Change is happening

Jason's momma and I have been a our local clinic several days in a row. We have learned a lot. Jason's mom has been trying to find out what medicines they use the most and what is the greatest need so that she can send medicine that would expire in the US and just get thrown away here. She said last month she throw around $10,000 worth of medications away because they were expired and the US has such strict regulations on that. She is surprised in the lack of regulations here. We can go to the local pharmacy and buy many drugs without a prescription. We did an experiment where we asked for the available medicines and she was amazed at what you could get around such a small place in Africa without a prescription. When Jason's momma asked why they will sell these strong drugs to anyone the answer was, "these people are really sick here".
Yesterday we took a little break to get some sodas before heading back to the clinic. The wall behind us says, "Miraa Special". This is a common drug that is sold in many shops here. It looks like grass and people just chew it. It is similar to Ecstasy. I have seen many crazy people walking around talking to themselves and seeing invisible things and much of this can be attributed to chewing miraa. Sadly I have seen donkeys chew miraa and I cannot imagine what the effect on them is.
The clinic was started by 18 Somali women who wanted to make a difference in the community by providing education to the people here. Some what they are advocating is families will come and give their children the free vaccination that this country offers starting from when a child is born. Many women deliver at home and the Islamic culture teaches that the aspects of life happen as Allah (God) wills it. For this very reason their decision making has been to deny vaccines because their child's health is left up to God. These Somali women who are now make up the board of the clinic began educating the people over ten years ago that many sickness and disease is easily preventable. Besides advocating for vaccines they provide counseling on AIDS especially pregnant women. We again found out that many people, especially men refuse getting an AIDS test done. This is very dangerous because Muslims are polygamists. Another thing the clinic provides is teaching women how to sew so that they can provide and income for their families ( in the above picture)
This is Momma Witt with one of the Somali board members . This women is known for being a spokesperson against Female Genital Mutilation. FGM or female circumcision it is done at age 5-8, so it cause women a lot of pain and suffering in many ways. It is done in the village by whatever object is available such as a razor blade, knife, sharp piece of bone. There is no anesthetics, no pain medicine, no sterilization. Momma Witt was asking why this is even done and it was thought to prevent girls from being promiscuous and sleeping around. There is so many deaths that occurs from infections, loss of blood, and the shock of what happened to their bodies. We asked what difficulties can happen when a women is delivering a baby and has had FGM done. A special surgeon is need to cut the stitching that was done both vertically and horizontally to allow room for the baby to come out. I admire that the clinic is being so active about bringing a stop to this. It begins by simply talking to women which in this culture is is VERY shameful to discuss to ANYONE. Slowly change is happening and mothers are choosing to say no to doing this practice on their daughters. I left the clinic having so much hope.


This week Bethany Church is here on a missions trip. We have gotten to spend time with Eric and Rachel Stone and their two daughters. It is so cool meeting them and spending time with them because Eric's parents, who have been missionaries in Asia for over 30 years, came to stay in our home to teach the Bethany interns 3 weeks in December. While they were with us they showed Righteous many pictures and videos of their grand-daughters and now we get to see them in person. In this picture the girls are receiving oral polio vaccine at the clinic. Bethany Church is here to begin building a nursery school for Somali girls. We have our classmate Rich Lang here and that is AWESOME and one of Jason's Best Friends from college Mike Morcomb- who was a complete surprise! Of course I have to mention that AL Madison is also here and such a blessing to see him and have him helping the city where we live.