We arrived in Nigeria on January 5 and traveled to Owerri where we stay when visiting. The first order of business was to unpack 7 suitcases of drugs and medical supplies. We were able to take over-the-counter and prescription medications worth over $38,000 thanks to the ministry of Blessings International and Kingsway Charities. This doesn't include the value of medical equipment and supplies we took with us!
Once we organized all the medications it was time to start dividing the bulk quantities into the proper dosage amounts. We spent the weekend counting pills and labeling bags. Everyone pitched in to help get the work done for Monday's clinic.
On Monday afternoon we held a limited clinic, seeing only 27 patients. On Tuesday we were in full swing! We arrived at the Egbelu Community Center to be greeted by a large crowd waiting to be seen. Dr. Abbot and Sister Chinemerem were able to treat 150 patients before we had to close up in order to be back in Owerri in time to restock on medicines we had run out of. It was another night of counting pills! Wednesday was a replay of Tuesday, seeing another 150 patients. Again, we needed to leave before everyone was seen in order to arrive back in Owerri before dark.
Thursday we traveled to Orasheze to hold clinic at Holy Trinity church. Fr. Placidus has become a great friend to us, helping to transport us and feeding us when we visit. We even got him counting pills on Thursday! We weren't able to see everyone who came, but we handed out multivitamins to everyone.
Friday we were back in Egbelu to see the people we had to turn away on Wednesday. We held clinic until 1:30 when we had to leave to take Sr. Chinemerem back to her home in Anambra, the state just north of Imo State. We were able to meet many of the sisters that she cares for in the nursing home she runs there. We were sorry to have to say goodbye. She is truly a blessing to us, not only for her skill in nursing, but for her joyful and loving spirit.
On Saturday we met with Celine Orji, a midwife with extensive experience. She has prescriptive ability and so will be able to treat the many people with ongoing health concerns in Nguru Umuaro. We have hired her to hold clinic hours every Saturday. We have also hired a lab tech, but she prefers not to have her name mentioned. She worries she will lose her job at a hospital in Owerri if it is known she is working for us. She was with us all week and is a great asset to our mission.
Also on Saturday the local construction supervisor we hired oversaw the clearing of the land and the plotting out of the site for the foundation of the first building! We decided to start with the hospital building and use it as a clinic until we raise the money for the clinic proper. We want to make some changes to the clinic plans to add a second story community education room so we will wait until we can get someone to redraw the plans for us. The architect in Nigeria was very expensive, so we are hoping to find someone local who will make the modifications for us. It was very exciting to walk through the new building - even if only in our imaginations! We were impressed with the amount of work accomplished in just a few hours. The trenches for the footers are all being dug by hand - in bare feet! These are hard working people!
We feel truly blessed to see the dream coming to fruition so quickly. When we return in April we will be able to hold clinic in our own building! It will just be walls and a roof, but that's all we have at the community center so it will not be much different. We will have separate rooms for the healthcare providers to see patients, though. That will be a true luxury!
We are amazed at the generosity of so many people that has gotten us this far. Thank you to everyone who has partnered with us to fulfill our mission. We will keep working to raise the rest of the funds needed to finish the first building and finance the April mission. We are confident that we will reach out goal with the help of our wonderful donors. It truly takes a village to help a village!