|
|
For Updates of Mercy's Condition
Today, a little girl in Africa is looking out the door
of her one room hut at the sunshine and the other children
playing. She is sitting where she has sat many days
watching the other 9 year-old girls braiding each other's
hair, but she can't join because of severe burns she
received in June 2001. But this day is different, because
today, for the first time in more than a year, she has
hope that she may be able to join them soon. You see,
Mercy is aptly named because she is depending on
the mercy of people, many she has never seen, to
provide the money and equipment for her to regain the
use of her hands. Generous people have made donations
exceeding $100,000 in cash, equipment and in medication
for her care and The Macha
Mission Hospital at which she is staying.
|
|
|
 |
|
The above pictures show the
difference donors like you have made in Mercy's life.
Those of us who have met her can't forget her cries of
pain that used to echo through the hospital where three
doctors and 30 nurses try valiantly to care for as many
as 208 patients. I can still vividly remember standing
outside her room preparing to change her dressings without
anesthesia, because the only available anesthesia could
only be given on an empty stomach and she needed to eat
as much as possible. I kept saying in my mind, "You have
to do this. It will hurt, but you have to do this, if
you don't, she'll get an infection and die." I can't forget
her shy smile and her deep pleading eyes that seemed to
say, "please be gentle." I remember how she would say
to me, "just do the left arm today, not the right arm,
okay." I would always say, "Ashonto, Ashonto," meaning
"gently, gently." I also remember how she made us laugh
with her dislike of eating vegetables that we learned
one day we changed her dressings. She was crying and I
thought it was her arm hurting but the nurse translated
what she was saying: "I want chicken today, not cabbage."
|
|
Reconstructive
Surgery for Mercy
Mercy(at right) was treated at Macha
Mission Hospital for 3rd degree burns on her hands,
arms, chest, and legs, suffered in June 2001. The most
severely burned areas were her hands, with damage so
extensive that she lost many of her fingers. At Macha,
the medical staff was able to save her thumbs, but now
the scars on the backs of her hands have contracted
and pulled her hands into a nonfunctional position.
She needs surgery to regain the use of her hands so
she can play, work and have a normal life. A surgeon
in Africa will do the surgeries for the cost of about
$20. Mercy’s family does not earn that in
a month. They will also need about $200 for the cost
of travel and caring for Mercy in the hospital during
and after her surgeries.
|
Here is a concrete opportunity to
make a difference in one person's life. It will
only take a few minutes. Since its beginning, donors have
given over $100,000 in donations, equipment, and medications
for Mercy's reconstructive surgery and for the Macha Hospital.
Using this money, some of the basic needs at the hospital
have been met and Mercy was able to finally have her surgeries.
In addition, many new programs have been supported such
as the HIV/AIDS clinic, the ultrasound clinic and others.
Mercy is now getting ready to go to school where she can
learn to write with her reconstructed hands and learn
to read. She has told me that she is very excited to learn
to read and write. It is essential however to continue
to support Mercy and the programs at Macha hospital. Much
has been accomplished and if we follow through, it will
permanent change in the lives of many people. In Mercy's
case, even with repaired hands, she has difficulty doing
farm work and other types of work a rural Zambian woman
would do. If she is to have hope of a bright future, education
will be the key. At Macha too, there are ongoing needs.
Most of us can't even imagine what it is like to have
to receive medical care without adequate anesthesia or
to have procedures cancelled because the hospital has
run out of gauze bandages. Some people don't have to imagine
because it is all too real for them. Problems like these
still arise at Macha sometimes due to the difficulty of
getting resources. Our goal at HelpMercy is to make sure
that the wonderful doctors and nurses who care for patients
at Macha
Mission Hospital always have the equipment and medications
they need to ease suffering and bring healing.
|
Even
if you can't help with this project:
"do
all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the
ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times
you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you
can." John Wesley
 |
Update #10:
January 30, 2006
Dr. Spurrier reports that Mercy has begun school.
You have provided the means for HelpMercy to pay
for her books, uniform, and school fees. For Mercy,
an education will be a vital part of her recovery
as it will provide her skills that she can use instead
of her hands, since the fingers lost from the burns
can never be fully functional. For her, an education
is the way to a bright future and she is excitedly
learning to read and write.
|
Update #9:
August 20, 2005
I have again just returned from Macha Hospital where
I was able to visit Mercy and her father at their house.
Esther Spurrier, Dr. Spurrier's wife, kindly translated
for us. She is doing so well. I was able to bring her
some notebooks and colored pencils that were sent from
America. It was very gratifying to see her able to take
a pencil out of the box and write on the page. We would
all take this simple action for granted, but if it were
not for your donations, it would be impossible for her.
She was bright-eyed and smiling and eager to begin school
in December. She particularly was excited to learn to
read and write. As we left, she ran behind the truck
dancing with such joy that it still warms my heart to
remember it. I wish all of you could see with your own
eyes the difference you have made in her life. It is
such a blessing to see how she is growing up thanks
to your mercy.
Update #8:
March 8, 2004
I have just returned from Macha Hospital where I was
able to have tea with Mercy and her parents. Esther
Spurrier, Dr. Spurrier's wife, was able to translate
into Tonga, the level of effort and support that you
have provided for her. Her family is very grateful for
all of the help that has come from you and wanted to
extend a special thanks to all who have donated. For
me it was particularly exciting to see Mercy able to
hold her own cup and biscuits. It was wonderful to add
to the memory of her suffering, a memory of her smiling
and healthy again. For that I thank you also.
Update #7:
December 17, 2003
"Mercy is currently scheduled for her last visit with
Dr. Johnson. It has been a real blessing to see her
go from being unable to use her hands at all to being
able to care for herself and go to school. Certainly
the value of your contribution to her cannot be underestimated.
The difference between being disabled and being able
to care for herself and learn skills for a career and/or
be able to care for her family is all the difference
in the world for a girl named Mercy who needed just
that, and a gift of hope.
UPDATE #6:
February 23, 2003
"About Mercy - she is in Choma
Hospital right now. "I was at Choma Hospital to
see Mercy several days ago. I saw her left hand which
is still attached to her abdomen and healing (see Update
#5). I was excited to see her right hand. She can now
completely oppose the thumb with one of the two digits
remaining and almost oppose the second. She was eating
with a spoon. And that probably means she will be able
to hold a pencil and thus go to school." - Dr. Spurrier
UPDATE #5:
December 02, 2002
"About Mercy - she is in Choma
Hospital right now. She had surgery on her left
hand last Friday (Feb 7) by Dr. Johnson who had an orthopedic
surgeon (Dr. Das) help him since the limiting factor
in the function of the right hand is the movement of
the MCP joints. She has gradually gotten more function
in the right hand and can now oppose one of the fingers
and the thumb. Her mother and father accompanied
her to Choma and will stay at the relatives' waiting
shelter there until she is discharged. The plan was
to attach a full-thickness flap from her abdomen to
the back of the hand after releasing the contractures.
Her hand will then be attached to her abdomen for 2-3
weeks and then cut free - which is the same procedure
done on the other hand." Dr. Spurrier
UPDATE #4:
December 02, 2002
"The latest in Mercy's story
points out the difference between truly subsistence
farmers and most North Americans. Although Mercy's surgery
for her second hand was scheduled in early November,
after we had a good rain her dad cancelled the surgery
until he can plow and plant. Without doing so,
he would not have food to feed the family for the coming
year. He said January will be the earliest he will be
free to take her to Choma for the surgery. - Dr. Spurrier
UPDATE #3:
September 10, 2002
"Mercy is home. We kept her in
the hospital for a week or so after she was discharged
from Choma. She seems to be doing well. She can
hold things with her right hand, although the damage
was so great that she cannot completely oppose her thumb
and finger. At least it is not hyperextended and
is somewhat functional. Saw Mercy's father yesterday
afternoon. Her father has just told me that her
hand is well healed and that she can now eat nsima [a
traditional corn dish] with that hand! Not sure
how big the ball of nsima has to be, but that is great
news if she can get that much function from her hand.
I have spent about $40 on her so far -- most of it being
transportation and food for when they were with her
in the hospital. I plan to keep several hundred
of the money until we see what happens with the left
hand. It looks worse than the right to me and
if they or Dr. Johnson decide she should go to Lusaka
for a plastic surgeon to do the repair the price will
go up considerably. For the right hand we were
ready to send her to Lusaka but her father wanted it
done in Choma because of the logistics. I may give them
some for food, or maybe more than they need for transport
so they have some to use for food. Seems like
everyone is running out of food and her father asked
for "peace work" to buy some food. Unfortunately they
are not the only family with needs like that." - Dr.
Spurrier
UPDATE #2:
July 31, 2002
"An update on Mercy from Dr Ken
Johnson, the American Jesuit surgeon in the town of
Choma (40 dirt-road miles from Macha), who is doing
the reconstructive surgeries: He was pleased with
Mercy's condition when she arrived at Choma Hospital
mid-July. He released the contractures of the
right hand and placed the hand under a flap of skin
lifted from her abdomen. It will take about three
weeks for the flap of skin to adhere to the hand.
It will then be cut free from the abdominal wall
and placed in a special bandage. He expects this will
give her better movement of her thumb and what is left
of her fingers and make her hand useful again. After
the right hand has healed, he will work on the left.
He is a wonderful, caring person, who gives much of
himself to patients and colleagues. And Mercy
and her parents have been brave and cooperative in this
whole, long and drawn-out process. They are very grateful
for your help." - Dr. Spurrier
UPDATE #1:
June 10, 2002:
"As of now Mercy is scheduled
to be admitted to Choma Hospital on June 14th and have
the first surgery on her right hand on June 17th.
If I am free I would like to go and scrub with him,
we shall see." - Dr. Spurrier
|
|
| |
|
