What a privilege. A couple of weeks ago we met President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia. She had
graciously invited us to come. We wanted to express our appreciation to her for all her help with our times here over the last few years and to update her on the progress of the field service, in particular the reconstruction of a health clinic she had specifically asked us for help with. We presented her with photos of the clinic, showing the whole process and where we are at present. She was thrilled to see the changes. We also shared stories of patients on the wards who have particularly touched our hearts.
In the past few weeks, we have undergone various screenings in the rural areas of Liberia, looking for people who may be helped. As our surgery schedules have been filling up, we still have openings for maxillo facial patients, patients with cleft lips and large facial tumors. With the help of the UN we have been to Greenville and they have already transported patients up to Monrovia. One was a young boy with a rapidly growing cancer. We have supplied Chemotherapy to a local Catholic hospital here and they have agreed to supervise the treatments while the child stays in Monrovia with a grandmother.
When asked if there was anything more she might like us to do, she thought, only for a moment, and then replied that she had recently met a man with swollen legs. What did she do? She did what we, as crew, are supposed to do. She had a picture taken and now we can give the photo to our Health Care Services department and they can determine if we can help. It says to us – one person counts to her. Later she asked if we might help a local clinic. We are looking into that.
She talked about some of the needs she sees, specifically among the women in the rural communities. She has a great task ahead of her still.
I was impressed… with President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf herself, for the incredible job she is doing, with her heart for her country, for her concern for the poor in the rural communities, for her courage, for her gentleness, her compassion, her graciousness. I was reminded of a title of a song I heard recently, “Mama Liberia”.
She is indeed an amazing woman!
In the past few weeks, we have undergone various screenings in the rural areas of Liberia, looking for people who may be helped. As our surgery schedules have been filling up, we still have openings for maxillo facial patients, patients with cleft lips and large facial tumors. With the help of the UN we have been to Greenville and they have already transported patients up to Monrovia. One was a young boy with a rapidly growing cancer. We have supplied Chemotherapy to a local Catholic hospital here and they have agreed to supervise the treatments while the child stays in Monrovia with a grandmother.
When asked if there was anything more she might like us to do, she thought, only for a moment, and then replied that she had recently met a man with swollen legs. What did she do? She did what we, as crew, are supposed to do. She had a picture taken and now we can give the photo to our Health Care Services department and they can determine if we can help. It says to us – one person counts to her. Later she asked if we might help a local clinic. We are looking into that.
She talked about some of the needs she sees, specifically among the women in the rural communities. She has a great task ahead of her still.
I was impressed… with President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf herself, for the incredible job she is doing, with her heart for her country, for her concern for the poor in the rural communities, for her courage, for her gentleness, her compassion, her graciousness. I was reminded of a title of a song I heard recently, “Mama Liberia”.
She is indeed an amazing woman!
