Sambani is from Kalonga Village in Lilongwe District.  He lives with his parents and four siblings.  He had been blind for two years, and had stopped going to school last year.  He had been doing well at school, and told me “I was an intelligent boy!”  He was in standard 4 but his low vision “made me to be a useless boy” he said.  I couldn’t believe what he was saying.

Sambani in the Clinic

He lives with his father and mother and four siblings, and they were looking after him.

Sambani after his second cataract operation

Sambani told me and nurse Rose, that he is now going to continue his education because he is “still young”.  He wants to be a driver or a teacher.

Sambani

It will be great to take Sambani back home today, so he can be with his whole family again, and then start school again next week when school opens for the new year.  We will try and meet him again in a few months to see how he is doing.

Pieter, the South African missionary living near Monkey Bay phoned me yesterday.  There are many people he has met in the villages who would like to, or need to, come to Nkhoma for their eyes.  Lumbani will be heading down on Sunday with the ambulance to help collect them. We will try and meet with Mary who lives nearby, and see how she is doing, 4 months after her surgery!

Mary with white diabetic cataracts - Photo: Roger Loguarro

With the help of the doctors in the general hospital, she did extremely well.  She felt much better, less tired, but was still blind.   Eventually after 12 days it was her time for surgery.

I felt very sorry for Mary, as she is so young and was doing well at school until relatively quickly her sight was lost.  She can barely move around now, and constantly needs help.  Of course school has been out of the question for her for the past year.

I don’t really see that many people with Diabetes in Malawi.

Meeting Mary on the waiting line

I was a bit scared when operating, as I wan’t sure how far advanced the diabetes in the eye was, but after the first operation all was well.

Half way there, and happy

In the end a small miracle happened.  I was scared that the diabetes had not only resulted in cataracts, but had also affected the retina.  The surgery went very well, the Nkhoma team were awesome in their care, and Mary’s sight was totally restored.  I will try and visit her in her village near the south Lake Malawi lakeshore later this year, and we are helping her with her diabetic medications so she should be back at the hospital in a month or so for a check up as well.

I felt so thankful that Mary had found us, and we’d been able to help.  I really hope that her life carries on in the way she planned.  She was so excited to head home and celebrate.

Mary, ready to take go home to Lake Malawi, 3 hours drive away

I said goodbye to Mary on a Tuesday, and she travelled home with the Nkhoma ambulance early the next morning.  I’ll tell you, and I am so happy for her!

Tikale just after surgery

We operated and successfully implanted an artificial lens.  Tikale stayed with us in the hospital for nearly two weeks after surgery, so we could get all the drops in his eye, and check his vision regularly.

Already happy after surgery

He enjoyed hanging out at the hospital, and made a lot of friends as he was so full of renewed energy!

Tikale gettings ready to go home after surgery

On the same day a team went out to visit the villages, and drop off Tikale and his family, Sam spotted an elephant youth.

Baby elephant in the village

There used to be families of elephants roaming the Linthipe valley near Nkhoma even as recent as 25 years ago.  They have all moved on now.

We are blessed that there are still one or two around!

From the team at Nkhoma and on behalf of all the patients we serve, I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and all the best for 2011!

Some awesome electrical storms pass over Nkhoma.  I was in the house during one two nights ago, and the thunder and lightning happened simultaneously as bright flashes surrounded the house.  Poor Ellie ran for cover under the bed.  I found out the next day that two cows were struck by lightning in neighbouring Dzuwa village.  The owner of the cows fainted at the time, but is absolutely fine now.  She still has six more cows, and villagers have been coming around to buy beef.

After less than two months of rain

I had to drive to Blantyre yesterday to spend the day with Dr Tamara, helping her with her retinopathy of prematurity thesis.  We spent the day at the Kangaroo mothercare and Chitanka neonatal unit seeing premature babies, and chatting with their mothers.  It’s quite hard looking at these babies eyes, some were so small.. less than 3 lbs when born a few days or weeks ago.

I also met with the Registrar General, and although it is pretty rare for a British and an American citizen to marry in Malawi, there should be no problem legally or registering!

A South Africa missionary couple got married at Nkhoma 15 years ago, and were carried from the church in a traditional ox cart.  Sadly the groom was sick with malaria and was carried in a litter up to the mountain hut for their honeymoon.

I was very glad to see Esther, Kambewa and all the staff at Nkhoma.  We are planning together for the year ahead.  We continue to pray for Nick’s recovery; and for rains to continue, especially in the south of the country where the crops are starting to fail.

I’ll enjoy the weekend walking around the village and market with Ellie and friends, and then tee up for the Africa Cup of Nations final at Kambewa’s house tomorrow night.