Tuesday, September 30, 2008


Departure Snippets. . .

Sunday:
The day started out pretty routinely...a walk and then some hang out time for about ten minutes. Then off to a meeting with the core group, then off to Bo Government Hospital to see the progress on the new ward with all the painting etc. It should be done tomorrow. Then a frantic call from one of the nurses saying the water had been turned off at Holy Mary. Quick action by all and we moved all the patients, their stuff and the last of our stuff...then a productive 2 hour meeting with MSF.

When we were waiting for Poppa to come and pick us up, the MSF people drove out saying there was a huge accident "just down the road" involving about 30 people. Poppa drives up and off we go.. turns out it was about a n hour away and not exactly on a great road. A huge truck loaded with people and goods had overturned on this muddy road way back into the bush. We got there and there were about 100 people praying. Luckily no one was killed. We didn't stay long as things were under control. Then back to the hospital to check on the patients then to Dr. Koroma's where they threw a big good bye party with food and dancing, speeches and presents (including an outfit for you!). All so sweet. There is still much to be done tonight with packing and loose ends. Tomorrow AM a meeting with the mayor and the minister. Off to the airport by noonish. Flight leaves at 0200.
Phew. . .

Monday:
I am now safely at Heathrow and just hanging for a few hours greeted by the headline news that the bailout was rejected and the market has crashed 700+ points!

I had an uneventful journey to Lungi, though did see the Freetown bus in a ditch, another huge truck overturned and a traffic gridlock at Mile 91 due to an enormous funeral procession. No sweat getting the ferry and managed some catnaps at Lungi. PLENTY OF ROOM on the plane to stretch out too.

I’m due to arrive back to Boston Tuesday night. I’ll try and put a blog together and add some more photos after the dust settles.

Love, Helen

Thursday, September 25, 2008

"When Dr. Maggi arrives. . ."

Before my arrival the litany apparently had been "When Helen arrives….", and after my arrival the litany switched to "when Dr. Maggi arrives…." There was just so much business to tend to and I was not in a position to make any executive decisions. However, I was able to see some red flags flying concerning the agreement with the Holy Mary Hospital proprietor which needed to be clarified immediately. I was able to relay my concerns to Dr. Maggi via email and alert him to the situation prior to his arrival.

Without going into any great detail, let it be said that A LOT happened within the first 24 hours of Dr. Maggi's arrival. It was clear that the situation was going to be non-negotiable with Holy Mary and after a variety of several meetings the decision was made at 0800 to move the whole operation to Bo Government Hospital. Never say anything is impossible!

All the medical equipment and all the supplies (including the huge autoclave and all the contents of the container) were moved out within 3 hours. It was as though a mountain had been moved, almost literally. It was amazing to witness the loyalty of the staff, the local community (including small children carrying boxes of vitamins on their heads), as well as the patients who helped move everything. Everyone worked so hard. No tears, no blood, but copious amounts of sweat. We were lucky that the monsoonal rains held off, too. Plus, we got another rat!

The women are still in residence at Holy Mary and will move out on Saturday. We have arranged for a ward at Bo Government Hospital which will be terrific. This AM painters, window screeners and electricians are beginning to transform their ward.

It has been a swirl as one can imagine, but all seems as though it has been "meant to be" and a blessing in disguise. It will ultimately be a much better arrangement which will benefit more people in Sierra Leone.

Vivienne Walt has written an article, ‘Death in Birth’, click here, in the September 29th issue of TIME (cover is the crying bull regarding the failing economy) which describes the deplorable maternal mortality rates in Sierra Leone. We are definitely in the right place doing the right thing.

More later. There is so much I want/need to do before I depart on Monday night.
Love, Helen



Sunday, September 21, 2008

Photos. . .



Here are some recent photos.This is just a randonm assortment for now. Tomorrow we depart early for Freetown for a day of errands and then meeting Darius and Amanda.








Friday, September 19, 2008

Sad news today. . .

Isatu's baby died in the night. She was devastated. We transferred her back to Holy Mary and all the women were so sweet, welcoming her back into the fold of their sisterhood. We contacted a new friend Cathy, a pastor from Ohio who is travelling all over Africa with her Emergency Room doctor husband Dan, and they came over this afternoon. We gathered all the women and Cathy led a wonderful service for the women and all the staff to honor Sarah's and Isatu's babies who have died in the past 48 hours. Jackie, the head nurse translated into Krio and Kadiatu (the cleaner who is also a patient) translated for Sarah into her language and Poppa (the driver) translated into Temne for Isatu. Everyone was so sweet and loving. It felt like it was important to bring everyone together. The singing was lovely and uplifting and I would challenge anyone not to have shed a few tears.

Tomorrow we will tackle the organising of the container goods. Ongoing preparations are underway for Dr. Maggi and Amanda's arrival on Monday.

Love, Helen

PS: I forgot to mention one thing that made the service (and all the evening prayers) special is that they all do Christian prayers and then Muslim prayers regardless of their faith. It's very moving to see "interfaith" really at work in terms of how much they all support and care for each other despite religious differences.

Also we caught a rat!!!!

Thursday, September 18, 2008

Tense Moments. . .

It's predawn and it has been bucketing "full bore fire hose" rain for the past several hours, with a bit of lightning thrown in for good measure, so no morning walk.

My jaw aches because I realise I had it clenched all night. Yesterday was pretty overwhelming with the container's arrival and a few very tense moments getting it unloaded. During all this we heard that one of our patients who has been over at the Bo Govt. Hospital lost her second premature twin last night. In the afternoon we went over to the hospital and found that Isatu's baby born by C-Section on Wednesday was in a rather precarious situation and needed resuscitation. It all underlines even more how necessary it is to get our facility up and running.


After a totally exhausting 48 hours for John and Benjamin (they have been working round the clock) they were thwarted in dealing with the red tape of getting a death certificate for the baby before it can be buried. This will happen first thing in the AM.

Organising all the container contents will now be the order of business. Maybe it will be a bit cooler doing this on a rainy day.

Another item on the ‘to do’ list is getting a rat trap. We have a very wily fellow who has managed to chew through bottom of the wooden door and comes right in and makes himself at home!

That’s all for now, the battery on my computer is very low. More pix to follow next time.


Love, Helen
NEWS FLASH!!!

The container has arrived safely! John drove in the cab of the truck 12 hours from Freetown and arrived in Bo at 0400. Due to the recent heavy rains the road conditions have worsened. They took it slowly due to all the fragile equipment aboard. It is in the process of getting unloaded now. The process of getting everything sorted, inventoried
and stored will begin, which will be quite a monumental task! John did a terrific job getting things sorted out at the port....infinite patience prevails! This is a hot-off -the -press photo.










Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Bo. . .

The days seem to be melting together into a bit of a routine, though I hope I never think of experiencing African realms as ‘routine’.

The past few mornings I have been waking up before dawn and walking/running with Poppa, one of the drivers. He bundles up in his jacket and warm hat despite the heat and humidity and off we go down the Koribondo road. I am awakened anyway by early calls to prayers in a distant mosque and the din of peepers, so it’s good to just get up and get in some exercise, especially since the monsoonal rains are torrential every afternoon. We walk mostly in silence, but intersperse the reverie with “boowah” (Mende for hello) to a few passing people walking in the dawn light towards town. Poppa then sprints ahead, does push ups and other exercises while he waits for me to catch up. We then walk together and I even jog a bit. This is the pattern for the hour and a half session. It is lovely to be out watching the rising mists from the palm trees and hear the dawn chorus. At times I feel like I could be on my walk near Lake Eacham, except when a child goes by with an enormous load on his/her head of cassava leaves headed to the local markets and I am transported back to the here and now of Bo, Sierra Leone.

As I walk, I try to collect my thoughts about all that is happening. The constant theme in my head is thinking of the women here who I am serving and trying to make an improvement in their lives. What the women with obstetric fistula must endure is unfathomable; dealing with the constant stench of draining urine, the misery and hard work of keeping as dry and clean as possible, the excoriated skin as a result of the urine, the depression and all the social implications. Despite all this, it is even more amazing to witness their frequent spontaneous eruptions into song and dance. Currently the youngest on the ward of 26 is 15 and the oldest is about 35.

There are several in their late teens who often tease each other by hiding under the beds and then springing out for a bit of a pillow fight. Their hardy spirits are definitely palpable. Even though I can’t speak Mende or Temne, the local tribal languages, I have managed to learn all their names and it is good to be able to greet them by name as I pass through the ward. Last Sunday when they didn’t have literacy classes, I sat with them and let them take turns plaiting my hair. I got many of them to put the chairs in a circle and we all did backrubs on each other. Lots of giggles!



































I have also had the pleasure of having Julia Robinson with me. Her company is wonderful and it is great to have her insights and assistance. We are getting the volunteer guest house situated and ready for Dr. Maggi and Amanda Counce’s arrival next week. We have set up a bit of a gas burner, have hurricane lamps and a good water system. Once the house has power, things will be different, but for now we are managing well.
It’s cosy having evening chats and debrief together about the day.






































I have been having a few meetings concerning the hospital facility which have been challenging and teaching me more about management. We also had a visit with the medical coordinators of MSF and visited their clinics and hospital. Their organisation is certainly impressive. This AM we observed Dr. Koroma doing a Cesarean section on one of our patients at the Bo Government Hospital. His expertise was apparent and reassuring to know that we have an excellent surgeon as our medical director.

We are working out the internet with a portable wireless modem. We use it most when we have access to power, to ensure that the battery doesn’t go kaput, hence the spotty replies and email activity. The heavy rains seem to affect it too.

Some good news: The container SHOULD be released tomorrow!

The news from the USA is as daunting as ever. Love hearing from people, so keep writing to helenweld@gmail.com when you have a minute.

Love,
Helen

Wednesday, September 10, 2008


Big Day Ahead. . .

Up predawn in Bo this AM for the 4+ hour trip to Freetown. It's a big day ahead. Hoping to get the paperwork all signed and sorted for the release of the container, which is filled with medical equipment and supplies. The other big event is greeting new volunteer Julia Robinson (Thacher '04, Columbia '08) tonight at Lungi Airport. Excited to have her here and show her around.

The images whipping by in the early light were quite beautiful as we left Bo....mist rising through the verdant fields, women walking with loads of wood on their heads with the ubiquitous adorable babes swaddled on their backs, children rolling bike rims with sticks, lazy dogs in the middle of the road and goats munching the grass. Stopped en route and bought some bananas and peanuts from the car window for breakfast from women carrying huge loads on their heads. They grin with the purchase and move on.

As I dozed, I could feel the proximity to Freetown (approx: 1.2 million people) as the stop and go traffic began, mostly stop. Then the visions of the urban sprawl begin. Vendors appear at the window selling everything...laundry soap, pirated CDs, watches, trinkets, phone cards, nail polish...you name it.

Now I am in Samuel Pieh's former office taking a break. There seems to be a glitch with the paperwork with the container's release which is most frustrating. Good people are working on the situation and fingers crossed they will prevail over the red tape which seems to be appear at each turn.

Yesterday afternoon and evening I got to just hang out with the women awaiting their fistula repairs. I took photos of them all (26 total) and wrote their names down in hopes that I can recall all their names by tomorrow when I return to Bo with Julia. They danced and sang and hooted and hollered which is part of their daily routine. Participating melts away the frustrations momentarily, but then enforces the need to get the container here pronto so that we can get things rolling.

Helen

































Monday, September 8, 2008

Touching welcome. . .

It POURED last night for several hours, rivaling FNQ...wowser! I was awake for awhile and let my thoughts drift to all the images and doings over the past few days. It's a swirl. I feel as though I have been here for at least a week with all that has happened and all the people I have seen.



















Absolutely terrific to be greeted by John and Poppa at the airport. Waiting for my bags, I felt like an "old timer" as I watched and assisted newcomers. It is a good feeling to not be TOTALLY green!

On the ferry I watched all the locals visit with their families as we were entertained by dancing muscle bound dwarves trying to earn their way in the world. The spirit was festive with the Paul
Simon and his band's music despite the late hour. The delightful colourful fabric and the lovely faces abound. It is good to be back in Africa!

I’m now in Bo and getting into a bit of a routine. The hospital is spacious and the 24 fistula patients awaiting surgery all look healthy and happy. There has been an adult education class initiated, as well as craft classes, so that is great.














My welcome was very touching. Singing and dancing, lots of clapping, all very sweet and boisterous.

There is much to be done, so I will get back to it all.

Love,
Helen

Wednesday, September 3, 2008

September 4, 2008

Reactivating blog...off to Sierra Leone

The lists are almost crossed off and I am heading off tomorrow until the end of the month to work with/for the West Africa Institute (the new umbrella organisation for the West Africa Fistula Foundation) in Bo, Sierra Leone. This trip will be comprised of unloading the 40 foot container which has just arrived from Texas and getting the groundwork laid for future volunteers. It's good to be returning to a familiar place and friends. I have a rather odd assortment of items in my bags including medical and nursing books, random medical supplies, medicines and 1000 donated condoms.

It's getting late and my writer friend Jenn Barton who will coming with me in January for a few weeks when I return for about 4 months, has just written a wonderful goodbye note which I will do my best to assimilate. This is an excerpt:

"The only certainty about Africa is uncertainty, and yet, within the context of that uncertainty lie the most rich and life-affirming gifts. So embrace the unknown, allow things to unfold as they may, and don't forget to enjoy each day, the beauty of that incredible earth mirrored in the faces of beautiful people...can't wait to join you."

I am excited. I will also keep positively focused on the unfolding political saga in the USA and trust that hope will prevail over fear.

Please keep in touch via email.
Helen