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You are here: Home / Team Updates / Bucket Baths in Yaara

Bucket Baths in Yaara

2010/11/06 By Dr. Jennifer Wilson

As I reflect on the events of the last three days, it feels as though three weeks worth of events have come to pass and three weeks worth of work has been done.

Our two days in the remote, rustic village of Yaara were memorable in so many ways. We arrived to a huge welcome celebration with drums beating and women dancing. The chief of Yaara, who is David’s brother Joseph, and at least 15 other chiefs and elders from other villages were seated and ready to greet us. Despite the massive amount of work before us, time was taken to greet one another with speeches, gifts, handshakes, and dancing. My African friends teach me so much … they never rush into anything without taking time for protocols involving interpersonal interactions with one another.

The clinic was set up and we went to work caring for many, many people with serious health issues. The breadth of disease we saw was astounding. Every area of the medical, dental, optometry, and physio sections of the clinic worked at such a high level with so much heart and soul over the two days.

We seemed to always have an emergency just as we finished our clinic. This time a young pregnant woman collapsed and we are thankful to report that she is well and has returned to her village. One remarkable story involves a man who presented with acute angle closure glaucoma in both eyes. His eye pressures were 4 times normal. With no laser in the country, our eye team and medical team worked together. Sixteen hours after treatment his pressures were down and he was out of danger. Dr Martin predicts he would have been blind in three days without treatment. “The blind will see” took on extra meaning for this man who was healed in the eye clinic which was held in the church.

This was the first time ever we were able to see all patients who came to the clinic … no one was turned away.

Other highlights include the bucket baths, the stars, the tour of Yaara, and the awkward white people trying to dance! I was presented to some baby Jennifers who were born to infertile women after being treated by the 2009 health team. The village presented the team with yams and another ram and eggs and fruit. The family of Joshua who almost died last year gave the team more yams and a guinea foul and a speech that will not soon be forgotten. We were thankful for the safe three hour journey home on the narrow, muddy, rut-filled road … or perhaps I should say path.

We had a great clinic today in New Longoro. 15 chiefs and elders greeted us in the new Peace Building built by NEA. It rained in the morning which cooled everything down so nicely. We sneaked out at lunch for a quick trip to the local market.

The surgical team have completed 114 procedures and three new surgeons are coming tomorrow! The team is doing an incredible job with the hernia patients and the urgent cases we send in from the villages.

We are two thirds of the way through our mission. Tonight we will play games, relax, and laugh. My jaw has been sore from laughing so much with this fantastic group of people. Tomorrow will be our day of rest. We will go to the local church and rest up for our final three days of work.

Much love to all our friends, family and supporters. We miss you and can’t wait to tell you even more when we see you face to face in one week.

Dr. Jennifer Wilson Jennifer Wilson, a physician in Uxbridge, Ontario, launched GRID’s annual health team several years ago and continues to lead it. She and her husband Graham are committed to alleviating suffering among Ghana’s poor. Jennifer is a board member of GRID.

Filed Under: Team Updates

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Nancy Bent says

    2010/11/08 at 9:35 am

    My eyes fill with happy tears when I read Jennifer’s report. My roomate last year was Betsy and I recall her very early mornings to go and care for baby Joshua when he was brought back to Carpenter for his care and recovery. I am so proud of everyone who is on this years team and I wish you all good health for the final days.
    Bless you all,
    Nancy Bent

  2. Phil Romeril says

    2010/11/07 at 6:58 pm

    Great updates…sorry to miss the Sunday phonecall but got the from Jackie…looking forward to more postings and the team return to Canada

  3. cynthia buckley-crowther says

    2010/11/07 at 4:35 pm

    Words will never describe how this mission has affected my families life.The unselfish acks of kindness that your team has shown to these deserving african”s will forever be remembered and be talked about.This mission has brought awarness and powerfull thoughts for me and im so proud of my sister to be involved.I am greatful for being a canadian and wish the team a lifetime of great fortune.Thank-you for keeping me informed and best wishes to all.Please come home safely.I miss you teresa and i love you so very much.

  4. Shirlene McKay says

    2010/11/06 at 11:32 pm

    What a wonderful update. I am so thankful to be a part of these updates. I am very happy to hear after completing 114 procedures that you are all having a well deserved rest tommoro. Our clocks are about to turn back and there could be snow on the horizon. Now I understand that your jaw is a little sore from all the laughing and I am postive that our good friend Teresa had something to do with that. Enjoy your day and travel safe friends.

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