July 9, 2007
A trip to Trinity
Last week I had an unusual experience as I continue to try to reach out to hospitals and patients in southern Malawi. I feel fortunate to be supported by the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and to feel supported to reach out to other mission hospitals. I am the only obstetrician/gynecologist working outside of government or private practice, and the only one working in a mission hospital in Malawi. For almost two years I have been making monthly visits to Holy Family Hospital, a Catholic mission hospital about an hour’s drive from Mulanje. Recently I was invited to visit Trinity Hospital in the Lower Shire area of Malawi because they have many gynecologic patients and are located on a very bad road that is flooded about half of the year.
On last Tuesday afternoon I finished my work at Holy Family and turned my faithful Toyota Venture vehicle in the direction of the Lower Shire. The Shire River runs through southern Malawi towards Mozambique and creates fertile fields for growing sugar cane. The Illovo Sugar Company has a very large plantation of sugar cane in this area and is the largest employer in Malawi. The sugar cane is on the right side of the river, while Trinity Hospital is on the left side. Since it is now the “dry” season in Malawi I thought my drive to the village of Muona, where Trinity is located, would go relatively smoothly.
The drive is lovely as it leaves the city of Blantyre and heads for the river. It goes through winding mountain roads, first going up into gentle hills and then coming down to the river. There are some spectacular views of the river and the valley. To get to Muona, one must turn to the left before reaching the only bridge over the Shire River. This is where the dirt road starts. Even though it is dry season, it was raining on Tuesday. There are two bridges on the road and about nine “drifts.” A drift is a strip of concrete over which a river or a creek flows. Depending on the amount of rainfall, there can be just a small amount of water or a raging torrent going over the drift.
It took four hours on the dirt road to get to Muona. The drifts were not too bad because the concrete offers a secure surface for the wheels of the car. The problem was the mud and the slippery conditions of the road. I had to drive very slowly and carefully, and I was thankful to pull into the parking lot of Trinity Hospital right before nightfall. Two doctors were waiting for me, and we were able to see three patients who needed surgery the next day.
The Catholic sisters welcomed me to their home, brought me hot water for a bath, and shared their supper with me. The next morning we were able to operate on two of the three patients. We will have to attend to the third patient at a later date.
I left Trinity about noon on Wednesday, hoping to get to the paved road before dark. Since the rain had stopped, the trip back was a bit easier. The only problem was a large truck that was stuck in the road, with no clearance to get around. So, I had to back up quite a ways, and then force the Venture to go slowly down a dip and back up the other side. Maybe I did not go slowly enough, since the rear end of the car started making new noises after this maneuver. The car kept running, and I made it home to Mulanje before dark.
Why do I go to places like Holy Family and Trinity hospitals? I go because I feel called to reach out to people who need my help and my expertise. I go because I feel like the Roman Catholic Church is a part of the church universal of Jesus Christ, although there are centuries of differences between “us and them.” I go to encourage my brothers and sisters in the health field and to represent my brothers and sisters in Christ in the United States. I also go because I enjoy these trips very much.
Yours sincerely,
Sue Makin
The 2007 Mission Yearbook for Prayer &
Study, p. 337 |
