Screening Day. The ship is empty bar the on-duty crew as every person is assigned a role to help with the enormous task of facilitating the medical screening the thousands of people coming to seek help from the Africa Mercy in Togo, West Africa.
The ship arrived into the port of Lome in late January for our fifth field assignment in this desperately needy nation. In order to find those we can help, advance notice is given of a mass screening day, and this time 3.500 people came seeking help from everything from headaches and minor wounds, to tumours, blindness and incontinence.
You can catch a 90 sec glimpse into the heart of the day here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwrBKTbhaCc
The task is gruelling; emotionally, physically, spiritually. Initial descriptions with sometimes several translations from tribal to local language then to English, those we can help have their history taken under even more challenging conditions as people with minimal education and much superstition attempt to describe their symptoms. Those suffering from conditions like cataracts, club feet, cleft lip, tumours, contractured burns, and obstetric fistulas are the ones we can help as these are our dedicated surgeries. Surgeons examine, blood tests taken, patient ID photos made. Sandwiches and water are passed out to people in the impossibly long queues. Hugs and kind touches reassure frightened people who have been physically isolated by their conditions sometimes for years that God loves them and hope is on the way!
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Great to hear from you, thanks a million for your note!