Call 9-1-1 in America, translates Call S-A-L in Zambia.
This weekend has been “EMS weekend”…..I mean really. Calls to houses in the bush, other clinics….emergency transports to Livingstone Hospital…yikes! Day and night! And Sal even changed phone companies and his phone number just last week….but the word is out!!! What are you saying God? Every time we think we have God figured out, there is another level, another step, another piece in the puzzle. And right now He is moving so fast, we are running to keep up……..
I know Renee usually writes the updates, but this is where I felt compelled to take over the keyboard.
I want to tell you about days that are becoming more typical than unusual:
It starts early Friday morning, the 5th of September, with a pregnant HIV patient in labor. It is my night for call and the patient required monitoring three different times during the night. At 5am, the alarm goes off and by 5:15 the first cup of coffee is ready. I complete my quiet time by 6am and go to the clinic to check on our expectant mother and get ready to go to Kabuyu for our HIV Clinic Outreach. Geoffrey arrives a few minutes before 7am for report on the expectant mother and the other inpatients (there are 6). Off to Kabuyu where we arrive by 8am, set up and proceed to see over 30 of our HIV patients. Back at the clinic, Geoffrey has delivered a baby girl and is preparing to see patients at Sons of Thunder Clinic….there were 38 patients seen that day. By 1pm, still in Kabuyu, we have seen our last HIV patient when Renee calls to tell me there is a woman in labor at only 7 months with moderate bleeding. I left the staff and supplies at Kabuyu and took the Land Rover to Bwiketo Village (15 minutes away) where I found a 38 year old woman in obvious discomfort. still in her hut. On exam, she was fully dilated and delivery imminent. I reviewed her prenatal card since she was not one of our patients and I saw nothing to cause me concern. I called Renee to get another vehicle to go to Kabuyu to pick up the staff since I was obviously going to deliver this baby in the hut. Thirty minutes later, her water breaks and out comes a baby boy that maybe weighed 1 pound. I attempted to resuscitate for about thirty minutes without success….at 7 months gestation this baby’s lungs were not developed enough. During the attempted resuscitation, I quickly looked at mom and saw there had been no change in her abdomen size. I gave the baby to grandma to continue what I was doing and by the time I turned around, a second bag of waters broke. Great----TWINS! Prenatal card didn’t mention this fact. Trying to teach grandma quicker, I saw the umbilical cord present….not good. I finished the teaching, turned and moved to mom to now find a foot presenting and the umbilical cord detached. Mom was bleeding profusely. By now the vehicle that was picking up at Kabuyu was back on the farm. I called and had them sent to my location….I needed a flat bed truck. In about an hour, we had mom in the clinic….IV lines running, monitoring. Praying the second baby would come out on its own. About an hour later, I decided to take her to Livingstone General Hospital for a C-section to remove this already dead baby. During preparation for transport, another call was received from Kasiya with another woman in labor. Geoffrey and Mwanza head to Kasiya while I head to LGH and Renee stays back to cover the clinic. Two hours later I return to find Geoffrey had just delivered his second baby girl for the day 5 minutes before I walked in the door. We talked a bit, I told him goodnight and let Namatama know I was on call. It was now 10pm. At 10:45pm I received a call from Katapazi Clinic for an HIV patient in labor. I arrived and ended up doing the delivery at their clinic and started the baby on the protocol of a prophylactic short course of HIV meds. I arrived back at the apartment at 1:30am….changed IVs on those in the clinic that needed them and was in bed by 2am.
The alarm went off at 5am Saturday morning, Sept 6th and we start again.
I leave for town at 6:45 am Saturday morning to do some clinic shopping for medicines and office or food supplies. It is also the day we pick up the lab technician to bring him back to the clinic to do the weekly lab tests. On the way back to the clinic, I received a call from Siandazya for a woman in labor. I dropped off the lab tech and went to pick up the patient and bring her back to the clinic. Around 1pm, another call came from Siakasipa for a 18 year old girl in labor. Upon arrival at the village, found a first time mom too far along to move. Baby was delivered in the hut….everything fine. I arrive back at Sons of Thunder at 5pm and make rounds on all the inpatients twice before going to bed. .I’m still on call. Twice during the night I am awakened to check on our pregnant patients. All is well.
It’s now Sunday morning Sept 7th…we go to church in town and have lunch out. One of the missionary couples who have been here for six years are returning to the states and this was his last sermon. Geoffrey agreed to cover the clinic while we were in town. When we returned from town, we found that one of our AIDS inpatients had suffered a stroke and was close to death. Pastor Julius had already been called and family was around her bed. About 30 minutes later, Emeldah died. After the usual washing and wrapping of the body, we took the family and Emeldah back to her village for burial. It’s now Sunday night and I’m still on call, still have 5 inpatients and the alarm will still sound at 5am Monday morning if not sooner.
These are our days and they are occurring more frequently….
We have 3 skilled people trying to do the job of 10….
We have 1 vehicle when 2 are needed…..
The clinic is bursting at the seams. On one occasion we had 12 patients admitted in a clinic that holds 9. We need a mother’s shelter…we need more wards.
We need more skilled staff and the money to pay them. We need staff housing. We need another vehicle. We need Tonga Bibles.
Right now our monthly budget is $2500….but we realistically need $5000 just to meet our monthly operating expenses…things like salaries, medications, formula for babies of HIV positive moms, inpatient food, lab reagents, office and cleaning supplies and diesel. And that doesn’t include repair and maintenance for either the vehicle or building.
We need your help. First and foremost we need your prayers and then we need your financial support. Together, we will see God’s purpose fulfilled….It’s says in His Word that His plan will not be thwarted. This is an awesome work to be a part of….God is making a difference here. Each and every day, we see His hand and if we look hard enough we see His face. To think that God has called you or me to be His vessel in this ministry is very humbling. Lots of times when we give our money to something….we never see where it goes or how it helps or even if it helps. I am here to tell you your money here helps!!! Your money here makes a BIG difference. Your money feeds a belly, treats a wound, transports the sick and dying, safely delivers a baby, helps to prevent transmission of HIV from mother to child, provides education and most importantly preaches the Gospel by word and deed. Sons of Thunder Medical Ministries is feeding Zambia physically and spiritually every day….you are always welcome to come and be a part of God’s hands and feet in this ministry.
Thank you.
God Bless,
Sal
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