“How was your trip?”
The short answer:
inspiring, heart-breaking, energizing, exhausting, challenging, and
simple.
If that was intriguing enough, feel free to read the long answer
(but it’s really long-sorry. I'll be putting the pictures on facebook for those who like the stories without words better):
I have known for a long time that I wanted to go to Africa. Last year it became increasingly evident that
it was time to go, so when Seacoast announced that the Hope Epidemic project
for 2012 was medical missions in Uganda, I knew that was my cue. I am humbled and grateful at the outpouring
of support that made it possible for me to go.
God was certainly faithful in providing for the trip. So many people
supported me in so many ways, and I am incredibly thankful. Thank you to all of you.
The trip I was a part of was a joint effort between Seacoast
Church and Palmetto Medical Initiative.
Seacoast sends teams all over the world, and has an incredible missions
program. PMI is an independent
organization whose goal is establishing sustainable health care systems, with the
first site chosen in Masindi, Uganda. It
is an incredible organization, and they have had remarkable success in setting
up a permanent clinic which now has an outpatient building, inpatient building,
and soon-to-be completed labor and delivery ward with surgical rooms.
It is now fully staffed by Ugandans, so the short-term trips go to
remote sites to provide healthcare where there is none available. It is difficult for us as Americans to
imagine it, but they really have no other access to healthcare. They walk for miles to sit for a day or more
to get a space in line to see the Americans.
They spend hours (sometimes days) in the hot sun with little water and
often without food, crammed together , waiting for a chance to see a doctor,
nurse, therapist, or dentist. I am
convinced that Americans would probably riot and kill one another under these
circumstances. The amazing part is that
no one complains.
We got to fly over the Swiss Alps, Italy, and the Sahara Desert, (plus
a lot more, but that was all I could see) and I was amazed at the beauty and
diversity of creation. One thing I
remember from the first night was the feeling I had when I got a mosquito
bite. Here at home, when you get bit,
you are disappointed that you will have an itch; there, you immediately wonder
if you just got the bite that will give you malaria….
The van rides on this trip are an experience all their own. Between the traffic, lack of safety
precautions in general, not-so-padded seats, and the horrible condition of many
of the roads, we were exceptionally grateful to have such a good driver, Joel. He has a smile that will warm your heart, and
probably one of the best laughs I have ever heard (kind of like James Earl
Jones).
We set out early the next morning for Masinidi, and made it to the
hotel in time for lunch. For a long
time, I felt strange about staying in a nice hotel, but I realized (after we
got back) that we would not have been able to maintain the schedule we did or
provide the care we gave without a good, safe place to stay. We walked that afternoon to the site of the
Masindi-Kitara Medical Center to see all they have done and are doing
there. I had a great opportunity to talk
to a Ugandan doctor about the country, the culture, the healthcare system, and
the corruption there. PMI has done a
truly impressive job, and they have certainly raised the standard of care in
that region.
It’s hard to describe the feeling of pulling up to a clinic site
(in this case, a church or school) and seeing hundreds of people sitting there waiting for you. I had seen
pictures of the lines from previous teams, but the sense of responsibility that
hits you at that moment is difficult to explain. Oftentimes, they wear their best clothing, and
sit in direct sunlight for hours and hours in hopes of getting some help. Many of these precious people have serious
medical conditions that they have suffered with for years without any medical attention. Imagine breaking your leg and not being able
to see a doctor or get medicine. That is
reality in Uganda for many. Some have
seen traditional healers, or have followed cultural practices that are
incredibly harmful.
Wenie is an 8 year old girl who was badly burned on her leg when
she was just one month old. Burns are
prevalent in Africa, because they cook over fire. Wenie’s leg was bound after her burn
(standard cultural practice), which caused her knee to contract and her foot to
actually grow into her lower leg. She
hopped into the clinic on one foot. Hers
is one of the cases that breaks your heart; this was completely
preventable. If her burns had been
properly treated, she would not be in this condition. Even if we could get an orthopedic surgeon
and a plastic surgeon to do multiple consecutive surgeries, it is uncertain
whether or not she could regain use of her leg.
I was told there is only one orthopedic surgeon in all of Uganda. Still, while we look at what we cannot do for
her, she and her mother are so grateful for what we could do; when she came back to us the next day, Jill
hooked her up with crutches (thanks to our great driver who took a pair that
was too large and paid for someone to modify them), new clothes, a shoe to protect her good foot (thanks to one of Jill’s
generous patients back at home), a few toys and books for her and her
siblings, and some food and water. By our standards, not enough, but for her and
her family, I am sure it was an incredible blessing.
One of my favorite patients from the week was Lydia. Lydia is five years old, and likely has
cerebral palsy. She has had no treatment
or assessment in her life. Her triage
slip said: “has never walked”. I don’t know if she has ever walked holding
on to her mom’s hands, or if what we witnessed that day was truly a
miracle. Because of the language
barrier, I will never know. What I do
know is that when I stood her up and held her hands, she began to walk. Now…it wasn’t pretty, and she needed help,
but she was overjoyed. Her smile lit up
the entire building. We gave her a pair
of shoes, and she was giddy with excitement for a good 5 minutes. She ended up going home with an adult walker,
using it in a less-than-ideal way (therapy friends…don’t judge…traditional
rules don’t apply in Africa), but she could walk with mom holding on to
it. We will get her a more appropriate
and safe walker to send back with the team in May, and I pray she and her mom
come back to get it. She was sent off with toys, her new shoes, her oversized
walker, and hopefully some helpful knowledge for her mom to help her make
progress. Treating her was a joy and
blessing for all of us.
It is heartbreaking to see these children (there were several) who
need long-term therapy but have NO access to it. The best we can do is train the mother and
pray they are able to succeed. One of
the most striking things for me on this trip was the harsh reality of
disability in Africa. I think I am
realizing that part of my calling is to do something about it. This may be why I’m a physical therapist with
a heart for Africa. I’m already working
on a new pediatric walker design that will work for Lydia and those like her
who live in a world that is far from ADA compliant. We were told that many babies born with
impairments are simply discarded and left to die. Lydia is blessed to have a mother that was
willing to keep her and care for her.
They don’t have any of the resources we have here in the US. Disability in Africa often means inability to
survive, and it is beyond tragic. Life
is hard for the able-bodied in Africa, and it is nearly impossible for those
with a disability. The problem is not
just for children; we saw many adults who had injuries that have led to
permanent disability due to lack of proper treatment. It is common to see untreated fractures that
have healed incorrectly, wounds that have not healed for years, and effects of
inadequate or improper treatment that render the person unable to work. If you cannot work, you cannot survive unless
you have a family that is able to support you. If the poverty-stricken people of Africa are
“the least of these”, then those with disabilities are the least of the least of these.
Shortly after we arrived on the fourth clinic day, I noticed an
elderly man slumped over on a motorcycle; he was supported by three men who
were holding him and rolling the motorcycle to get him to us. The man’s blood pressure was 80/35, and he was
incredibly weak. I got to see him once
he finished with the doctors; he was diagnosed with several things including a
serious heart condition and dehydration.
We gave him some water, and I showed his family some exercises to help
him. I gave him a walker and talked with
him (through the translator), and he was able to walk out on his own. (He did try to sit on the ground just before
he got to the chair, but he is blind, and didn’t know he was almost there.)
Another of my favorites was a sweet little man who didn’t even
come to therapy. The school that we set
up in on the last day had two very high concrete steps to get in to each
room. As I was walking by, this
gentleman was coming out after seeing the doctor. He had two straight iron fire pokers that he
used for canes, and he was hunched over, barefoot, trying to get down the
stairs. I helped him get to the bench
near the pharmacy area, and then found him some quad canes to replace his fire
pokers, which allowed him to walk much better.
We had one pair of men’s dress shoes, but they were too small. I decided to try the running shoes, and they
were a perfect fit. When we put them on
him, he said to the translator “now I am young again!” So our little 94 year old Ugandan (miracle in
itself) walked tall from the clinic.
I had the privilege of praying with each of my patients, and they were
all very appreciative. This team had a
bonus; we had a team that went a week ahead of us and trained local church members
to be a part of the prayer team. They
were able to pray with nearly everyone who came, including those who were not
able to be seen for the clinic. Last I
heard, 135 people made the choice to follow Christ for the first time.
In the afternoon on our last day of clinics, we had an opportunity
to visit an orphanage for children with HIV or TB. (I did not know until we returned that the
orphanage was specifically created for kids with HIV.) I was immediately claimed by a sweet little
girl who grabbed my hand and kept me until it was time to leave; she is
Precious. (No…really…that’s her name.)
The kids live in what we would consider despicable conditions; for
them, it is better than where they would be if Family Spirit did not
exist. Thanks to the generosity of a
team member who has been on several trips, they are building new facilities
that will be much better. The bedroom
you see above sleeps 3-4 kids in each bed.
We had a performance from the choir (which I loved), followed by a
health lesson in the digestive system and the male/female genitourinary
systems. The Ugandan teacher showing us
how food passes through the system was priceless thanks to the visual aids they
created.
Our last day before starting the 2-day trip home was spent in
Murchison Falls National Park; a beautiful place where we had the privilege of
going on a safari. We saw elephants,
hippos, buffalo, warthogs, water bucks, little deer-like guys that I can’t remember
the name of, and giraffes. It was
mentally challenging to go from such poverty to staying in a beautiful hotel
overlooking the Nile River, but I am incredibly grateful for the chance to
spend a day seeing the African Savannah.
Our team was able to treat more than 1500 patients over the course
of the week, which set a new PMI record.
This was one of the smallest teams they have had, but everyone worked
well together and incredible things happened.
1500 people received medical care who otherwise would have gone without--lives were saved. I am confident that our presence there was answered prayer
for many. One boy with hydrocephalus has already had
life-saving surgery because one of the PA students volunteered to pay for his
surgery and care. People often ask why
God allows such poverty and suffering, and I think the question is “Why do we?” We have so much, and millions are struggling to
survive with so little. God has placed a
unique purpose and passion in each one of us.
If we all pursue it, I believe we could see incredible change in this
world. I didn’t deserve to be born in
the US and have all the things I have; that was a gift. The gift isn’t just for me to keep to myself
and enjoy…I need to do something with what has been entrusted to me. In the words of the Brooke Fraser song, “Now
that I have seen, I am responsible.
Faith without deeds is dead.”
I’m not going to sell everything and move to Africa to be a
full-time missionary, but I am going
to look even more closely at what I have, and come up with ways to use it to
make a difference. It’s not just about
money; we have education, health, influence, and knowledge of the one who gives
it all. Let’s not waste any of it.
I love you all and thank you so much for your support. Part of you went with me, and your
contribution in all that occurred is invaluable. Thank you.
Amy
