"I was sick and you looked after me."
Matthew 25:36
Uganda Mission - January 14-28, 2002
Another "Over-Success"
The team has gone and returned. Over 6,000 patients were treated, over 100 surgeries were paid for by Westminster Medical Missions, over 800 pair of glasses were donated, and the overs just keep on coming.
The team consisted of Dr. Bill Harden, Becky Harden, Betty Smith,
Eddie Smith, Linda Ramella, Michael Barakat, Nancy Robinson, Rondel
Shrewsbury, Terri Chitwood, Debbie Checchio, Mickey Pellillo, Kim Lain,
Liz Myers, Buddy Parker, Dave Duritza, Anthony Ramella, Linda Finkel,
Saundra McIver, Dan Tabor, Calvin Shoemaker, Jenny Lilly, and Rev. Jeff.
Jenny Lilly joined us on leave from her job in Sudan with Samaritan’s
Purse. Jeff met the team in London and worked with us until the 21st
when he had to go to Kampala to visit with EPC missionaries there.
We were also accompanied by three members of the Arise Africa team from Jinja. Sam, Moses, and Joshua were invaluable members of the team and were well liked by all.
We were blessed this year to have our first construction team go and
do an incredible amount of work with limited resources. They helped to
begin our AIDS clinic project and to do much needed repairs on the
convent. Our container arrived a few days ahead of us and was a constant
fountain of blessings to the hospital, the local population and the
team.
One example that was especially touching was that a patient seen at the Minakula clinic last year was given a note to allow her to get one of the wheelchairs that was sent on the prior container. By the time this crippled lady was able to get to the hospital, she was told they were all gone. This year at the same clinic she was one of the first patients seen. As she sat there on the ground patiently waiting, I not only wrote her another note for a wheelchair, but also took her sister back to the hospital with us. She spent the night there and the next day was given one of the wheelchairs , as promised the year before
The burn
girl. Westminster Medical Missions paid for many surgeries and for
patients to go to other hospitals for medical care. The "burn girl" was
sent to Lacor Hospital in Gulu for continuing skin grafts.
Our team was divided into two medical teams after the first days large clinic at Apac hospital. The schedule for the time there was as follows:
Thursday January 17 - Team A and Team B to Apac Hospital
Friday January 18 - Aber HC Aboke HC (HC= Health Center)
Saturday January 19 - Inomo HC Aber Hospital
Sunday January 20 - REST REST (Church, visit Aboke College)
Monday January 21 - Anyeke HC Ngai HC
Tuesday January 22 - Alenga HC Aduku HC
Wednesday January 23 - Minakulu HC Toboke HC
Thursday January 24 - Alito HC Akakoro HC
We averaged between 400-550 patients per clinic, except for the Paraa clinic where we saw about 150 patients. Because we did not bring a surgeon, we paid for two surgeons from Lacor Hospital and Gulu Hospital to do surgery at St. Johns Hospital, Aber. During the six days that they were there, they did 103 surgeries. We paid 1,000,000 shillings to the hospital to help defray the expenses of the surgeries and we paid 820,000 shillings for the surgeons and their fuel. The Current exchange rate is about 1720 shillings per dollar. All in all a very good bargain for services obtained.
We were overwhelmed with patients at each clinic. There was an
especially large amount of patients with AIDS. This was another
indication of the need for our AIDS clinic.
Arrangements were made to work with St. John’s Hospital AIDS support program and incorporate it in with our medical work in the near future.
Overall the team did very well. There were only a few instances of brief illness among the team. None of these were critical or long lasting.
God’s blessing covered the entire trip from safety, transportation, flights, medicines, and the team’s health. As we ended the trip a paraphrase of Matthew 25:14-21 was again a very appropriate description of the trip and distributed to the team after we returned.
A paraphrase of Matthew 25:14-21 Presented to Westminster Medical Missions: Team Uganda 2002
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like this: God calling twenty-two of his people to a mission in Uganda. To one He gave the gift of healing. He was called doctor. To three others, He gave gifts allowing them to be skilled nurses. The eighteen remaining had various talents and were designated team members. Six of these were given the gift of building. After fourteen days, it was time for the team to be called home. They gave their master an account of the ways they used their gifts and talents:
A crippled man now walks with the use of a crutch.
A woman who could not walk was given a wheelchair
An infant with seizures ,vomiting, and diarrhea received IV fluids and could go home
Countless men and women with STD’s have the consequence of their sin removed
A girl without clothes was given a loving touch and a new dress
The AIDS patients were shown love and care
A cancerous tumor was removed
A woman, chained because of severe emotional problems, had medicine
to take the place of her chains
A man with leprosy had his ulcers cleaned and bandaged
Malnourished babies got Enfamil from a college student
People with malaria and worms received medicine to remove their sickness while others got Tylenol to temporarily ease the pain
Children received sweets and toys to put a smile on their faces
Nuns could now sleep in their quarters without getting wet from the rain
A house was prepared for the coming of an AIDS clinic
A joyous celebration of worship was enjoyed in His house with all the nations.
We helped this child with a congenital Hairy Nevus syndrome.
The team prayed over an emotionally troubled girl in chains.
For some, like this girl with nephrotic syndrome), there was little
that we could do.
These twenty-two people could have listed many other things. When finished, they replied, "Master, you have entrusted us with a variety of talents. We have used them to accomplish your work."
To each of these the master replied, "Well done, my good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your Master’s happiness."
(Adapted from and adaptation of Brian Checchio)
Some things like the terrible laceration were repaired on the spot.
As always, after riding all day down dirt roads, some people were a little dusty but still smiling.
Our church celebration of worship on Sunday enhanced by dancers (left) and our singers (right). We had a joyous time for the 2 hour 15 minute service in a packed church.
There were many give-aways including flip flops from a church in Kentucky, as well as clothes, shoes, and many nutritional supplements. Debbie and Saundie with more giveaways.
The construction team even installed a seat for the commode which was greatly appreciated.
The man with breast cancer
Lilly brought her smile from Sudan to join us
Betty Smith sharing love with crowds
Jeff joined us for a wonderful contribution to the team and these pregnant women
Riding in the back of a truck at 120 kilometers per hour was at times scary, but as this picture shows, we were always protected by the cross.
