Sorry...this is a late post. Someone asked me to add my letter that I sent out in January. I got a new hard-drive and can't find my pictures to upload...
January 31, 2017
January 31, 2017
My
contract ends mid-May and I
plan to travel
back to the US
for 4 to 6
months. I
would work a
temporary job
to help pay off my loans and to relearn medical terms in English (I teach and talk in French here). I’d
take the last part of my board exams and then head back to the DRC (Democratic
Republic of Congo). My hope would be to spend a few months learning Swahili.
If you were to ask me a few months ago if I would stay, I would’ve said no. It
was hard to see the changes and the progress being made. And it’s still hard depending
on the day, but I know there are changes being made.
I see it in how I no longer have to guide people in how to prepare a patient for a C-section; it’s just done. We’ve started once a week education for our department. It’s basic, but it’s well attended and people are learning. I’ve been teaching at the nurses’ education subjects like contraception (blocking pregnancy), fidelity (staying with your spouse), and how to keep pregnant ladies who are bleeding from dying. I’m getting involved in the church here and I am still involved in a Bible study for young women. I help support 2 nursing students that are doing well in their classes. I’m helping patients
I see it in how I no longer have to guide people in how to prepare a patient for a C-section; it’s just done. We’ve started once a week education for our department. It’s basic, but it’s well attended and people are learning. I’ve been teaching at the nurses’ education subjects like contraception (blocking pregnancy), fidelity (staying with your spouse), and how to keep pregnant ladies who are bleeding from dying. I’m getting involved in the church here and I am still involved in a Bible study for young women. I help support 2 nursing students that are doing well in their classes. I’m helping patients
spouse), and how to keep pregnant ladies who are bleeding from dying. I’m getting
involved in the church here and I am still involved in a Bible study for young women. I
help support 2 nursing students that are doing well in their classes. I’m helping patients
make good decisions about their care when they often are given bad advice elsewhere. I
am helping train the next generation of physicians who are going out to practice on their
own. I’m working with the administration to help improve quality of care. I’m even
doing the mundane like supervising building a fence around the yard to keep goats out of
the garden.
Life is different. It
can be extremely challenging. It’s hard to
see the change, or the hope
of change sometimes. But
there is hope. And I want
to be a part of it for the
next few years.
Thanks to all of you for your prayers, your e-mails, and your encouragement. As it gets closer to the time when I’m back in the US, I’ll start organizing times to come and see you.
Timeline
Feb 10-23: medical conference in Thailand
Feb 23-March 2: vacation in Thailand
March 6-10: visit from 2 doctors with Serge
March 8: my friend Anita comes to visit/work
mid-May: return to the US
Prayer requests
1. For good health. I still have bouts of being sick, but nothing as serious as before.
2. Safety traveling between Nyankunde and Thailand.
3. Wisdom to know how best to train my new colleague Deborah
Thanks to all of you for your prayers, your e-mails, and your encouragement. As it gets closer to the time when I’m back in the US, I’ll start organizing times to come and see you.
Timeline
Feb 10-23: medical conference in Thailand
Feb 23-March 2: vacation in Thailand
March 6-10: visit from 2 doctors with Serge
March 8: my friend Anita comes to visit/work
mid-May: return to the US
Prayer requests
1. For good health. I still have bouts of being sick, but nothing as serious as before.
2. Safety traveling between Nyankunde and Thailand.
3. Wisdom to know how best to train my new colleague Deborah
