Saturday, June 14, 2014

Medical Team: Jinja Regional Hospital and Nalufenya Children's Unit

This was our last week working in the Jinja hospitals. The medical team spent the first half of the week continuing our work in the regional hospital and the second half at Nalufenya Children’s Unit.

At the regional hospital, I got to sit in on a C-section with Kortni McCormick. It was interesting to compare how they do surgery here in Uganda versus the United States. Working in the surgical ward was a very eye-opening experience as I was able to see people with broken bones, elephantiasis, osteomyelitis, and burns. One woman came in with 90% of her body covered in burns from a kitchen accident. The nurses needed Vaseline and gauze to treat this woman’s burns, but there was no Vaseline in the hospital. It was sad to see the nurses’ frustration and desperation as they tried to treat this woman.

Working in the HIV testing clinic at Nalufenya has been my favorite part of this trip. All the children and their parents have to be tested before being treated by the nurses and doctors. It was the busiest I’ve been as I pricked and blotted a huge line of mothers and children. It was also cool to see how the hospital would counsel those who tested positive and provide medical options to handle their HIV.


One of the most impactful thing for me was when we said goodbye at the Jinja regional hospital. Some of our favorite nurses sang a hymn over us and prayed for our journey back to the U.S. and for our future. This simple gesture reminded me of how much the Lord has blessed me on this trip. I believe that He has worked not only through us to bless the patients and hospital workers with His love, but also through the patients and hospital workers to bless us. Thank you, Lord, for your provision and your abundant blessings!

Rebecca Young

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