Honeymooning at Karoli Lwanga Hospital

Mark and Sheila Bisanzo were married on June 12, 2009 (My husband Tom and I were married that same day 33 years earlier!) Unlike many newlyweds, they didn't set up their home near work or family. They are beginning their lives together serving as members of Mission Doctors Association at Karoli Lwanga hospital in rural Nyakibale, Uganda. The reflected on how, beginning their married life in the missions has given them cause to reflect on the challenges and blessings.

As we continue on this journey of acclimatization and discovery, we appreciate the significance of ritual in our daily life together, especially because we are beginning our marriage in Uganda. We are creating a rhythm of daily rituals in our new home and surroundings while we accept the lack of running water and current drought.

We celebrate the threads of joy and gratitude woven throughout our experience, such as an enthusiastic "Agandi!" (“Hello, how are you?”) and smile by a child along the road, or watching the soulful sway of parishioners dancing and singing to the drum beat at mass. A common greeting which our colleagues and neighbors extend to us says it best, "You are so welcome." The Ugandans whom we have encountered and whom we will work and live alongside have made us feel wholly welcome, as they express warm appreciation for our coming to work at the hospital. We only hope that we can share some humble offering in return as we continue our work as part of the Nyakibale community.

I Stand on my Soapbox for the Feast of St. Luke

Did you know that St. Luke is the patron saint of doctors?

As a member of the Los Angeles Archdiocese White Mass committee, I know it is my responsibility to promote this special event. And really, what better venue to do so, than my very own online soapbox?

A White Mass is traditionally celebrated for all physicians and medical personnel on the Feast of St. Luke. This institution follows the centuries old customary Red Mass, recognizing the service of Catholic judges, prosecutors, attorneys, law school professors, students, and government officials.

It was coined the “White Mass” not because of the liturgical color, but because medical personnel typically wore white rather than the more common of the greens and blues today.

The theme, “Celebrating Health; Blessing Healers”, reflects the spirit of this event. Los Angeles Archdiocese and Mission Doctors Association have come together to celebrate the service and recognize the challenges and blessings Catholics in who serve in health care face today.

Local Catholic doctors are encouraged to take part in this event, October 18, 2009, as an opportunity to come together seeking God’s blessing on their work. To learn more about the upcoming event visit the White Mass website.

Guess what I want to do with my life?

As children we may dream of our place in the 'grown up' world and this may include a job, place to live when we “grow up”, for others the ideal position may be a connection of what others recognize in us, and what is already written on our hearts.

For Terese Bauer, her dream job, came in the voice of friend during her undergraduate study at theUniversity of Wisconsin who insisted that “You should really become a doctor...”.

On her way home for Easter she contemplated how she could use her skills as a physician working in the mission field. When she arrived home,she asked her parents to guess what she wanted to do with her life…admittedly a common question throughout the year. Her mom guessed a several different scenarios, and when each was met with a 'No' she asked Terese to just tell them. Stubbornly, she said, “No you have to guess.”

Her dad looked her straight in the eyes and said, “You want to be a missionary doctor." She knew that the Holy Spirit worked through him to confirm her call.

Since that time, her energies have been focused on following the Lord on the path of this unexpected call to love Him and heal Him in the poor. Dr. Terese and her husband Dr. Paul Bauer are in Uganda this summer serving with Dr. Mark Bisanzo at Karoli Lwanga Hospital in Nyakibale. Here they offer direct patient care on the wards and provide teaching in pediatrics and adult medicine.

What is your dream job? What do you feel called to do?

To read the complete article, sharing the story of the Paul and Terese Bauer and their family, visit the Mission Doctors website and read the 2009 Annual Newsletter.

The harvest is abundant and the laborers are few…

Our office just received an email from one of our doctors who is completing his service in rural Tanzania at the Bwambo Health Centre. Mark, Molly and their seven children were the first sent by Mission Doctors to the diocese of Same, and Dr. Druffner provided a detailed report of the hospital, it’s equipment, facilities, staffing and access to transportation and pharmaceuticals.

The harvest is abundant and the laborers are few…(Luke 10:2)

The needs of the Health Centre and the people of Bwambo are indeed plentiful. The hospital is without an x-ray machine, a fully stocked pharmacy or full staff. The 40,000 people who are served by this rural hospital are without a fully-functioning health center. So, while the need is great, unfortunately, the laborers, are few.

This verse from Luke has spoken to me since I started working with Mission Doctors Association. In locations around the world, hospitals and clinics are in need of trained doctors to treat patients suffering with everything from a broken bone, to pneumonia, TB and HIV/AIDS.

The second half of that verse in Luke has gives us the faith and prayer to continue this work, and we “… ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest”.

We are all called to be missionaries by our Baptism.

If you are a doctor feeling called to work in the mission field, visit the MDA website and check our 2010 Retreat/Seminar. If you are not able to serve yourself, consider a financial gift to Mission Doctors Association and support those who labor in the field. Working together we live our Baptism as we were anointed to the mission to live and love as Jesus lived.

Holy Discomfort

Dr. Richard and Mrs. Loretta Stoughton returned to the United States in July after nearly 8 years in Zimbabwe.

They are now facing the challenges of ‘re-entry’ – coming home, adapting to life again in their home culture. They witnessed many changes in Zimbabwe and there have been changes in the United States since 2001.

Dick wrote:
“Re-entry” is easy because SO MUCH IS AVAILABLE (gas, electricity, water, groceries, ATM’s…)
“Re-entry” is tough because SO MUCH IS AVAILABLE! How do we reconcile the differences?

I am especially touched by this last question. “How do we reconcile the differences?”, one that is often echoed by those returning from a long-term mission, as well as those who have served a month.

Even for those who may never leave home the challenge remains – keeping the missions alive in our hearts so that our choices, our actions acknowledge this disparity and we live with the discomfort.

Author Ronald Allen wrote, “The Apostle Paul advocated a “holy discomfort” with the present status of the world. Paul’s gospel calls for people to be discontent with brokenness, injustice, scarcity, exploitation, violence and death and to believe that God seeks to increase community, wholeness, justice abundance, peace , love and live…. “

It is in this discontent with the brokenness, injustice, we strive to make the world a better place.

Sharing a Gift that Sustains

Dr. Phil Hawley, a veteran Mission Doctor has traveled several times to serve in the Peten in Guatemala. When there he is working with Dr. Linda Novak’s project to provide a service learning program for medical students and residents from Loyola Stritch in Chicago.

Springtime in northern Guatemala — blistering heat, burning fields, and warm hearts. The Mayan men leave their villages each day with machete in hand to clear jungle for next year’s planting, cut lumber to repair a neighbor’s hut, or haul water from a distant river.

Women gather in groups each morning to mend and wash clothing, and then spend each afternoon shucking, striping, grinding, kneading, shaping and baking corn into tortillas. What’s left of each day is used to cook simple meals over open fires. Mayans appreciate life and accept its challenges.

That’s the lesson I relearn with each visit to Peten, Guatemala. And the countless warm smiles — that’s the gift that sustains me until my next visit.

The community living in the Peten and it's peoples' spirits encourage Dr. Hawley. What gives you the energy and enthusiasm to serve?

National Holiday in Uganda

June 3rd is a national holiday in Uganda. Workers and students are off; churches across the country hold festivals and as many as a million people travel miles to the city of Namungongo to celebrate the lives of 22 young men who gave their lives for the faith in 1885. Why celebrate the gruesome death of young people at the hand of a tyrant, over a century ago?

These 22 young men, Catholic converts, died as martyrs for our faith. In the late 1800s Christianity was for the most part unknown in Uganda. As the faith grew, the young king, King Mwanga feared Christianity’s power and its rejection of both slavery and polygamy (both common practice at the time). This fear and the spread of the religion, led to the persecution and martyrdom of Christians.

Joseph Mukasa Balekuddembe was the first Catholic convert to be martyred. Joseph had been a chief advisor to the King and had spoken out, condemning the King's order for Anglican Bishop Hannington's death. The King would not tolerate this criticism from his advisors and ordered Joseph beheaded on November 15, 1885. Joseph proclaimed "Mwanga has condemned me without cause, but tell him I forgive him in my heart." King Mwanga may have believed that by killing Joseph he would convince other converts to give up their new faith. However, others in the King's service responded not with fear, but faith.

Charles Lwanga was the chief of the 400 pages who were the young men in the service of the King. When Charles learned of Joseph's death he went together with Bruno Sserunkuma, James Buzabalyawo and several others to the Fathers and asked to be baptized. They escaped from the confines of the palace grounds at night to be instructed, knowing that they were putting their lives in God's hands. Denis Sebuggwago, who was a servant of the king, was found teaching catechism and was killed on May 26, 1886. Andrew Kagwa who was the bandmaster to the King was also a catechist who had converted his wife and gathered many others to the new faith. Andrew and Ponsiano Ngondwe were beheaded the same day.

The King's anger and distrust of Catholics grew and he announced that it would be necessary for the pages to choose between their faith and life. He ordered that all the "who prayed" stand aside. Charles Lwanga led the way and was followed by others; all knew what their fate would be. Tied up, the next day they were forced to walk 12 miles to the hill that would be their place of execution at Namugongo. Gonzaga Gonza collapsed and he and Antanansio Bazzekuketta were killed on the road. One of the pages, Mbaga Tuzinde, was the son of the chief executioner who tried to hide him. He escaped from his family and joined the others.

Once they arrived at Namugongo, the place of their death was not ready, and they waited for seven days. They were cold and hungry, but despite this they were filled with joy and kept praying the Our Father and Hail Mary. On Ascension Thursday, the drums alerted them that their execution was about to take place. Charles Lwanga was first; then the others were brought out and tied in bundles of three and thrown into the fire, where they kept singing and praising God until they perished.

The King's intention had been to deter the growth of Christianity, but the martyrdom of these early believers sparked its growth instead. It has been observed in many other instances, that the blood of the martyrs proved to be the seed of faith. Christianity is now the dominant faith in Buganda and Uganda as a whole. The 22 known Catholic martyrs were declared "Blessed" by Pope Benedict XV in 1920. On October 18, 1964 Pope Paul VI canonized the 22 Catholic martyrs during the Vatican II conference. These 22 young people are recognized for their sacrifice and witness of faith.

A Father's Day Gift

Father’s Day gives us all opportunities to pray for and give thanks for the fathers in our lives – our own fathers, spouses, brothers, and sons. For some this primary relationship with our own fathers changes over the years. Older parents sometimes need the care of their children and this change of roll can be challenging for both parent and child.

Dr. Stoughton recently shared a story with me from the home based care program at St. Theresa’s Hospital in Zimbabwe that I felt was the perfect story to share for Father’s day:

A man, who had lost his wife, had three sons. Two lived with him after she passed away. Two years ago he was an in-patient on the male ward at St. Theresa’s hospital and although everything that could be done for him was tried, sadly he wasn’t getting any better. He was unable to get out of bed and was discharged and sent home. In the United States he would have been on hospice care because his prognosis was so poor.

He continued to take the antiretroviral drugs begun at the hospital after returning home. His son would make the long walk to Chengwena Clinic every two weeks to pick up his father’s medication and give a report on how he was doing. All of 2008, the father was bed-ridden, but the sons made sure he was fed and turned in bed frequently.

The sons even made a seat for him to sit out in the sun; made it of home-made bricks and put a cushion on it. The boys planted the maize and the garden, and they have done all of the cooking.
When the home based care volunteers would visit they were always impressed that they would find that the father had never developed any bedsores, had no other chronic illnesses, all the more impressive because the boys are now only 10 and 12 years old.

Dick wrote “Since the first of the year, the father has been able to walk with the help of a walker. They are indeed an inspiration for all of us, taking such good care of the father under such difficult circumstances.”

The love of his sons and their determined care has brought this man back from the brink and been an inspiration of love to all.

·For those of us whose fathers are already with our loving God in heaven, may Father’s Day be an opportunity to remember them with joy.

·For those who can take the day to share with their father, may it be an opportunity to reinforce the love and bonds of parent and child.

·And a prayer for all the fathers out there; whether you are still holding onto the back of the bicycle and running down the street, or being steadied at the elbow by your own child, or any point in-between, may the circle of love bring you ever closer and may you know the love of your children today and always.

The youngest son was not home when we were there, but just as we were getting into the car he came "running rapidly down the road" to see us and greet us, and be sure that he would have his picture taken also!

Happy Birthday Church!

We are the Church and Pentecost Sunday is our birthday – we are called – not to blow out any candles, but to share the gifts of the Spirit which we have received with all peoples.

It is the first reading from Pentecost Sunday that always resonates with me when I consider a missionary call. I do not know a missionary anywhere who wouldn’t be more than thrilled to have the people say in amazement “we hear them speaking in our own tongues.”

Sometimes for our doctors it may take two translators, one to a general language and a second to a dialect that is only spoken in a small area of the country. It can be frustrating and can also create challenges to diagnosis and treatment.

However, no words are needed for the doctor to know the concern in a mother’s heart when their child is ill.

And, no words are necessary for a mother to know that a doctor is caring for their child with compassion, and genuine concern.

No words are needed at the bedside of a woman who recognizes the reassurance and consideration in the eyes and touch of a doctor striving to offer their skills, though words between them may not yet be possible.

This is because the real language that can be understood by all people is God’s own language of love. This language crosses boarders, breaks down barriers, and can more powerfully communicate what is real between people who do not share the same language, or background or culture.

This language is a might act of God and we can each utilize this gift in all our communicating. May our words, typed, spoken, and unspoken always reflect the Spirit of God within us.

Is there a time when you have felt this powerful presence in your life?

Easter is more than a day, it is an entire season!

Celebrating the resurrection of Jesus is something we may hold in our hearts every day. We know that His resurrection makes possible our own eternal life. Therefore, Easter is celebrated well beyond Easter Sunday – for a season of 50 days, from Easter to Pentecost, this year from Sunday, April 12 – to Pentecost Sunday, May 31.

As we celebrate and recognize that the One who created the entire universe cares deeply about each of us – we can reach beyond our own selves, our own families and consider that every person has been made in God’s image and is also gifted with this Love.

For our mission doctors they share their professional skills while serving as a living witness to this faith, this Easter joy. Is it always easy? No. It is however, in the light of faith in the resurrection that they serve. They work with and appreciate the efforts of the local medical community and strive to offer what they can, always noting that they continue to receive more than they give.

Dr. Tim Cavanagh wrote from Cameroon ‘You are always humbled to see babies who have been delivered by the light of a kerosene lamp and medical care provided in a clinic with mud brick walls by a nursing assistant which would require several specialists and an ICU at home!’

Wishing you and your families Easter joy today, tomorrow and always! Please keep our doctors and their patients in your prayers. You may be interested in sharing the Mission Rosary this Easter, an opportunity to pray the Rosary with mission images and reflections.

The Greatest Story Ever Told…

Doctors return from the missions having cared for many children, women and men. Doing so, many have overcome obstacles and may be anxious to share their stories of both success and struggle. Many truly great stories of patients cared for and lives saved.

But on Passion Sunday we rise and join the celebrant, readers and the entire congregation and take our part bringing to life the annual reading of the Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Greatest Story Ever Told.

This has happened across history and across the world in; cathedrals in Europe, parishes in suburbs and large cities across the US, chapels in religious cloisters and convents in Asia, small rural churches in Latin America, parishes at mission hospitals in Africa. Together on this day we take part in the telling, we take our part in the story that took place more than 2000 years ago – uniting us to Jesus and to each other.

We, the congregation, are given the part of the crowd as we call for the execution of the One whose death makes eternal life possible for us, our suffering servant… “Crucify him, crucify him.” Might we have been part of the crowd? Might we like Peter deny that we knew Him? How do we deny Him today?

On this, Passion / Palm Sunday of Lent we begin the week we call Holy. We strive to welcome Jesus into our homes and hearts. This week we have opportunities to celebrate the first Eucharist on Holy Thursday, walk the path of Passion on Good Friday and on Holy Saturday confirm the promises of our own Baptism as we glance into tomb, with a stone soon to be rolled away.

What can we do this week to fully enter into the Holy?

Please pray for Mission Doctors, their families and their patients. Your sacrifices can make their good works possible. If you’ve been considering a philanthropic donation for Lent – please consider MDA – you can do so on the web site: http://www.MissionDoctors.org

Anticipation

When Tom and I were sitting at LAX some 30 years ago with 18-month-old Joshua, passports and tickets to Thailand in hand, two trunks of books and clothes already on the plane, we knew things would be different very soon. While we knew this was what we were being called to do and had been prepared for, we couldn’t know how this step would impact every day of our lives thereafter.

This Sunday’s readings seem to explode with anticipation. After all, next Sunday is Palm Sunday – the beginning of Holy Week. We can feel this building “The days are coming….” Jeremiah says… The new covenant will be written “…upon their hearts;” and we pray with the Psalmist to prepare our hearts for this day ‘Create a clean heart in me O God’.

Jesus is anticipating what is the culmination of His mission.

"The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified…
"I am troubled now. Yet what should I say?
'Father, save me from this hour'?
But it was for this purpose that I came to this hour.
Father, glorify your name." …
…Now is the time of judgment on this world;
now the ruler of this world will be driven out.
And when I am lifted up from the earth,
I will draw everyone to myself."

Today, when mission doctors and their families sit at the airport ready to board the plane to begin an assignment at a mission hospital or clinic, they may be anticipating the experience, being both excited about the possibilities and anxious about the upcoming challenges. They take this step into the unknown with the surety that they are called to do so because of their faith in the One who has been lifted up.

This week we are called to go deeper – continue our efforts as we prepare to renew our Baptism on Holy Saturday – Prayer, Sacrifice and Good Works - what will we do to discern what we are being called to? How can we be obedient to that call?

Keeping Things in Context…

When doctors and their families make a commitment to serve for three years this calling, taken out of context seems absurd. Why would a doctor leave their practice in the United States to serve in the missions receiving a stipend of $150 a month? Why would anyone leave their friends and families to serve those in need half a world away?

The readings for the second Sunday of Advent, taken on their own, may be confusing at the least, but we are reassured by Paul, “If God is for us, who can be against us?”

As we continue to make this Lenten journey, of prayer, sacrifice and striving to do good works to renew our own baptism, we read of Abraham being put to the test, and Jesus transfigured with Moses and Elijah, representing the Law and the Prophets.

Taken on its own, Abraham is being asked to sacrifice his only beloved son, to us an obvious foreshadowing of the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. Taken in context, Abraham is willing to do so because he deeply believes in the promise God had already made, and he believes that if he carries out what is asked, God will raise Isaac from the dead to deliver on that promise.

Jesus appears transfigured with Moses and Elijah. On its own we can completely understand Peter’s reaction – "Rabbi, it is good that we are here! Let us make three tents...” In the context of the Resurrection we see that Jesus is the fulfillment of both the Law and the teachings of the Prophets, his transfiguration a foreshadowing of the Resurrection, with the exhortation from the Father, "This is my beloved Son. Listen to him."

Mission Doctors and their families serve in the context of their faith. Called to live our Baptism, we too, with prayer, sacrifice and good works, believe in the Promise and know “If God is for us, who can be against us?”

The First Sunday of Lent

This First Sunday of Lent --- taking the first steps on this journey to renew our baptism, where we were washed clean in the waters, signed with the cross and received the Holy Spirit.

Jesus tells us today that; "This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel."

The old covenant has passed away – the covenant made with Noah that prepared the world for the Son of God. The new covenant was made through Jesus’ sacrifice bringing to us the opportunity for forgiveness, wholeness, perfection, and union with God.

Our baptism begins with God's love and continues with us, living and bringing God's love and care to the world. Our mission doctors strive to do this each day and those who support are partners in this care.

As we walk this 40-day path together we can strive to remember that we must act in a way that both recognizes Gods love for us, and also calls us to act in a way that reflects God’s love to others.

How will we do this? Step, by step, with prayer, sacrifice and fasting.

What are you doing as you begin your journey? Please share your experience with me here, by posting comments on this blog, I would love to hear how you are living this Lenten journey.

Ash Wednesday

On this 40-day Lenten journey we are called to renew our baptism that begins with God's love and continues with us, living and bringing God's love and care to the world.

Ash Wednesday, our first step on this journey gives us the Gospel reading with Jesus speaking of three important things we should be about on this path: sacrifice, prayer and fasting, all to be done without a desire for recognition.

What we do recognize is that we are in need of conversion, and the ashes that are on our foreheads today publicly acknowledges this and reminds us that we are to called to "Turn away from sin and be faithful to the gospel."

The prophet Joel tells us that we can rely on God who is "gracious and merciful...slow to anger, rich in kindness and relenting in punishment," And the reading from Paul expresses the urgency of the message – the time is now, this very day is our “day of salvation”.

As we walk this 40-day path together lets remember that it we must act in a way that both recognizes Gods love for us, and also calls us to act in a way that reflects God’s love to others. How will we do this? Step, by step, with prayer, sacrifice and fasting.

What are you doing as you begin your journey?

And a good time was had by all….

What does a black tie party in Los Angeles have to do with the medical needs of patients at a mission hospital or clinic?

On Valentines Day the Mission Doctors Auxiliary hosted the celebration of 50 years of ‘Hearts and Hope” at a Benefit Gala at the Jonathan Club in Los Angeles.

So much work goes into this type of event – and I continue to be completely impressed by the generosity of the Mission Doctors Auxiliary members with both their time and treasure! Everything from addressing invitations, assigning seating, collecting donations for and making the beautiful silent auction baskets, handwriting the placecards, overseeing the beautiful decorations and then running around all evening to ensure that all went well.

If you’ve been to other such events you might think you already know what this one is like, but I think you would be surprised. First there are the doctors and their wives who came who have served in the missions, happy to share their stories with supporters and occasionally huddled in a corner with other doctors sharing stories of unusual surgeries.

Individuals who have been involved in supporting this work for many years bring friends to introduce them to the work and engender their support.

All evening I was struck by the sense that this is all part of a chain – each individual a critical link bringing health and hope to a child in Zimbabwe, a women in Cameroon, a family in Uganda.

We celebrated the work, honored both those who served and those who make the work possible, and introduced the mission to others. On top of all this we raised money to make the mission a mission possible. Quite a bit of work, but the outcome, as always truly outweighs the effort.

Generosity

One of our doctors recently shared a story of faith and abundance that sounded like it came right out of the pages of the Old Testament (the name of the sister and hospital have been omitted to protect their generosity).

A Catholic sister serving as hospital administrator was approached by a group of about 80 individuals and families members who had walked for two days with no food – they said that they had nothing and were turning to the hospital as a last resort.

Sister advised her staff to feed them for three days and send them back to their homes with a supply of food. The hospital staff while compassionate, informed the sister that doing so would wipe out their eleven day store of grain.

Sister’s reply was "Then we will eat just vegetable here at the hospital.” The people were fed and sent with enough to see them home and provide some nourishment for a time.

The next day the hospital learned that the Jesuit Fathers would be receiving a large shipment of corn, and that they would be sending one ton of corn to the hospital. She believes it is from God. So do I.

I would love to hear about a time in your life or in the lives of others, that were reflections of the generosity of God. Please post here and share your experiences of compassion.

Preparing

I think it is surprising that Advent is one of my favorite times of year, because like so many of us in the US, I am not one who likes to wait.

It has been my experience that people in many other cultures are often better at this. They don’t seem to be so impatient, or hurried. People I’ve met in my travels seem more comfortable in that vast stretching time that can exist when one is waiting. Maybe that is an illusion; maybe they too feel the same frustration that I experience, and just don’t seem to show it.

But the waiting that is the anticipation of Advent is my time to reflect on how God comes to me. How God comes to me in the form of a child born more than 2000 years ago and how he comes to me today in my family members, in the person with the cardboard sign at the end of the freeway off ramp, or the patient in the rural hospital in Uganda or clinic in Guatemala.

If I close my eyes I can easily see the brightly dressed women who waited to serve a meal after a makeshift clinic had been set up in their small village church in Guatemala. I can see the mothers with children in their laps lined up, waiting to see the doctor at St. Theresa’s in Zimbabwe. They wait, but greet the stranger among them with a smile and shy giggle.

The waiting that is Advent is for me this connected waiting. I am waiting with the women in Guatemala, the children in Zimbabwe. We are all waiting. We are anticipating Christ. We are awaiting his birth into the world again so that all people will care about and care for all people.

We are the body of Christ.

We wait for Jesus to be reborn in us this advent, that we can be his hands in the world.

Inspired by compassion

I have been working with Mission Doctors Association for over 27 years and have had the honor of supporting these doctors and their families. Their stories of courage, disappointment, hope and healing continue to inspired me. But, the countless stories of patients cared for, babies delivered, or operations preformed are written on the hearts of mission doctors and seldom on the pages of a newsletter.

One of my roles as director is to try to persuade them to share their stories. The humble health care providers are often reluctant to recount the numbers of patients seen, or the number of nights that they have been called back to the hospital to see yet another patient.
When encouraged to do so they sometimes share a case that was remarkable; a fisherman who traveled 100 km after a hippo attack and who received life saving surgery. And on the telling, the surgeon only stresses that the patient lived by the grace of God. I agree with him; however I don’t discount the surgeon’s skills and his sacrifices to be there – that night the life of this fisherman was indeed saved by the grace of God and the sacrifice of one, and the many who made it possible for him to be there – acting on their faith in God.

The doctors are just as likely to share their frustration when everything that they could do, with the limited resources at hand, was not enough. When practicing in the states with every resource available - when the battle is still lost - they may walk away feeling powerless in the face of death - but they know that everything that could be tried was tried. The frustration practicing resource poor medicine is in the knowing that for lack of a single drug, that cost only pennies at home, a patient dies, or for the time and distance it took to get to the hospital a child is lost.
These doctors unanimously recount that they have received more than they gave, that the experience made them a better doctor in their own practice and that they have been grateful for the opportunity to share their skills and quietly live their faith. I’m grateful to be witness to their service and their faith which strengthens my own.