Author: Bert&Debbie

The first operation I did here at G2 about nine years ago was an amputation of a pretty little 8 y/o girl’s arm.

The family thought the girl had broken her arm and instead of bringing her to the hospital be treated they took her to a traditional healer (bone setter).

The splint they applied was too tight and the result was gangrene of the forearm and hand. We found no fracture, which seemed to make this already very sad case worse.

I hoped that this would be the last of such cases I would see but, unfortunately, little four-year-old Fatime (see photo) endured the same painful ordeal only to end up having an amputation here three days ago.

Of course, we try out best to educate parents and anyone else listening to avoid bone setters but there some connections of the charlatans with the spiritual world. Often our advice is not heeded.

We’ve been back in Chad at Hopital de GB2 for one week.

Below we’re praying at our daily prayer meeting at 6:45 am.

The staff of 85 starts their workday at 7 am. Attendance at morning prayer is voluntary.

Debbie and I are excited to announce that we are now serving with Crossover Global.

Read all about it by clicking the link to download our latest newsletter:

On the left is Dr. Tom Spears, who plans to be here next January with his wife and two children (ages 2 &4 years.) He serves with BMS UK and is a completely trained family medicine specialist.

He has served in Benin and Nepal. The Spears plan to serve with us long term at G 2.

This was a bit of a test trip for the Spears and to check into schools for the children. From the G2 leadership team’s perspective, the Spears “passed muster” and we enjoyed the time of interaction. We are already looking forward to the Spears family becoming members of our G2 family!

On the right is Chris Spears is Tom’s dad and is a retired engineer. I tried to recruit him to have a crash course in surgery so he could come and share night and weekend call, but he didn’t seem to think he would deal with blood too well.

I feel it is an excuse, and he just prefers to amble around the beautiful eastern England country and beaches! He knew better than to use the age card. I’m his senior by 8 years!

As you can tell we all enjoyed the Spears’s short visit with us.
Bert

Please note in your address books that Bert now has a new email address.

Do not reply to newsletter emails as Bert does not see them.

Send all future emails to: debbieoubre@gmail.com

History is being made as Dr. Paul, his wife, Lynn, and three children, arrived this weekend for a four-month stay.

Paul is originally from Ghana and has completed his Family Medicine residency at Ventura County Medical Center in California.

He is the first Fellow we have had. We will try to provide him with a rich experience here at G2.

Paul’s supervisor is Dr. James Appel, also a graduate of the FM residency at Ventura County. The latter FM residency is known as one of the best in the US.

Dr. Appel has a vast experience in serving in Chad for 17 years.

Thank you, Lord, for sending this great family!
Bert

Recently the eye surgery team (shown in the photos below) examined
and treated 500 patients for free with all sorts of eye problems.

Forty-eight  patients were selected for cataract removal. They paid a small fee for surgery.

One little girl had congenital cataracts removed from both eyes and has vision for the first time!

This new outpatient waiting area seats two hundred.

We saw 300 patients yesterday and 150 were eye patients!

The eye campaign ends Friday and the international team will leave. However, we have had excellent rapport and fellowship. Our best male scrub nurse, Theo, has attracted attention by his unusual aptitude and positive attitude. He is a new believer — saved here ?.

The ophthalmologists want to arrange formal training for Theo in Togo for two years. After this, he will return here to serve in our eye clinic and will be able to do cataract surgery.

There is a possibility of CBM (Christoffel Blinden Mission) building a new eye care center here and staffing it.

God is good!

Bert

This giant ovarian cyst in a thin 70-year-old woman has really changed her profile.

She came in looking 20 months pregnant and now has a scaphoid abdomen.

We could not weigh it on a 20kg scale.

In addition to this case, we did a laparotomy and found, sadly, widespread cancer on a 48-year-old pastor’s wife.

A baby with hydrocoele and circumcision.

A 20-year-old female with a ventral hernia.

A cholecystectomy for a 39-year-old female who had six gallbladder stones.

Bilateral orchiectomy for 80-year-old male with advanced cancer of the prostate.

Keep praying!
Bert