Challenge Two

Well, our wards have emptied out somewhat again. Wednesday morning we discharged the patients in suspect and probable and our total patients was 4. WASH went through and deep-cleaned suspect and probable. We currently have 4 patients in confirmed. Two of the four worry me, the other two look like they are recovering.

We are on the precipice of discharging our first pregnant patient, which is exciting yet challenging, because her baby presents a risk to the mom and the mom's family and community. From what we know about Ebola, her unborn baby most likely has Ebola and the viral load in the placenta is extremely high. Carrying her baby to term will be dangerous for her and for her community. The baby may die in utero--and if she starts to miscarry while at home, it is quite possible  that she will die before reaching the MSF treatment facility in Freetown because she lives in a rural area. We don't have the equipment to do an ultrasound to see if her baby is still alive--or an amniocentesis to see if there is Ebola virus in the amniotic fluid.

I believe in the sanctity of human life--and I want to save her baby--especially since we have lost so many young kids. But in saving her child, we may lose her, we may lose both, and we may lose others in her community. Ebola sucks.

Our 5-yr-old looks better from an Ebola standpoint. Saw him without a shirt yesterday and you can see the blatantly apparent malnutrition in his swollen belly and he has an umbilical hernia. He looks pregnant, he is so malnourished. He is eating well though. He is not talking at all, not to us, not to the caregivers...hopefully he will beat Ebola and will start talking again when he is back with his brother.

Thursday we admitted three patients from a quarantined house. The 21 day quarantine starts over each time someone gets sick. The government provides food but it becomes more difficult when the quarantine time is continually reset, and the quarantined do leave their quarantine if they have no food. I can't say I blame them. What's the point of staying in quarantine if your whole family starves?

I have another challenge. Recently the Southern Baptist IMB had a challenge to skip a meal and donate the money to the international missions fund. I challenge you to eat one meal of rice and beans (ONLY rice and beans, although feel free to add seasonings to the rice or beans) at least once a week---and as you eat your rice and beans, remember the third world. Pray for them. Take the money you would have spent on that meal and use it to feed the hungry--those hungry near you or those that are far away.

I think it was Ghandi who said, "There's enough in this world for the world's need, not enough for the world's greed." (May have both wording and author wrong, forgive me!)

“No, this is the kind of fasting I want: Free those who are wrongly imprisoned; lighten the burden of those who work for you. Let the oppressed go free, and remove the chains that bind people. Share your food with the hungry, and give shelter to the homeless. Give clothes to those who need them, and do not hide from relatives who need your help. “Then your salvation will come like the dawn, and your wounds will quickly heal. Your godliness will lead you forward, and the glory of the LORD will protect you from behind. (‭Isaiah‬ ‭58‬:‭6-8‬ NLT)