Outreach Volunteer Story by Mama Gayle
What an amazing day it has been! We held an outreach clinic out with a Masaii tribe. None of our patients spoke Swahili; they only spoke Masaii so we had to quickly find an interpreter for our care. When we arrived to our clinic, our medical area was filled with bats. I had to let them know that we could not host our clinic there out of health concerns, so we moved over to a church. After Julius and investigated the area we arranged our medical areas.
The nursing students were concerned about their assessments skills, but I was able to put them at ease letting them know I would help each of them along the way. Each student did such an awesome job and remained calm and flexible with each of the different situations that arose.
We helped a total of 87 patients; the stories we heard today and what these patients been through, breaks my heart. It is unbelievable what poverty does to people. Many of these patients have endured pain, deformities and sickness for an overwhelming length of time because of lack of money and access to health care.
I referred 8 patients to Selian Hospital where we will see them in clinic after my Ortho/spine doctor arrives. One patient we helped was a 41-year-old who was in a car accident 16 years ago. She underwent one surgery to receive screws and plates in her arm. She then had an X-ray taken in 2019. It showed that her bones did not align nor heal properly. They told her she needed another surgery, but because she had no money she lived with her unhealed arm. She has been in a lot of pain for years and was so incredibly grateful and moved when we let her know we could help her situation.
To help Hope Ministries continue to care for Tanzanians, you can give through either of the following links below:
www.hopeministries.co/donation
or
venmo: @Hope-Ministries
