Thursday, September 29, 2016
Thought for the day: “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” Ghandi
Speaker: Dr. Dewayne Niebur
A partner at Aspen Medical Care, Dr. Niebur, spoke on his and his wife's medical mission trip to Burundi Africa. Despite losing their luggage with all the medical supplies, they adapted well to this country of 10.5 million about the size of Maryland.
There’s no wildlife left in Burundi, thanks to hunger, ignorance and civil war. Most people are subsistence farmers earning 68 cents/day, although the country does grow tea and coffee, and has access to great bananas and pineapple.
People would spend one week’s worth of their income to come to the clinic to see Dr. Niebur. Most of his time was spent in Kibuye at Hope Hospital, a nice building made of handmade bricks and a steel roof, built three years ago by some American doctors. He described the hospital as “a bit of a circus” because if a mother is in it, all of her children come too! So there is a gathering place for families to eat and stay dry.
The biggest challenge? Keeping things sterilized. A major part of his work was educating a dozen medical students and creating an environment where they can continue their education. Infant and maternal mortality plus malaria-related illnesses are the major problems. His wife taught a helping-babies-breathe program to receptive new moms.
“They are a very happy and optimistic people. They have faith and hope that tomorrow will be a better place.”
Guests: Anthony Billion, a Rotarian from Buffalo, New York
