The Container is on its way to Sierra Leone!

A big thank you to Pat Mellody, our Jericho Road team, and everyone who has given in some way to get this 40 foot container filled, loaded, and on it's way.

100% of the contents in this container will be useful to Phebian and our team in Kono District. It will be incredibly helpful! The Adama Martha Memorial Clinic will open its doors in January because so many people have continued to be faithful.

Please keep Phebian, our team, and the people of West Africa in your prayers.

Our Founder's Recent Trip to Sierra Leone and Our Response to the Ebola Crisis

We know there is a lot of fear about the threat of Ebola within our country right now. Fear is a natural response, especially when one feels their personal health may be at risk. Recognizing how confusing it may be, we want to help the general public to better grasp the scientific understanding of Ebola, how it spreads and where the risk really is. We are 100% committed to the health and wellbeing of our local community. To learn more about precautions that we are taking at JRCHC and review some resources and factsheets from the CDC, visit our website.

We appreciated the honest exploration of Ebola and the public’s concerns on @WBBZ-TV’s #PoliticalBuzz last week, with Host Phil Arno and our founder Dr. Myron Glick. To hear his response firsthand, we encourage you to watch and listen to this program that was taped last week.

Here are some highlights from the program:Because there are so many mixed messages and speculation out there as the to risks of Ebola, the host asks Dr. Glick definitely how the disease is transmitted. “What we know is that Ebola is spread by physical contact with the bodily fluids of someone who has Ebola, who is sick, or their dead bodies. So while the virus is highly infectious, …it’s not the kind of virus, like the flu virus, that is spread by respiratory contact that can sweep through a general population very quickly.” Glick further affirms, “There is no scientist that would say that we think this is respiratory spread.”

The program highlights that Dr. Glick was in Sierra Leone recently. His ten days there were highly cautious and monitored. He was there helping to prepare our primary care clinic to operationalize in early 2015 (to address the inadequate primary care infrastructure in the Kono District, not to provide Ebola relief – that will be left to those with the appropriate expertise, and we support their efforts). While there, Dr. Glick had no known exposure, did not provide any patient care, never even visited an Ebola treatment center, and spent his time with a small group of Sierra Leonians, including Phebian, who were in good health and exhibited no Ebola symptoms. Therefore, as a matter of precaution, he is following CDC guidelines, monitoring his temperature twice daily for 21 days and reporting it to the Dept of Health, despite his low risk status.

“Even a doctor who was in an Ebola treatment center who is not symptomatic, cannot spread the disease,” says Glick. “What we know about this virus is that in the asymptomatic stages, even if someone has the virus inside of them, that they are not contagious, that if we did a blood test, it would not show positive for Ebola. In fact, even the case with Mr. Duncan [Texas, first US case], it wasn’t his family who was around him before he got sick or even initially when he got sick that got the disease – it was the nurses who were taking care of him when he was really sick.” This simple fact draws a really important distinction in where there is risk or not.

The host reiterates, “So if you don’t have symptoms, and you don’t in fact know that you have the sickness, you’re not going to be able to spread the disease?” “Exactly,” Glick confirms.

“I don’t have question in my mind that Ebola will just be episodic in this country, I don’t think its something that we need to fear at all, here. Because we are a global community, there will be these cases that pop up here and there, but it will never sweep through our communities; we have a good health care system here.”

“We need the world to come around West Africa in ways that it is reluctant to do, and we need to try to avoid the fear that we have in this county that is not substantiated.” Dr. Glick encourages focusing energy on channeling relief efforts to alleviating the suffering of those in West Africa.

The host closes the program by affirming, “The bottom line is, the average person out there in WNY and in our country shouldn’t be too concerned.”

Instead, let’s lift up the people of West Africa in our prayers, generously funnel resources there, trust the facts, and work toward putting a stop to the crisis. The more aid that is channeled to West Africa, the more quickly Ebola can be wiped out and the global threat contained.

To stay connected to our efforts and our ongoing work in Sierra Leone, subscribe to this blog. To support our global relief work monetarily, donate at our website.

Introducing Karlin...

Karlin is the newest member of our Global Health Outreach Team. He is a registered nurse who for the past year has lived in Sierra Leone working in Freetown in several capacities. His most recent role was working with the Connaught Government Hospital in capacity building activities within their Emergency Department. This work included helping to set up an isolation unit and training staff in proper isolation techniques. His journey to working with us at Jericho Road is nothing short of a God ordained miracle.

He found out about Jericho Road through a connection at his church in South Carolina. After some time and several conversations, he was able to join Dr. Glick and Phebian for two weeks in the Kono district. During that time, they were able to show him our medical clinic and introduce him to our medical mission project. Shortly thereafter, he was offered a position to join Jericho Road in Sierra Leone with the primary purpose of making our medical clinic operational. He graciously accepted this offer and he's currently working with us in Buffalo, NY. With his skill set, medical background, and in country connections he has been a perfect addition to our Global Health Outreach Team.

Our medical clinic building and mission house is still on track to be finished by January of 2015. Karlin is planning to join Phebian in country at that time. There is a lot of work to be done in making the medical clinic operational. Karlin is ready for this because of his missional heart to serve the people of Sierra Leone, to help improve the medical infrastructure, to strengthen the fragile health system, and to improve the quality of care for those in Kono. By doing this, he will be the hands and feet of Jesus in a country that has been devastated by war, poverty, injustice, and poor health. We are excited at what his presence in Sierra Leone will do for our mission there.

Please consider supporting him by clicking here and selecting Sierra Leone Operations Fund under purpose.  Thank you in advance.

Hope for the Future 10/22/14

Isaiah 65.

Today, I leave for home. Excited to be with Joyce, our children, and my Jericho Road family again. Nervous about the trip home and the reentry into normal life in Buffalo. Sad to say goodbye once again to Phebian and this amazing country.

Hopefully my emails have given you a glimpse of life in Sierra Leone in an Ebola zone. I trust this will motivate you to support the work of Jericho Road and Phebian in a sacrificial way. And I trust you will not soon forget what is happening in West Africa.

I want to sign off with a portion of scripture from Isaiah 65 that captures my heart for the future of Sierra Leone...

Isaiah 65

"For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; and the former shall no longer be remembered or come to mind. I will rejoice in Sierra Leone, and joy in my people; the voice of weeping shall no longer be heard in her, nor the voice of crying. No more shall an infant from there live but a few days, nor an old man who has not fulfilled his days; for the child shall die one hundred years old, and the sinner being one hundred years old will be accursed. They shall build houses, and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit. They shall not build and another inhabit; they shall not plant and eat another; for as the days of a tree so shall be the days of my people, and my elect shall enjoy the work of their hands. They shall not labor in vain, nor bring forth children for trouble; for they shall be the descendants of the blessed of The Lord, and their offspring with them. It shall come to pass that before they call, I will answer; and while they are still speaking, I will hear.

Says the Lord."

Myron.

Freetown 10/20/14

So much has happened since my last email that I'm not sure where to begin.

I guess I will start with our long and eventful journey from Kono to Freetown yesterday. Our travel team included Phebian, myself, our driver, a guard, and a young mechanic to baby sit our truck. We left Kono at 8:30am and 200 miles and 16 hours later, we finally arrived in Freetown in the middle of the night.

Our truck broke down 3 times. The first time was in the middle of a huge muddy spot. Basically a front wheel ball joint broke and our wheel was dangling in the mud. I figured we were stuck for days. No triple A or tow truck to call. However, our team went to work. The guard took off his uniform and got down in the mud. We had to ride a motorbike to the nearest village to rent some tools, come back to the vehicle, remove the offending part, and then ride to a different village where a welder could fix it. Finally, we got going again only to break down 2 other times. I was very impressed at how in each case our team basically figured out a way to fix the problem with the limited resources available. Somehow we to Freetown safely. You have to be creative to survive in this country. If it was me, I would still be stuck in the mud hole and would be pretty angry by now. This country definitely teaches you patience.

Driving through the heart of Sierra Leone in the dark was crazy. Sometimes we had to get out of the truck with a flashlight to check the road to see which way to go to avoid getting stuck. There were unmarked vehicles just parked everywhere. We had to travel through quarantined areas around Makeni and navigate numerous Ebola checkpoints in the dark. Rural Sierra Leone has no electricity so as we passed through villages all we saw in the houses were people crowded around flashlights and an occasional generator. I read recently that New York State uses more electrical power than all of Africa and last night powerfully illustrated this disparity.

Complicating our travel troubles was an email Phebian received yesterday morning as we were leaving Kono that basically said that Ebola is out of control in Freetown and the surrounding area called Waterloo. We needed to drive through that area. The report said that the hospitals and burial teams were overwhelmed and that the stench of death was everywhere with bodies lying in the streets. Needless to say we were worried.

Thankfully we did not see any bodies on the street in Waterloo and honestly as we traveled around Freetown today to visit the American Embassy and Ministry of Health, things looked pretty normal. People here do tell us that sometimes bodies are left on the street and the hospitals are overwhelmed because of the numbers of Ebola cases shooting up in Freetown and surrounding area. When you realize that there are 2 million people in this city one can only weep to think of how much suffering may still lie ahead for the people of this nation. It's almost too much to bear. Pray that the international response will intensify quickly and that God will intervene. God's people in America (I think we are called 'the church') need to put their own fears and problems aside, and be counted now to to be the hands and feet of Jesus to fight this plague. There is no excuse for inaction.

Our team does feel safe. We have decided to keep the whole team with us at the guest house (usually they are allowed to stay with family or friends here) in order to limit exposure. We are careful where we go (no souvenir shipping in crowded markets this trip). Phebian has decided to take me via ferry to the airport on Wednesday morning and then head back to Kono right away instead of staying in Freetown for a week longer as she originally planned.

Today we were finally able to meet with the US Ambassador to Sierra Leone (Thank you, Ed!). It was an exceptionally good meeting. We were able to introduce Phebian and our work as well as discuss medical evacuation plans for Phebian or any of our US volunteers if needed in the future. A common theme I have heard from every US medical person here and even from the Ambassador himself is that there is a fear of being stigmatized and discriminated against upon returning to the US. It was reassuring to hear him vocalize this concern for himself and to reiterate that the US government is not going to pander to the fear and that they really appreciate the sacrifice of the volunteer doctors and nurses. It was encouraging. The only bad part is he is from Boston and loves the Patriots and Bruins.

We also visited the ministry of health and have pretty much finalized our registration to begin operations as a health center in Sierra Leone!!

Last night as we struggled to get to Freetown, I especially felt your prayers and I felt the support of my wife who kept texting me to make sure that we were okay and who had the courage and faith to see me through. This whole trip has not been easy for her as you can imagine but I feel her courage rising and I'm truly grateful for those of you who have reached out in support these past two weeks. Also, Heather had given us a CD mix of songs that I think we had on the whole night. It will definitely be good to be home soon. Thank you to all who are praying for this trip and who are supporting Phebian and this work. You are making a real difference in this amazing place. God is indeed faithful.

Myron.

Leaving Kono 10/18/14

Tomorrow Phebian and I will get up early and head to Freetown where we will have various meetings scheduled on Monday and Tuesday. Then I'll head home on Wednesday. The trip will be long tomorrow, at least 10 hours, taking us over terrible roads and through multiple Ebola checkpoints. Keep us in prayer.

I have mixed feelings about leaving Kono. I am sad to leave our friends, the clinic, and the work here. It seems like this place keeps grabbing hold of more of my heart and not letting go. Each time it is harder to leave. But I also look forward to coming home to my wife, kids, and Jericho Road family, and so Freetown gets me closer to home.

Today was a blur of activity and now I am finally resting. It was hot and muggy today and so I am hoping for another storm. Here is what I did today:

- Ran with Joshua and Kye.
- Met with contractors to figure out where to build the shed for the solar batteries.
- Visited Wellbody to evaluate their patient triage and screening protocols. Also had some good conversations with Dr. Dibba and Dr. Kelly.
- Visited the Kono District Medical Officer and delivered a truck load of medical supplies from the Texas container.
- Met with Phebian and Pastor Joshua to review operational and building finances. They are keeping excellent handwritten ledgers of every transaction and every receipt is accounted for. This is great news! No quick books or calculators over here. Joshua does everything by hand.
- Visited Wellbody again to give them one of the no touch thermometers.
- Fixed a flat tire and then tried to find a spare.
- Met with contractors, Phebian, and Joshua to get a final tally on what is still needing to be done to complete the construction. We need $15,000 to complete the Mission house and fence. This is more than expected and is not in our budget. Please pray and consider giving financially to help us get finished.

Now, I'm writing to you and resting. And I continue to be thankful for good health, God's protection, and the opportunity to participate in this project. It brings we great joy. I feel God's presence and peace that this clinic is almost finished and will be able to open in January. Ebola will not have the final say. Rather we will put our faith in an Almighty God before our fear.

Thank you for your prayers and support.

Myron.

The Least of These 10/21/14

Matthew 25.

Today I met with four of the Sierra Leone Alliance in country directors (World Hope, Edunations, LOL, and Jericho road). The purpose of this meeting was to encourage these brave leaders, discuss the needs related to the Ebola crisis, and to see if there is a way forward for a meaningful project now.

My heart was moved by this meeting. These leader struggle with that they are seeing because the need is great. They are in the communities and are visiting and doing things that sometimes puts themselves at great risk. They struggle with how to protect themselves and their families, yet at the same time realize how much they are needed as leaders. And in all this they are humble and faithful.

Saido mentioned with great sadness about how this time of crisis is bringing him back to memories of the civil war. The uncertainty is overwhelming and he is fearful of how much more Ebola will spread, and as a result my bring another season of social and political unrest to his country. He does not know how this crisis will end and this is very unsettling.

I asked these leaders to tell me what they are seeing as needs that we may be able to address and what I heard was sobering...

1. The need for food relief for the Ebola victims and their families who are quarantined. Normally in SL hospitals the food is supplied by families. But now the holding centers the patients are isolated and often treated with fear so are not fed. In addition, their families are quarantined in their homes for 21 days surrounded by armed guards and apparently are often left with little food or water. Some escape refusing to starve and thus the disease is spread.

2. The need for burial teams. Everyone had stories from their districts of bodies being left for days before the burial team could come to test for Ebola and then safely remove and bury the dead. The viral load in a dead Ebola patient is high and so these bodies are extremely contagious. They need to be handled with great care. Unfortunately, there are not enough teams to meet the demand and so the bodies decompose at the home or outside or on the street. Imagine how their families must feel. The safe and timely burial of all dead would be a huge way to contain the crisis. I was told of a faithful pastor in Makeni who has joined the burial team and of Kamakyie Wesleyan Hospital forming its own burial team.

3. Hospital gowns for Ebola patients. Patients are presenting to the treatment centers with only the clothes they are wearing. They are immediately isolated from their family and treatment centers do not always have the ability to provide gowns and do laundry. Patients who are vomiting and having diarrhea are sometimes left dirty and naked to fend for themselves.

4. Transportation. They need for more ambulances to carry the sick, hearses to bury the dead, and  motorcycles to do the contact tracing is huge. Also fuel to maintain the vehicles. Many of the hard hit villages are in remote, hard to reach areas with horrible roads, and so the logistical challenge of just providing transportation to the teams is difficult.

After listening to the various needs, I simply asked what would you like to do together if your brothers and sisters in Buffalo would be willing to provide support? It was unanimously agreed that they would like to provide food support to the families in quarantine and all the patients in the holding centers in the 4 districts represented by our SL Alliance. This would alleviate a real need and would directly help in the fight to contain Ebola because those in quarantine will be less likely to run away if they have sufficient food and water. Then I asked, what do you need to do this? Fifteen minutes later, I had the basics of a proposal which I hope to present to Pastor Daryl Largis and our SL Allicance as soon as I return to Buffalo. This is a simple but profound way for all of us to work together to meet a real need.

All during this meeting as I was listening to these leaders describe what they were seeing, Jesus' words in Matthew 25 kept ringing in my ears, "when I was hungry, you gave me something to eat, when I was naked you clothed me, when I was in prison you visited me." Jesus when on to say that whenever you do this to the 'least of these' you do this for me. I don't think anywhere in the world right now there are people who better fit the definition of the 'least of these' than the Ebola patients and their families. Our partners here on the front lines are willing to humble act with great courage. Are those of us in Buffalo who hear of the needs, willing to help?

I came across a scripture from The Psalms this trip that I think captures the essence of why I feel compelled to write these daily email updates.

"When I kept silent my bones wasted away."

Thank you for faithfully praying for this trip, our team, and the situation in West Africa. Especially tonight keep Saidu, Samuel, Phebian, Pious, and Jusu in your prayers. I am healthy and our team is well. I will be home soon.

Myron.