First African Update

WARNING: this is really long…sorry

Africa is amazing. It is nothing like I thought it would be, and everything I thought it would be. That sounds really cheesy, but its true. I cant believe I am here, I still really cant believe it. We arrived this past Monday, after a very eventful 2 day journey to get here. Jeremiah and I left from L.A. very early Sunday morning, flew to Chicago, then to Brussels, Brussels to Douala (Cameroon). On our flight from Brussels to Douala, a riot broke out on the airplane as we were trying to take off (something involving a Cameroonian who didn’t have adequate documentation, escorted off the plane, much to the dismay and anger of about 75% of the flight passengers) luckily the situation was resolved or at least subsided, and we were on our way to Cameroon. We arrived in Douala Monday afternoon, which is one of the main cities of Cameroon. We stayed the night to avoid trouble on the roads, and left early the next morning for a bumpy and long 7 hour bus ride up the mountains to Banso, where we will be living for the next couple of months.

Banso is a very small town in the mountains (about 6000 ft) of Cameroon. I honestly don’t know why they thought to put a hospital here, it is not a large city. Most of the people live in small houses (Americans would hardly even consider it a house), on the sides of these mountains. We arrived here early Monday evening, where we quickly changed and experience a full fledged Cameroonian meal with all of the other residents and missionaries who‘s spots we are taking. The very next morning we woke up and were at the hospital at 6:30 am. Dr Snell assigned Jeremiah and I each to a different resident surgeon at the hospital, and we made rounds with them all morning, and then were immediately escorted into surgery, about 8:30am. Wow. Talk about culture shock, new experience, jetlag, and me being more nervous than I have ever been. They scrubbed me in and up to the table we all went. My very first surgery, ever watching, ever participating in. It was a left tibia fracture repair. The man had shattered his leg, and we were inserting a rod from his patella all the way down to his ankle to repair his bone. Mostly I just helped clamp and suctioned, and kept the blood away while the surgeon inserted the rod. The next surgery was on a man who had osteomyelitis of the left humorous (which basically means a big infection inside the cavity of your bone that gets so infected that it pusses out your arm. Ouch.). That one was a little more gruesome, as we couldn’t find the source of infection and had to open up even more of his arm than expected. Dr Nbasi, who I am assigned with, was quite frustrated and stressed because it was so difficult to keep the radial nerve intact, so the surgery took a lot longer than expected. The next day I helped with a hysterectomy, in which we also found a massive tumor growing. I watched Dr Snell remove an ovarian cyst that day the size of my head. I have a newfound respect for surgeons. That job is HARD, and they deserve every penny that they ever make. I have even more respect for surgeons that practice in a foreign country like Cameroon, because they put all the hours and stress and concentration into their job without all the perks of the American lifestyle, glitz and glam. It is really hard work standing there for hours, concentrating as hard as you can, sticking your hands inside someone’s body, retaining and recalling information you learned years before that will now make a difference in someone’s life.

I cant tell you what an experience this has been. And its only been 4 days. I kind of feel like I am in the twilight zone. It is unreal that yesterday I pulled a lady’s uterus out of her abdomen and held it (plus a tumor) in my hand. What?! I would never ever be able to do any of this in a million years back in the states. I had one of those movie moments yesterday when I had my hands in this lady’s belly holding clamps back for the doc like “ wow, I am helping do surgery, and Im in Africa” Wow. I am so blessed. I just really cannot believe I am here. I am gaining such valuable experience here not only medically, but lifelong experiences as well. I am learning a different way of life here. I feel so blessed and honored that the Cameroonian people would let someone like me come into their hospital and help out and watch their surgeries (especially since I have no medical experience except EMT, and biology class. ha), welcome us into their homes, and let us live with them. I am truly starting to see God here. Last night we had a bible study with all of the residents and OR techs. It was amazing to see them worshiping and praying so fervently for one another, for the patients, for us. We worship the same God, across the continents, and that thought keeps blowing my mind. If you could only hear the way they sing hymns, with such passion, enthusiasm. Even their singing is convicting. I am so excited to continue to find ways to see God here in Cameroon. I truly feel like this is where I am to be right now, and Im excited for the remaining weeks ahead. Jeremiah is a butthead and he smells bad. Just kidding. I just wrote that because he is standing here snooping over my shoulder. Sorry to ruin the mood. Anyways, another thing I am really thankful for are Dr and Mrs Snell, the people who took us on this trip and made it possible for us in the first place. They are becoming like family to us already, (Ill tell you more about them later….lets just say they are quickly earning one of my most favorite couple awards EVER……besides you mom and dad:).

Basically, there is just a whole lot to be thankful for. And a whole lot to pray for. If you think about it, please pray for us as we are working at the hospital, for our health, wisdom for the surgeons in surgery, that we would learn what we are supposed to here and come back changed. But even more than us, please pray for the Cameroonian people, especially the ones we see at the hospital. It is mind blowing to see how poor they are, and how much they not only need medical care, but spiritual care as well. One little thing I forgot to mention is how the doctors pray over each patient before beginning surgery. That is such a little thing, but such a huge testament to the mission of the hospital here. I miss all of you, but I am so content here, and excited for the time we have left. Hope you are all doing well, I love all of you.

I love Africa!
Rachel