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.
