On the Way Home

I am out of Gogrial.  And now I am back in the capital city, Juba.  The internet here is not as good as it was in Gogrial.  The power comes and goes, with no apparent reason.  The infrastructure in Juba is not very good, and sometimes, barely adequate.  There is a lot of room for improvement.
It is always hard at the end of a mission.  There are many people with whom you have worked hard, sweated, and survived.  It is hard to say goodbye.  But it is time for the next chapter.
The people in the OT have been great.  Angelo and Alessio have been the OT techs.  Abdullahi was the anesthesia provider.  We had a great team.

Alessio on the left, Angelo in front

I wish them all well.  Things are improving in Gogrial, but the influx of refugees at the camps near the border is overwhelming.  They estimate over 200,000 now, and they keep coming.  The camps have had to be moved due to flooding.  What a mess.  I feel fortunate that I was in a relatively safe area.  The stress levels at the camps is very high.  Many ex-pats have had to end their missions early, because of high stress, and illness.  I guess I have been very lucky.  I give a great deal of credit to the people who do this work.  It is hard work, and not glamorous in the least.  But there are people who need the help.  And I am glad to be able to help.
It is overwhelming.  So I am reminded of the parable of the little boy and the starfish.  It goes like this.  A little boy was walking along the beach after the tide went out, and he saw thousands of stranded starfish.  So he picked up starfish, one after another and threw them back into the sea.  An old man was watching him.  The old man told the little boy, "There are too many to help.  It won't make a difference!"  The little boy looked at the old man, then threw a starfish back into the water.  He said, "It made a difference to that one!"
So we do what we can in the face of overwhelming suffering and need.  And we hope to make a difference.