Indonesia - July 2006 - Cataract Surgeries

I left home July 7, 2006 for a mission to Indonesia and the Philipppines. My main purpose in going to Indonesia was to see about the cataract surgeries BandS Ministries partners with other NPO's in doing. The flight to Medan was very comfortable thanks to free on miles given by Larry and Gaylene Drader, of Calgary, Alberta, (Gaylene is my niece).

The roads on the Island of Nias are still in a state of disrepair. Almost every bridge and culvert on the island was destroyed during the tsunomi and earth quake last year.

The roads make it both dangerous and difficult to transport patients to Lukas Hospital for their eye surgeries. Even with these problems, there were 101 eye surgeries completed during the second week of July.

The weather also interfered with our travels. Our flight from Medan to Sitoli was cancelled twice and we arrived a day late. Getting off the island was also difficult. I bought tickets on two different airlines so I could be sure of getting a seat. I took the first flight out.

I found out that the bugs on Nias have been in training. They now attack me without a sound. I thought of trying to negotiate with them and offer my blood in a small basin so they could get their fill with out puncturing my warm and tender body. Think of the wear and tear it would save on their little sticker/sipper.

We will do surgery in a few hours. One interesting fact about this trip is that many of the patients came from remote villages. One small village sent 40 patients. It is only 17 miles from their village to the hospital but it takes 6 hours to make the trip.

We sent 4 small trucks with benches in the back for them to travel in. Of course, more than 40 people came. Each patient was allowed to bring one person with them, but the count seemed to get mixed up.