Sad News from Niger

While our family was in Niger, we had the opportunity to meet a wonderful missionary family from the United States -- the Zoolkoski's. In one of my blogs I "introduced" the family -- Dr. Christopher, who is the medical director of the hospital, and his wife, Helene and their three children, ages 6, 10 and 13. Today we received a sad email from Christopher -- Helene, who has been suffering from skin cancer, went home to be with the Lord. I've included Christopher's email below. (Helene is the lady in the center of the picture, with her son, Joel, peeking over her shoulder.)

Dear Family & Friends,

Earlier this week we had to postpone our return to the US as Helene had become too weak to make the trip. We decided that, given the stresses of travel, the comforts & stability of our home here in Galmi, and the supportive entourage we have here, it would be better for all of us to stay here and simply enjoy this time God has given us as a family.

Last night, from here in Niger, Jesus took Helene to be with Him.
Yesterday, as we became aware that this would be our last day with her, the three children and I gathered around her bedside and sang Helene’s favorite hymn: Oh Sacred Head Once Wounded. This hymn became her favorite at the end of her senior year in high school. During the 4th verse, the kids and I talked about the paradox of “dying safely”. The words “safe” and “dying” don’t usually go together. But today they fit together very appropriately.
I invite you meditate on the words of this hymn along with us. We’ll be singing it again tomorrow at her funeral.

I could never have asked for a more perfect wife, mother of my children, or partner in ministry.
She is already greatly missed.

It is difficult to know how to pray at this time. Sometimes, when I find myself at a loss for words, I just ask God to listen to your prayers, since we know that you are interceding on our behalf. Thank you for this.

Reassured by what is certain,
Christopher

The Dream Team and Sai Wata Rana

This is a picture of the Operating Room staff whom Ben worked with all month. These guys don't speak English and Ben certainly doesn't speak Hausa, but they worked extremely well together. The men could anticipate what Ben needed even before he asked for it. And, when Ben was almost finished with the surgery,the men would tell him to go to the next surgery and they would "close" (sew up the incisision) in order to get Ben to the next surgery as quickly as possible. These guys don't even have high school educations but they have learned well through "on the job training."

On our day of departure, just as Ben and I were walking to the airstrip, we came out of our house to find these seven men waiting to say goodbye. Ben and I were overwhelmed with emotion to think that these men thought enough of Ben to walk down from the hospital just to say goodbye. And they all stood waving, along with all the missionaries, the tailor, and many local women and children, as our little single-engine plane flew into the sky taking us back to America. Sai wata rana Galmi. (Goodbye Galmi).

Beautiful Women and New Shirts

Picture #1: These women kept watching me and I finally, through "sign language," asked if they wanted me to take their picture. They smiled and nodded. Picture #2: Joel, Drew and Evan in their tailor made shirts.

My favorite Little Boy and the Tailor

"Out of Africa"

We are out of Africa, but I wanted to post a few more pictures that people have asked to see. I didn't get a picture of goats on a van, but I did manage to snap this picture of COWS on a van! (Yes, they're alive!) Can you believe it?

It Takes a Village

Blog #12 (FINAL) from Galmi, Niger, West Africa (#1-11 are below this blog)

Ben is now a plastic surgeon. He was on call the other night and a man come to the hospital after being in a motorcycle accident (maybe he was distracted by the goat in the back seat!). He had to stitch up the man’s nose. Ben says he was very nervous, but truth be told, I think Ben slightly enjoyed the change of pace – he is usually working at the “other end” of the body. Now that Ben knows plastic surgery, I told him to start working on me!

We leave Niger tomorrow (Friday) and arrive in Ohio on Saturday. Here are some statistics from our trip:

Statistics for our month in Niger:
Number of surgeries Ben did: 80 (including 28 c-sections)
Number of people hearing the gospel of Jesus for the first time: 100’s
Gallons of water our family drank: 60+
Times Carrie cried: 63!
Rolls of toilet paper used: 16 – we’ve had a few episodes of the “Galmi Gallops”
Lizards “caught”: 1
Lizards Joel saw “wrestling”: 2
College guys Ben “converted” to Ob/Gyn: 1
Mosquito bites: only 5!
Goats in or on a vehicle: 10
Snakes seen: 1
Spiders in our house: NONE (that we’ve seen – maybe some have seen us!)
Samosas eaten: 40

Since I whined in an earlier blog (O.K., so maybe I whined in several blogs), I started thinking that I should appreciate how nice I’ve had it here in Niger: I haven’t once had to mow the lawn; I never make the beds (why bother?); Tanti Robbie does my laundry for me; and we have a pool 50 feet from our house. Plus we see a lot more of Ben/Dad than we do back in the states. Maybe we should stay….Naw! You all would miss us too much!

This is my final blog from Africa and I want to leave you with a few thoughts.

Lois (one of the other missionaries) and I sat down for a “debriefing session” this week. Lois is in charge of hospitality at the SIM compound – she welcomes new comers, arranges meals and houses and also lends an ear when needed (bonus: she has a counseling background). Through our conversation I discovered that Lois feels much of the same way I have felt about my stay here in Galmi – she said she’s not a doctor or a nurse or even someone providing direct care or education to the Hausa people. Sometimes she questions her contribution as a missionary. However, in the same breath Lois is telling me how valuable my contribution is because I am here supporting Ben who is providing direct patient care. Do you see where I’m going here? Without Lois here, I would have been on the first plane back to Ohio. “It takes a village,” or should I say, “It takes a compound.” Lois supported me this month, while I supported Ben, while he provided a service to the hospital so that peoples’ quality of life could be improved and so the local evangelists could give the gospel message to the Hausa people.

That’s where YOU come in! You don’t need to be a doctor or a nurse to be used on the mission field. You could have the gift of hospitality or be an electrician, or a teacher or a building contractor or maybe you’re a “support” person. It takes all of us to improve the lives of others and to spread the good news of Jesus. Don’t underestimate what you can contribute to people all over the world. Jesus’ “Great Commission” from Mark 16:15 is “Go into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” That message wasn’t just for medical personnel or pastors, it was for all of us! And the message isn’t just for the “young.” Dorothy, one of the missionaries here, is 80 years old and her prayer request the other day was that God would show her where she should serve next. Wow! What an inspiration to all of us.

If you are interested in expanding your horizons, following the Great Commission and improving the lives of others, talk to Ben or me – we can point you in the right direction (or check out the SIM website at www.SIM.org ) I’ll even pass along some bug spray!

If you are a physician, or know someone who is, Galmi is in desperate need of general surgeons, plastic surgeons, ob/gyns, neonatologists, and internal medicine and family practice doctors. All are needed short term or long term. Ben and I know many people who would be eternally grateful for your help.

Thank you for reading and responding to my blogs! Writing has been cathartic for me, and the many posts and emails I’ve received from you have gotten me through the rough spots of our stay in Africa. I sincerely thank you!

It’s so hot in Galmi that a summer in Ohio sounds appealing! See you soon!

Carrie

The Chicken and Samosa Lady

Here is Rabi selling chickens and samosas (holding "Flat Stanley")

Local People

Top picture: "Maternity Ward" at Galmi SIM Hospital. Bottom picture: Local children in town. The girl on the left is selling peanuts. Children love having their picture taken -- especially if they can see it on the digital camera.

Houses

The first is a picture of a local house in Galmi. The second is a picture of the house where our family stayed on the SIM compound.

Polygamy? Count Me In!

Blog #11 from Galmi, Niger, West Africa (#1-10 below this blog)

I’m doing better today. If you couldn’t tell from my last blog, I’ve been battling “the blues” and guilt for feeling low. I got so many wonderful posts and emails from many of you – thanks! You truly lifted my spirits.

Now, on to more important matters: polygamy. During our stay here we’ve learned that many local men have more than one wife. I was originally appalled by this thought for my own family – Ben having another woman living with us. Then, after having the samosa/chicken lady come by weekly and three weeks of Tanti Rabi hand-washing all of our clothes, I’ve been “enlightened.” If Ben wants another wife, that’s fine with me – as long as she can cook or clean, I’m “in.”

In Niger, it’s the beginning of the rainy season and thus planting season. The other doctors and hospital personnel keep telling Ben how slow the hospital is right now because people don’t want to leave their towns / farms to come to the hospital – they have to get their crops planted. That doesn’t mean people don’t need surgery or that they don’t need to come to the hospital, they just don’t come because planting takes precedence. The one little 6-year-old girl who broke her leg is still lying here in her hospital bed, but only due to a lot of convincing from Dr. Christopher. Her father wanted to take her home (they live quite a distance from the hospital) because 1) he needed to plant his crops and 2) he was running out of money and resources to feed himself and his daughter during the hospital stay. Dr. Christopher contacted the local church and they are now making two meals a day for the girl and her father! This act of love convinced the father to allow his daughter to stay until her leg is healed.

Ben has had a rough weekend. On Friday he did a surgery removing a large tumor from a 10-year-old girl’s belly. All weekend he has been managing her care and doing everything he knows to do with very little resources. On Saturday she spiked a fever and began having seizures. Malaria? Brain tumor? The blood tests were negative for malaria and there is no MRI or CAT scan available to look for brain tumors. In the states, Ben would never have done a surgery like this and there would have been numerous physicians managing her care including a pediatrician, oncologist, internal medicine specialist, etc. It is so frustrating for Ben to watch someone suffer without having the resources to help. When Ben arrived at the hospital this morning, he was told that last night at 9 p.m. the little girl died. Could her life have been saved? We’ll never know.

I’ve added some photos of us in Galmi. Don’t laugh at my picture – this was the best I looked all month!

Me!

Here it is -- what you've all been waiting for. Am I "hot" or what? (Can you see the sweat dripping down my face?)

White Family Photo

Here we are, me minus my head wrap, in front of the SIM compound church / community center. My dress was handmade by a local tailor -- for $6!