Dr. Sawyer Serving with Samaritan's Purse

Dr. Sawyer Serving with Samaritan's Purse
Papua New Guinea

Thursday, June 24, 2010

It's still raining...



     Three weeks without a drop of rain.  Things were looking so bleak that even the hospital had to hire this truck to come to fill the tank outside of the operating theatre so that we could have running water in the operating room.  Even then we only had water trickling out of the faucet where we were washing our hands for surgery. 
     Then last night while we were getting ready to eat dinner, huge black thunderclouds moved in.  There was an enormous double rainbow for a few minutes, and then it started to rain, and rain, and rain.  The power went out for awhile.  We were so grateful to finally have some water to fill our tanks from the runoff from our roof.  That means we can bathe and do some laundry today! This is what the rain looked like pouring off of our porch.  The sky had become so dark that it was as if it were already night time.  I honestly don't think I have ever taken a picture of rain before!
     Today had been another busy day of taking care of so many patients.  I was particularly discouraged by trying to resect a cervical cancer, but the cancer involved the bladder and ureters and I was unable to complete the surgery.  At the moment there is no radiation therapy in the entire country.  I called Dr. Jim Radcliffe into the operating theatre to have hiim look, and he confirmed that we had gone as far as we could, and so I had to stop the surgery, leaving the cancerous cervix inside. 
     On the way home down the path to our house today, this little child was sitting inside a discarded piece of concrete pipe.  It was a nice place to hide from the afternoon sun (just prior to the approaching rain clouds arriving.)  It was just the perfect size for him to put his legs up and relax.

6 comments:

  1. Dr. Sawyer thank you for sharing your amazing journey. I enjoy reading your blogs and hearing of how God is working through your hands. I pray for you and your families safe travels and for those patients that need lifted up to Him. Truely a blessing to have people in this world like you. Kerri Clapper

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  2. Rain ... more rain!!! It's wonderful to be part of those praying for rain for all of you. I'm sure laundry and showers sound good to all of you also!!! Sounds like the storms there are a lot like our Arizona monsoon thunderstorms. Love the picture of the child in concrete pipe. Kids are so precious...love the universal message of a smile. Praying for all of you!!!

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  3. I love the posts with the pictures. The loss of life is staggering - everyone in America should read this blog and then thank God for His many blessings to them, and then get involved in helping. God bless you guys!!

    Larry

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  4. Hi Dr. Sawyer,
    I was just looking around palmcroft.com and found your blog. Thank you so much for sharing what you are doing. It is incredible! We so much enjoyed having Michael come to Roots at our house. It's great to see how he and the rest of your family are invoved in this ministry.
    Praying for you,
    Jeanine Seyler

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  5. Love, love, love your blog! It makes me relize again how precious life is. And how we all sometimes take it for granted. As I hold my very happy and heathly little girl in my arms reading how often saddness,and grief occurs daily in Papua New Guinea. I have to stop and think... "Wow I really don't have it so bad, now do I?!" Thank you Dr. Sawyer for the insight to though's reading you blog.

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  6. Dr. Sawyer,
    I have finally just now caught up on every single blog entry you have written. My heart is touched by the work you are doing and the people you are helping. Your family is amazing, and God is using them in incredible ways. I am thanking God even more today for those like your family and the families who live their full time to help the people of PNG. Such sad stories...praying that God will fill them with the hope that only He can give. Praying for you and your family during the rest of your trip.
    Blessings,
    Heather S.
    P.S. I just can't believe how big your kids are!! It's been so long since I've seen them!

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