You saved a life in Africa!

I should have written this post a long time ago. When we visited Senegal in August we saw Aunt Seynabou in Packy. It didn't seem appropriate to me at the time to take a picture of her, otherwise I would share it with you. It's hard to explain how I felt seeing her, but I certainly felt a great deal of appreciation from her beyond her telling us and all of you thank you. She had recovered and was just grateful. I also felt a great deal of respect for her and how she handled herself. Being there amongst not only her but also visiting a number of villages in the area, including a couple trips to villages where people had just died, and being amongst the communities which are so communal and guided by long-standing traditions, gave me an overall sense of respect and challenged me. In our American lives we are not nearly as connected with each other. We don't usually sit under a shade tree in the middle of our neighborhood and chat with each other all afternoon. I think we used to though.

Extended Family

The ChipIn app for facebook apparently doesn't work right. It doesn't show the contributors. We've now raised $350 from my mom, Grant, and Aunt Kathy. Ngone spoke in more detail with her mother. We're going to send over $500 tomorrow. Operation is supposed to be Monday or Tuesday this week. We'll keep you posted.

Aunt Seynabou

Ngone's Aunt Seynabou has continued going to see doctors. The latest tests confirmed that her tumor is benign. She has been on medication (thanks almost entirely to your contributions) which has helped her pain and earlier stopped the bleeding. But she is now in more pain. She found a new doctor who ran the latest tests to confirm the benign tumor and determined that he could operate. She believes the operation is necessary. I worry a lot about the likelihood of the surgery being successful, but I am no doctor and we can only know so much.

The surgery is supposed to be next week and she needs $500 for it. If you know anyone who can help please encourage them to do so. Unfortunately we can only put together about $100 right now.

This information is based on a phone call today from Seynabou's husband (Ngone's maternal uncle) to Ngone asking for help. This is the first time he has called her to ask for help since this started. His sincerity is readily apparent. I spoke with him a couple months ago when we had called her family. Ngone will call and get more details in the next couple days.

Thanks for all the support you've already given! She will be forever grateful. She already is. The alternative, which has occured for countless people there, would be for her to return to her village and pray.

I would just like to add "We are the world! We are the children! We are the ones who make a brighter day! So let's start giving."

thanks Chris

Aunt Seynabou Update

Aunt Seynabou has gotten better with the medicines prescribed by the doctor. Apparently she still needs surgery, but the doctors want to keep doing tests first. 

Update

Seynabou's village, Packy, has been praying for all of you and thanks you for your help.

She is still waiting on the test results. Please say a pray for her.

My computer crashed, but Apple is repairing it for me.

Seynabou's Thursday

Thank you for the generosity of Faith Vaught. Like Greg, she knows a lot more about this than me from winning against cancer. I also want to thank those who previously donated: Amanda Vaught, David Vaught, Tom Vaught and Kris, Elia, and Seb!!!!! This makes me happy in my heart. Ngone really appreciates your support.

Today Ngone's brother Abdou went with Seynabou and her son and daughter to the Hospital Fann. The doctor said she needs to come back tomorrow to get a type of x-ray. The doctor said she has a tumor and needs to get surgery.

Seynabou is very tired. She said thank you for your help and she is praying for everyone who sent the money for her. She said something like "These people don't know me and are doing these great things for me. If they knew me what would they be capable of? They must be very nice people. Ngone and Chris are very lucky to have them."

If it were me I think I would be taking hostages and/or dead by now. This is another example to me of the patience and dignity of the African people.

The money you sent along with the money collected amongst her family will cover the tests tomorrow.

Seynabou

Thank you Grant and Greg! Grant, I couldn't think of a better face for American foreign policy in Afghanistan than yours. Greg, you definitely know something about surgeries, and I believe foreign policy as well. 

Aunt Diop, her real name is Seynabou Ndione, went to the doctor today in Diamniadio with the little bit of money her family collected. They referred her to the Hospital Fann in Dakar, the capital. That hospital is where Ngone and I visited a Peace Corps volunteer last year working on a garden in the AIDS clinic and psychiatry ward.

We sent over the $95 by Moneygram. Ngone's brother will pick it up tomorrow morning (it's almost morning there right now this evening in Alaska). Ngone talked with her mother this morning and made arrangements for getting Seynabou to the hospital and encouraged her to get the operation as soon as possible. Seynabou almost fainted getting home from the doctor in Diamniadio today. Ngone spoke with another friend in Senegal whose mother had a similar health problem and said that if you don't get operated on you will die. Scary. Apparently her stomach is bulging out and she is still bleeding.

Check back for updates.