After thoughts

Love cannot remain by itself -- it has no meaning.
Love has to be put into action, and that action is service.
--Mother Teresa

We would like to sincerely thank Pastor Luther, the Council, and the LCI community for sponsoring our trip to Cameroon, Africa this past April. It is difficult to know where to begin when describing our experience in Africa. However, it is clear to us that our experience changed our lives forever, and we believe it will be a valuable stepping stone in LCI’s continuing work with the EELC mission and The Protestant Hospital in N’gaoundere.

We noticed from the very beginning of our journey how desperate the situation was in the healthcare system in N’gaoundere, Cameroon. We found a need in every corner. The hospital needs general medical supplies, medicine, nurses, doctors, and, most importantly, proper infrastructure. The patients’ rooms are unacceptable, covered in dirt and swarmed with flies and cockroaches. Patients share their rooms with 3-5 other patients, negating any form of privacy. The operating rooms have just enough supplies to get by. However, at the same time, the Cameroonians do the best they can with what they have. Their attitudes are positive and optimistic, despite the dire situation. They simply need help.

As our mission continued, we found ourselves working in the operating room, helping care for surgical patients and emergent patients, before, during, and after their operations. We experienced some common surgeries that we had seen before in the United States: hernia repairs, cesarean sections, fracture repairs, etc. The only difference was that there was only one surgeon performing all of the operations. This was far too much work for one man, yet he took it in stride and continued to save the lives of the Cameroonians. We also experienced some surgeries that we would never even dream of seeing in the United States, and saw some situations that continue to haunt our memories. We experienced the pain of family members who desired to help protect their loved ones but were unable to keep them in the hospital due to money. We watched as patients bartered for the price of their medical care, unable to scrape together the $50 it would cost for an important operation. We saw children who had resided in the hospital for several months due to horrific injuries and even more horrific complications. We witnessed simple injuries get exponentially more complicated as the patients were forced to travel for days to reach the hospital. All of these events and experiences were new, complex, and eye opening for us both. Seeing the dismal situation of medicine in Cameroon has changed our outlook on our careers and in our lives.

Although a lot of the trip was frustrating and heart breaking, not all of it was this way. We formed deep relationships with strong and inspiring patients and staff. Although the staff of the hospital needed education and some motivation, they put up with serving in the healthcare field with minimal supplies and resources, utilizing an incredible amount of patience and understanding. In addition to the staff, we were awe inspired by the unchanging and ever hopeful will of the patients. Our favorite patients were the “Three Musketeers:” three young boys who were all in the same room for months, all with horrendous injuries, and all with the brightest, happiest smiles we had ever seen. They greeted us every day, saying “Good morning. How are you?” in broken English. They personally rehabbed their injuries (as there was no physical therapy at the hospital). And they survived. Without the work of the hospital, especially the surgeon, Dr. Brown, their injuries would have taken their lives. We also loved visiting the Nigerian man who spoke a foreign dialect that no one understood, but who talked to us and laughed with us every day. He had an injury to his arm and asked every one on our team to help him stretch it out every day in an attempt to heal. And, finally, there was the woman who had a beautiful baby girl, which Courtney delivered. She offered to name her baby “Courtney” out of appreciation, joy and grace. All of these experiences will remain with us forever.

Even with the good experiences, there are still an insurmountable number of problems at the hospital. So, where do we begin to help? First, by sponsoring the work of Jim and Carolyn Brown. Dr. Jim Brown is the leader of PAACS (Pan African Association of Christian surgeons) in N’gaoundere, Cameroon. He is almost single handedly taking on the healthcare needs of the entire area. His wife, Carolyn Brown, is a nurse and educator at the hospital. She also organizes a benevolent fund, sponsored through the EELC and ELCA, which supports care for patients who cannot afford the basic healthcare they require. Instead of denying these patients care, which is what used to occur, they can now dip into the benevolent fund and provide the emergent services necessary. This fund is supported fully by donation. This is a good place to start with simple monetary donations through the ELCA. Donating supplies to the hospital through Jim and Carolyn Brown would also be beneficial. As for more ambitious goals for the church, a few ideas come to mind. Funding a large infrastructure project at the hospital for an extended period of time would have a long lasting impact. This can be accomplished through LCI alone or through a consortium of churches. Sending personnel to the hospital, specifically shifts of doctors and nurses throughout the year, would be invaluable as well. Lastly, spreading out into the neighboring communities with a mobile medical clinic is an ambitious goal worth pursuing. This would provide access to healthcare to thousands of patients who sometimes would travel up to three days to get to a hospital.

As we experienced, these tasks can seem overwhelming and daunting. But what we can also assure you is the rewards far outweigh the risks. This undertaking can serve the Lord by saving the lives of innocent men, women, and children who simply have nothing. When you look into the eyes of an innocent dying child who can be saved from a simple investment, it is heart wrenching. We cannot only save one child, but we can also save an entire community and do it in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord.

Courtney Steller and Brent Brown