March 2008

Right now, we are nearing the end of the dry season, and the dirt roads we travel on are dusty and hard. The land around our clinic site is dry and crops are struggling to survive. We’re hoping some rain will start to fall soon; otherwise, the farmers are in danger of losing many of their crops. People in this area have a fragile existence, living from day to day at the mercy of the weather and what they can harvest from their small fields. When food is scarce, health declines and both adults and children suffer from the effects of malnutrition. Ill people stay at home, because they often don’t have even the small amount of money needed for consultation fees. When we talk with the patients waiting to be seen in our clinic in Gatineau, we tell them to encourage the ill members of their community to come see us. We’ll take care of them and give them the medications they need regardless of their ability to pay. We want you to know that we can offer this service to them only because of the generosity of people like you.