The Broken and the Blind...

It is amazing how much can happen in one week. I sit back to think through what has taken place in just the last few days and it’s hard to know where to start. I guess I’ll just have to take Julie Andrews good advice and take it Sound of Music style as I “start at the very beginning, a very good place to start…”

Monday brought with it the commencement of Alisha and my first day in the hospital. I must admit, I woke up rather excited and quickly got dressed in my freshly ironed white dress uniform to get to morning report on time. We sat in report with all the doctors and listened to the cases of new admits to the hospital. From there we went on rounds with the doctors, which basically means we all went to the bed of each surgical patient and reviewed their case. This is quite a lengthy process, as there are probably about 30 different surgical cases in the hospital. I like being able to do this with the doctors because I get to learn about all the different diseases and conditions and hear and see how they are being treated. It took us about an hour and a half to get through all the patients and Alisha and I then concluded our first day by going to meet the head nurse (“matron”) at Evangel to talk about what we’d be doing during the rest of our trip. He is a very kind and welcoming man who has been at Evangel since long before I was even born, and he seemed very happy for us to be there. It was decided that Alisha and I would spend the first week in the OR with Bill Ardill to get some exposure to surgery, and then starting next Monday we would actually be working with the nurses on the different wards.

Tuesday brought along with it the anticipation of being in the OR for the first time (well, the first time in Nigeria that is…) and although I didn’t exactly know what to expect, things were exciting and action-packed from the moment we entered into the “Main Theatre,” the building with the operating rooms, until walking out of the hospital about seven hours later. I could go on and explain every little detail that happened, but I will restrain myself for your sake, not only because of the amount of reading time, but also for the rather graphic details that the majority of you would most likely NOT want to hear. Also, I do apologize ahead of time if I use medical terms that you don’t understand, but I’m going to try my best to explain things as simply and as clearly as possible (within reason of course…because some medical terms are just ridiculously fun to use). The very first surgery I got to see, which Alisha was actually able to “scrub in” for, was a little baby boy with a myelomeningocele. This condition is considered the worst form of spina bifida, as the spinal canal does not close properly before birth so the spinal cord is actually in a sac outside of the baby’s body…and this surgery was so fascinating to me because everything was so tiny and intricate yet had to be extremely precise at the same time. Some of the other surgeries I got to watch the first day involved drilling pins into a lady's shin to re-align her broken tibia, the debridement (getting rid of dead skin) of a man’s extremely gangrenous foot, and an inguinal hernia repair. These were all very fascinating to watch, but the one surgery that I actually got to scrub in on (which basically means I entered into the “sterile field” and was in there with the doctors) was an exploratory surgery to try and find the source of a mass that had been felt in a man’s upper abdomen. Although I of course was not really able to HELP with much, I got to actually stick my hand inside this guy's abdomen and kind of feel around to try and find the mass...which was rather exciting I must say.

Besides the surgeries, most of our time was spent changing wound dressings for patients with serious accidents, burns, or other infection complications. These are extremely extensive wounds, and almost all the patients who actually come to the OR to get their dressings changed have to receive anesthetic to knock them out while we clean and re-dress the wound. There is no way I can describe what I saw, or how it breaks my heart to see these people suffering, but more than what I saw physically it just amazes me how strong and brave the patients are in the midst of everything that’s happening. Although most of them receive the pain medication beforehand, some do not, and besides the occasional crying child, really no one complains or fusses about anything. In fact, one woman was in the room where the wound dressing changes were taking place as she waited for her surgery, and she had to have been sitting there waiting for at least an hour and a half…it was probably the best part of my day, because she was singing praises the whole time. I know she was anxious and afraid for her operation, but despite those feelings she was able to sing out to Jesus, and that is one of the most beautiful things I think I could ever hear.

Even though it hurts me to see all the pain and suffering, there is an extraordinary satisfaction in being a part of patient’s care and helping them obtain a better state of health. However, it has been shocking for me to see how many people are there because of motor-vehicle accidents…I would say that it is pretty much 80% of the patients. These people come in with the most gruesome and life-changing injuries, and of course they would be devastating no matter what the cause, but it just seems so awful to me that it is something that is so preventable. Whether it’s a pedestrian that gets hit by a car or motorcycle, or someone actually on the motorcycle or in the car that gets wounded, the overwhelming effects of these accidents has literally been shoved in my face, and it is such a hard thing to see. There are about 15 of these patients that come in for daily dressing changes, so I have been able to see and work with them each day this week, which has taken up basically all my time in the hospital. There were two other surgeries I was able to see on Wednesday, one was a skin graft and the other was the removal of a lipoma (benign fatty tumor) from a woman’s shoulder, but other than that I have just been going to morning report at 7:30 each morning and then working with the wound care patients until about two or three each afternoon. Having now come to the end of the first week working the hospital, I have to say that it was quite an amazing experience…and of course it’s tiring and gross at times, and maybe you get a stiff back from standing up all morning, but it’s honestly such a blessing to be a part of helping these people, and whether I’m actually helping them and the other medical staff around me or not (which I hope I am), I know that I am growing so much and will continue to grow through each experience.

Besides hospital work there are other medical outreach ministries here in Jos that SIM is a part of, and Alisha and I were able to go on Wednesday of this week to help out with a couple of them. First, we went to Gidan Bege, which means “House of Hope,” and is a two-fold ministry for both widows and street boys. There is a clinic for the widows where they can come to get their blood pressure checked along with a simple assessment, and then receive medication based on their symptoms. The “clinic” is basically a small room with benches along the sides, and their “pharmacy” is basically a cupboard full of medications, but they have a very efficient and effective system and are able to see and treat a lot of women. The biggest problem hands-down that is dealt with is high blood pressure, which is an issue for over half of the women seen, so most of the medications given are anti-hypertensive. Along with the medical ministry, there is also a sewing room with about 10 sewing machines that the widows can use to make clothes, purses and other accessories to sell and make some money for themselves. This “House of Hope” also acts as a home for boys that are taken in off the streets, told about the gospel, and given food and shelter. Once the boys have lived there anywhere from six months to a year, they are taken to a transition home, or if possible they are re-united with their families. It really is an wonderful ministry and it was great to help out in the clinic for a bit, seeing patients and taking blood pressures…I’m sure we’ll be going back there quite often during the rest of our trip.

Not only do the people at Gidan Bege minister at their actual building site, they go out into what is called “Blind Town” to do the same type of assessments, blood pressures, and medication distribution. There are actually a few different blind towns within Jos, which (as might be expected) are basically communities of blind people, as well as lepers, and their families. It was explained to us that these towns are probably the “roughest” places we would go within Jos, and the people there have disturbingly awful living conditions. The blind towns are predominantly Muslim, so we were told not to blatantly evangelize, and we were also warned that the children would most likely flock and cling to us while we were there. We had a rather large group of people going, so we split up into two teams of about eight people and each took one side of the town. There is no way to accurately describe what I saw, but I think it’s enough to just say that these people essentially have just enough to survive, if that. As we wound our way through the tiny maze-like alleys from “house” to “house” to take blood pressures and give medications to specific people, I was trying to think through and process everything. I came to the realization that the conditions and environment we were in didn’t necessarily “shock” or “get to me” like many people said it would. I believe it’s a good thing however, because then I can be able to minister without necessarily feeling “uncomfortable.” I think it’s mostly because I want to focus more on the people themselves than on the way they live. In fact, as I was reflecting on it in my journal I wrote, “I saw more the cute little kids, the mother nursing her baby, the old men sitting at the side of the road talking and laughing, and the closeness of the people than the fact that they live in less than sanitary conditions.”

Also, as I was talking to Alisha about the whole blind town experience, she brought up a very good point that really got me thinking. She said that what Jumaii (the Nigerian nurse leading my team) was doing in blind town basically emulated what Jesus did during his time ministering on this earth. The people were coming to Jumaii, telling her their problems, and then she would do whatever she could in her power to help them. Although Jumaii’s method of helping was through medication and Jesus’ was more often than not through miracles, the concept is still the same, and it just clicked with me…this is what we should be doing. It’s simple really. There are clear instructions in the Bible regarding the need to care for the poor, and you can find poverty in almost every corner of the world, so it is not a question of finding a way or a place to minister, it’s just a matter of opening up your eyes to the needs around you. Overall, I know it was an eye-opening experience for me, and I’m excited to make more visits there during our trip. The kids definitely flocked and clung as promised they would, and they all loved having their picture taken…in fact, one elderly man even came to his doorway and asked us to take his picture…the evident effects of leprosy on his body not at all hiding the joy in his eyes. The need for love and attention is universal, and it’s so easy to give, if only we are willing to take the time.

Well, everything outside of medical work has also been very fun and exciting and has given me plenty of opportunities to grow in other ways…like learning to cook for example. It has been so great planning out meals and being in the kitchen with Alisha as we pretend to know what we’re doing, try not to catch anything on fire as we battle the gas stove and oven, and experiment with different foods…all this of course is accompanied by some sweet tunes so we can sing and dance around as we cook. We’ve worked out a nice schedule with Tim and Dan (our neighbors) to where we’re switching off making dinners for each other alternating nights. That way we don’t have to cook EVERY day, which takes a bit of pressure off, plus it’s fun to have the evenings to hang out together. It’s funny, because Rachel (the other short-termer) has been eating with us this week as well, and since all five of us are medical students you can probably imagine what the “table-talk” has been like (or maybe you don’t want to imagine…but you get the point). Anyway, the first meal Alisha and I made was fried eggplant and potato with bread and fruit salad on the side, and then experimental granola-ish cookies for dessert (which I was responsible for, and which ended up being rock hard, literally, but oh well, that’s why they’re called “experimental,” and they still tasted pretty good). I’ve never really been much of a cook, but I have to say that I have thoroughly enjoyed cooking here, so hopefully that joy will transfer over when I get home.

I know I say it a lot, but I just want to conclude with GOD IS SO FAITHFUL! He continues to provide, protect, and care for me in every way, and I feel such a peace here knowing that I am in His will…there is no place I would rather be. Of course there are ups and downs, and Satan tries to get in every once in a while and make me ineffective in God’s kingdom, but I rest in God’s strength and wisdom, “For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength.” (1 Corinthians 1:25) I am praising God this week for continued good health, beautiful weather (rain and shine), and the ministries already in place here through Evangel and Gidan Bege…I know they bring a smile to His face.

PRAYER REQUESTS:
-Humility and a servant’s heart as I start next week actually working with the nurses in the hospital and caring for the patents on each ward.
-Continued growth in relationships with those already serving here…they are such incredible people!

More pictures for your enjoyment! They actually let us take pictures in the operating room, but I’ll be nice and try to spare you the really gross ones…

Capped, masked, and ready for surgery!

Three-day-old baby with a myelomeningocele.

Feeling inside a man's abdomen...craziness.

This is the strongest woman by far that I saw in the hospital...
No pain medication, and she didn't say a word as the doctor lifted up flaps of her scalp and scrubbed basically down to her skull...

All ready for work in my nice, clean, white dress-uniform!

Rachel, Tim, Dan, Alisha and I...
The short-term medical crew from Evangel.

Walking through the alleys in Blind Town...

Taking blood pressures...

You might not be able to tell, but this man was so excited to have his picture taken, and of course all the little kids loved it as well!

The children went crazy with the camera and kept reaching up for it...So adorable, and so filled with joy, it was contagious!

Thank you all so much for your continuous prayer and support...
I am so incredibly blessed by it!