A special bridge of healing...

I leave this week for Cameroon - of course this starts with spending quite a few hours sitting in airports & airplanes to get to Douala (I think it is 30!) - an overnight at Padre Pio Clinic and the next day a rather long drive to Njinikom in the Northwest - to St. Martin de Porres Hospital.

So, I began taking malaria prophylaxis, packing my bags which will include some medical reference books requested by Jim and some Tupperware requested by Terry Hake, and a bag of Peanut M&M's - the required take along for mission visitation!

I am really looking forward to this trip. I will meet with the Archbishop of Bamenda and the Bishop of Kumbo. I will have the opportunity to visit our overachieving bloggers Jim and Terry who recently began their three-year assignment and Dr. Bill Walsh who will be completing a one month surgical mission. I will also see my old friend, Sr. Xaveria Ntenmusi, hospital matron. Sr. Xaveria and I have been communicating since the 1980's when she was at Shisong Hospital and other mission doctors were serving there.

Without the hard work and dedication of Sr. Xaveria, St. Martin De Porres would not be able to invite our doctors and other doctors from around the world to provide life saving medical care and the necessary training for local staff.

Sr. Xaveria is just one of our partners in Africa and Latin America. It is this partnership, working with the local community to build sustainable health care that makes our organization and the selfless work of our doctors possible.

Partners here that support, and partners there who receive - a special bridge of healing!

A word of prayer for World Malaria Day...

Sunday, April 25: World Malaria Day. One day set to help raise awareness about the widespread devastating impact of Malaria.

Malaria is a deadly mosquito-born disease, that effected Europe and North America as recently as the 1950s. However, simple public health measures helped end the spread and eliminate the disease in these parts of the world.

Sadly, Malaria still afflicts approximately 500,000,000 (500 Million) people in Africa, Asia and Latin America and kills one child every 30 seconds, the time it has taken to read this post.

These staggering numbers can cause paralysis. What can I do?

The image that often comes to mind for me when I consider these numbers is that of one little girl and her father, in Uganda, at the bedside Kate Walsh, R.N., helping the father apply cool compresses to reduce the girl’s fever. Or the mother at the rural clinics in Cameroon with her small son lethargically laying across her lap as the exam was preformed, and medications given.

There are huge global efforts to reduce the impact of malaria, seeking ways to create an immunization, distributing treated bed nets, and the ultimate impact of these efforts hopefully will one day change the face of this disease.

In the mean time, Mission Doctors and their families who can, try to offer care that is both immediate and compassionate to one patient at a time. It may not even be a drop in the bucket, but as a parent myself, I do understand that the entire world can seem to exist in arms of a parent holding one sick child.

For all those suffering today, for their families, for researchers and for everyone who is working to turn the tide on malaria today we pray.

Never doubt...

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." This quote from Margaret Mead has always been one of my favorites and for years has spurred me on during late nights and long flights with Mission Doctors.

We are still working on wrapping up all of the details following our annual weekend Retreat/Seminar a couple weeks ago. This gave us the opportunity to bring together a group of dedicated mission doctors and their spouses and with those interested in learning about ways they can serve. As I looked over the room I knew this was indeed a group like the "small group of thoughtful, committed citizens" Margaret Mead described.

I again want to take a moment on this blog to thank all of those generous and committed missionaries and thoughtful participants for spending the weekend working to be the change in the world.

Thank you.

P.S. - Interested in attending this event in 2011? We are already accepting reservations - Loyola Marymount University - April 8 - 10, 2011!