Surgery

Can you read the list in this photo? Me neither. It’s as if doctors all over the world have a secret handwriting code. This paper lists all the items (needles, sutures, etc.) needed for a woman’s gallbladder surgery that has to take place in another hospital because Faith Alive doesn’t have the appropriate equipment. Local government hospitals charge about 100,000 Naira for the surgery (equivalent to $700 I think, far too high a cost for most people here who earn a few dollars a day).

So Dr. Mercy Isichei (Dr. Chris’s wife), an expert surgeon who voluntarily performs basic surgeries at Faith Alive for no charge to patients, connected the woman with a surgeon friend of hers in another state. He’ll perform the woman’s surgery for only 5,000 Naira. The only catch is that she’ll have to purchase and bring in all the needed supplies (apparently what all patients do in government hospitals anyway). Dr. Mercy wrote this list for the woman, donating whatever supplies Faith Alive has.

“This woman must think she’s in heaven here at Faith Alive,” I said to Dr. Mercy. “You are doing a great work.”

“Well, that is just God,” she said humbly.

Yes, I thought later, but you said “yes” to Him.