January 2016 DRC

My friend Verena from Switzerland and I.

Sorry about the delay in the update.  I typed something up in December, but it never loaded onto the site.  The nitty-gritty of December: I was in the US for Christmas with many of my family members and friends.  I was also given a clean bill of health after all the exams and tests.  After Christmas I headed back to the DRC via Switzerland, where I was able to catch up with some of the people that I had met while doing my French language studies.  It was good to rest and relax and be confident that there weren't any underlying issues.  I headed back to the DRC the first week of January and started back to work on the Maternity ward where I've had some interesting experiences and cases.

Parents of Warren Cooper (general surgeon in Nyankunde)
who also live in Switzerland

 Do you ever feel like no one is listening?  I came to this very discouraging point last week.  The nurses didn't give a baby a medication to prevent HIV for 5 days even though they assured me they had, I staged a strike from work for 3 days because the nurses didn't collect several simple items that I had requested for the last 5 months to put together for an emergency kit (and had given them a list and asked every day for 2 weeks), and I was informed that they changed the maternity nursing supervisor while I was gone to the least educated and least organized person on the ward.

As for the moment where I really felt the full weight of how little people were listening, I wish I could've taken a picture.  It was during "grand rounds".  This is the point where the students, interns, nurses, and I go around to see all the patients to discuss their cases and treatment.  As I looked up from the chart I was examining I almost laughed out loud.  With all these thoughts and frustrations  from the last few weeks, I looked across the group of 10 people and saw the girl to whom I was asking a question with her finger up her nose looking around confused.

An ultrasound image of a placenta with round tumors

Now, picking your nose in public is acceptable here.  I love it because I don't have to worry about what people are thinking when I do it.  But, in this instance, it just represented everything I was feeling.  I work in a place where I love what I do and I love the people, but sometimes it just seems like no one has any idea what's going on and what they can do to make things better.

What helped me keep things in perspective was a verse that someone shared with me.  It is the admonition from King David to his son Solomon in the book of 1 Chronicles 28:20 when David is giving the instructions on how to build God's temple for the Israelites, one of the most beautiful and ornate structures to be built.  He said to his son, "Be strong and courageous, and do the work.  Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord God, my God, is with you.  He will not fail you or forsake you until all the work for the service of the temple of the Lord is finished."

This verse was shared from someone who has lived and worked in South Sudan for the last 13 years.  She has seen success, failure, frustration, and very slow change.  But, it encouraged me.  I'm at a point where I need to decide if I'm going to stay in Nyankunde or not when my contract is up in May 2017.  And, if I do stay, with what organization?  Samaritan's Purse is a 2 year contract and only does short term relief work.  It is possible to stay in Nyankunde, but I would have to work with a different organization.

And, even though all the circumstances around me seem difficult: lack of supplies, lack of education, lack of staff motivation, lack of electricity and water at times, and very little hope of significant change, I was encouraged to continue the work that I really feel that God has called me to do.  I don't know how long that will be, but I had to make a decision to not let the daily frustrations guide my decision of wether or not I was going to do what God has asked me to do.  Sure, I complain, look to change things where I can, and encourage education, but sometimes it is being faithful and long-suffering in the midst of challenges that don't seem surmountable.

Dr. Patrick (new to the hospital) and Dr. Patrick
helping a patient get an x-ray with the "new" digital machine

So, pray for me as I continue working here.  Pray that I would be faithful in teaching, that I will find someone who is passionate and organized who can manage the maternity ward, and that I will have wisdom to discern what the next step should be.  And, pray that I would keep things in perspective.  It's very easy to get caught up in all the work that needs to be done, but it's not just about "saving lives" but about sharing the hope of Jesus Christ so that people will know him.

Thanks for keeping up with me.  I appreciate the e-mails and the encouragement.

My neighbors' 3-legged diker (type of deer)
and a parrot who can speak some Swahili