you may think of stopping in to catch glimpses of some native animals as tree kangaroos, cuscus, birds, snakes and more have been visitors from time to time.