- Antoinette, 17 years old
(see below for more of her story)
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Well, it's been 2 weeks in our new location, and we are busily getting our lives up and running.
As we unpacked boxes, I couldn't help relating internally to our external circumstances. Processing our life can be much like how we unpacked our stuff; some stuff gets dealt with immediately, some gets tucked into cupboards to organize later, and some is simply left in it's original box in a corner - to be dealt with at some indeterminate point in the future.
There have been many mixed emotions as we have unpacked and rediscovered our African artifacts. The end result, though, is a blend of cultures represented on our walls through handcrafted pieces gathered over the years. A reminder every day of the work that we continue to do from our office here in Canada.
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The Surgery Helps canadian office (formerly Thiessens2Africa) A work in progress, but it DOES exist! (see the sign??) |
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Reminders when we are "on our way to work" each day |
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A custom Malagasy sign gifted to us by national friends. "I will bless you...and you will be a blessing to others - Genesis 12:2" |
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On the work front, we are happy to share that we are making progress on the website, which we hope to unveil soon. We know without a doubt that lives are being changed (more on that below).
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Our website is COMING SOON!  |
As part of our work, Surgery Helps (Thiessens2Africa) is partnering with Fellowship Aid and International Relief (FAIR) to support the PAACS surgical training program that continues at the Good News Hospital in Mandritsara, Madagascar. As of January, 2024, there are now 4 full time surgical trainees.
Through the Out of the Waiting Room campaign, the residents will be able to continue to receive the quality education needed to provide surgical care for years to come. If you would like to be part of surgical education in Africa, please click here for more info.
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Click for more info |
Surgery Helps is also impacting the lives of patients directly.
Here is Antoinette's story...(shared with her permission)
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"I am happy to thank you because I am healed." Antoinette, 17 years old |
Antoinette comes from a village outside of Mandritsara. After pregnancy complications, she not only lost the baby, but became very sick. Her father adamantly refused her going to the hospital, wanting her to be treated by local witch doctors.
Antoinette chose instead to leave her father's home and move to another village where she could stay with her mother.
By the time she got to her mother's home, her infection had worsened, and she was brought directly to the Good News Hospital in Mandritsara. She was taken into emergency surgery, and went home shortly afterwards, seemingly well.
However, two weeks later she was back with concerning complications. There was a risk she would not make it out of surgery, but she would not live without it.
However, the family could not afford the surgery.
So Surgery Helps got involved. With the generous support of our donors, Antoinette was able to receive the care she desperately needed. The faithful prayers of a desperate mother were answered, and a young girl was able to go home.
Antoinette passed by the office before she went back to her village expressly to share her thanks to those who made this surgery possible.
We are passing this thanks on to you.
Lives like Antoinette's are being impacted every day because of the work we are continuing to support in Madagascar, as well as Burundi and other countries in need.
This is why Surgery Helps exists...for girls like Antoinette.
Thank you for continuing with us in this work.
Jesh & Julie with SURGERY HELPS
(formerly Thiessens2Africa)
