tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22167207977425161962024-03-13T11:44:01.737+00:00iScripts.....as in writings........doctor speak for prescriptions..........and the Word of God............
"He sent forth His word and healed them" Psalm 107:20Rick and Debbie Sacrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07230882112257940851noreply@blogger.comBlogger128125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2216720797742516196.post-58689230334924245932016-09-29T21:30:00.000+00:002016-09-29T21:35:13.760+00:00Escripts--September 29, 2016--Looking back, looking forward<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="color: #202020; font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Here I (Rick) am, sitting
in the airport in Frankfurt, Germany, making the transition again-- from the
USA to Liberia; from advocating, fundraising and praying from afar to working,
interacting, and collaborating side by side; from the beginning of autumn to
the end of rainy season. I’m really happy Debbie and I get to travel together
this time! From this vantage point, right in the bend of the road, it is a
pretty good view looking back to where we’ve come from, and a pretty good view
forward as well, so let me share the view from here with you.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #202020;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Looking back…</span></span><span style="color: #202020;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">.</span><br /><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
Dr. Rick’s Ride turned out to be a lot of fun! I think my biggest surprise was
how many people spent so many hours assisting with this project—I am so
grateful! Seven different riders joined me on different legs of the 3-day ride,
165 miles from Springfield to Wayland, to Lowell, to Worcester (Massachusetts).
Someone drove the “back-up car” for first aid and mechanical help along the
way. A gracious host at each of these stops (assisted by others they recruited)
put together an opportunity for me to share the burden God has placed on my
heart for the current challenge of HIV in Liberia. Many prayed, listened, and
donated. Thank God for answering so many prayers! We had a very safe ride. 164
donors have given over $20,000 so far for the ELWA Hospital HIV/AIDS Education
Project, and more is coming in. The total need is $200,000 over 5 years.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2fpcxfIy6CA/V-2HHz9dhDI/AAAAAAAAAvg/7Kxa72lH_PMp7WZIOwggCNQKbUS4bSJGACLcB/s1600/courtyard%2BJuly%2B2016%2Bsmaller.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2fpcxfIy6CA/V-2HHz9dhDI/AAAAAAAAAvg/7Kxa72lH_PMp7WZIOwggCNQKbUS4bSJGACLcB/s320/courtyard%2BJuly%2B2016%2Bsmaller.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #202020;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--></span><span style="color: #202020; font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif;">Looking forward….</span><span style="color: #202020; font-family: "tahoma" , sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
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<span style="color: #202020;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">October is going to be a busy month in Liberia.
I’ll be working with Rachelle, who heads up our HIV/AIDS Care Team at ELWA, to
get the initial activities of our project going: expanding and promoting our
monthly support groups; selecting, training and deploying our community
outreach team; and working out the details of supervision and reporting on the
project’s outcomes. Debbie will be working on publicity for the
dedication of the new ELWA Hospital building, coming up on October 22<sup>nd</sup>.
And both of us will be finding ways to pitch in and help with all the
administrative details needed to make the move to the new building a success.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #202020; font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">HEY!<br />
If you missed <a href="http://simusa.us10.list-manage.com/track/click?u=ac91463b09d504889c41799a1&id=17f4ed8380&e=c09032b8eb" style="-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2baadf;">Rick's talk on HIV-AIDS</span></a><a href="http://simusa.us10.list-manage.com/track/click?u=ac91463b09d504889c41799a1&id=1f585eadf3&e=c09032b8eb" style="-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2baadf;"> in Liberia</span></a> you can watch it on YouTube. </span><br />
<span style="color: #202020; font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #202020; font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif;">Please continue to pray
with us!<br />
Pray for God to guide and direct the new efforts to reduce deaths from HIV.<br />
Pray for the dedication of the new hospital facility to be an event at which
God is glorified as Samaritan’s Purse and SIM join hands in meeting the health
needs of our patients in the name of Christ.<br />
Ask God to provide the needed staff and volunteers to provide top-notch,
compassionate care at our new facility</span></span></div>
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Rick and Debbie Sacrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07230882112257940851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2216720797742516196.post-87724005693983222462016-09-28T05:03:00.001+00:002016-09-28T05:03:25.350+00:00Dr. Rick's Ride!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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For all those of you who weren't able to make it to one of the Dr. Rick's Ride's presentations on the HIV/AIDS challenge in Liberia, Here it is on Youtube! : ) (This was the talk at Trinitarian Congregational Church in Wayland.... thanks to Ken Keyes for the awesome video work/powerpoint integration!) Enjoy....</div>
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fyoutu.be%2FKfkzdNy1tcg&h=CAQEYFuXOAQF-rY5EIaPzENbsU5yBgFvXytPM-mT6DOkqYQ&enc=AZPyOimCt7cFLLqzNnMI8Qlfaktg_bOW8GEbLqS2ADFiLc6NhTRGhIcfpwyuYLlr17LbWcRQb2qjiG6AWdJkMnxPtYnJOp1rmxuzW0wa4OGix8hmxA5qjwPfbjGig_jmpgDeKWJ1i-KXGAF5CSJbwu_fj22ilUbsBOvfraK-FeHhkdztJn3Kdla2X0qO40LpdEKKtwuVq8MjP84UksGJXMjc&s=1" rel="nofollow" style="color: #365899; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">https://youtu.be/KfkzdNy1tcg</a></div>
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Rick and Debbie Sacrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07230882112257940851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2216720797742516196.post-70910091275021997082016-09-05T23:45:00.000+00:002016-09-05T23:45:02.052+00:00Flat tires<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">So,
I was inspired back in May to do a 160 mile bike ride across Massachusetts, to
raise funds for HIV care and prevention in Liberia—It’s coming up soon,
September 8<sup>th</sup> to 11<sup>th</sup>!
I’ve been doing a lot of cycling to train and get ready. One day in
early August, I was doing a 30 mile ride, and just a few miles into it I had
that unmistakable experience… I hear a noise, a little “thunk” as I run over
something. And then I notice that there’s a little more resistance to forward
progress. I start to feel the road a little more. At first I look down, and
everything looks OK, and I think it’s just my imagination. But then the bike
starts to slow down, and I’m really feeling the road, and I look again…. yep, my
back tire is flat. Suddenly my progress has halted, and I have to stop and fix
my tire. No problem, I have a spare tube and a little toolkit. I stop, find a
safe place by the road to get the tire off the rim and pull out the tube. I get
the tube changed and pump it up, pop it back on the bike and get on my way again.
My hands are a little greasy now, but I’m thinking it’s not so bad… just puts
me about 15 minutes behind what I was hoping for, but I have the time. So I’m
continuing on, having a good ride, getting a little past the half-way point,
and “pop” I hear the sound again, this time from the front tire. Now this is
worse luck than usual! I look through the stuff in my bag, and realize I don’t
have everything I need to fix another flat. I call Deb to come and pick me up. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">If
this was a one-time occurrence, that would be one thing. But over the last
month, I’ve had 7 flat tires! Some in front, some in back, different places
around the rim, so it’s not that there’s something stuck in my tire. I’ve
ridden well into the thousands of miles over the last 6 years, and I’ve probably
had a flat tire about once a year. Could God be sending me a message? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I
must admit, at first I thought it was because I’d had a couple early mornings
where I had gotten up and gotten straight on the bike without having my usual
time of Bible reading and prayer. I took it as God telling me: “Put me first”.
So I made sure from then on to first have my time with Jesus before taking off
on a morning ride. But that was about 4 flats ago…. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">As
I’ve been reflecting on this (I’ve had lots of time to reflect… each time I
find myself by the side of the road, changing another tube!), I think God has
put this little inconvenience in my life to help me understand a few things. He’s
saying, “Rick, if you have something worthwhile you are working on, that you
feel called to do, burdened to do, convinced from the core of your being that
it’s the right thing to do, are you going to let a few flat tires discourage
you? Nope, you’re going to press on. Does another obstacle, another
disappointment, another delay mean that I have turned my back, that I don’t
want you to persevere? Nope. I’m telling
you that I want you to dig deeper.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">But most of all, I feel
like God is letting me know that the highest priority in life is not reaching a
destination or accomplishing a great achievement. It’s walking with Him. It’s
allowing each disappointment, each delay, each difficulty to draw me closer to
Him.</span><br />
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Rick and Debbie Sacrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07230882112257940851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2216720797742516196.post-39167719344292785332016-05-21T21:39:00.001+00:002016-05-21T21:39:27.763+00:00Weekend call...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Quite
a weekend…. I’d arrived late Wednesday night, spent the day Thursday organizing
and distributing the meds and supplies I’d brought with me. Friday I met with
the medical staff and with our SIM Liberia Director. Saturday morning I took over as the on-call
physician at ELWA Hospital, covering our 50 bed facility for the weekend. One
of my local colleagues helped me with rounds on Saturday. And then, about 11:30 AM, it all started…. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Amelia
(not her real name) is a 32 year old mother of 3 who had not been to ELWA
before. She came from 25 minutes down the road—the rural area between Monrovia
and the airport. She told us she’d never had a day of formal education. She was
9 months pregnant, and had severe abdominal pain starting around 10:00 in the
morning. There were no fetal heart tones, and she had significant vaginal
bleeding. The abdomen was so tender that it was difficult to really get a good
exam. I talked with Amelia, her sister,
and an Aunt who had helped get her to the hospital. I told them she’d need an
urgent operation, as it looked like the placenta had separated from the uterus
and we needed to get the baby out and get the bleeding controlled, though it
looked like the baby had already died in her abdomen. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">After
the surgical team made their preparations, I scrubbed in and got ready to start
the case. I’d been hoping for an easy first weekend—maybe a c-section or two,
but let them be healthy ones with good babies. Not this time. As we entered the
abdomen, we encountered copious clots and blood—I reached my hand in through
the incision and explored, and realized this was not an abruption, but a
uterine rupture—the baby had been expelled through a tear in the lower uterine
segment, along with the placenta. We extracted the stillborn baby and the
placenta and brought the uterus into view—there was a stellate rupture
extending in 3 different directions. With some skillful help from Gideon, the
assistant, we pieced the uterus back together and repaired it in 2 layers.
After a transfusion, Amelia’s BP stabilized and she was able to go on the
postpartum ward. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Sunday
morning I was awakened at 5:30 by a call from the ER—a pregnant woman had come
in, short of breath, with O2 saturation of 57%. When I arrived, she looked like
she might give up the ghost at any moment. Her heart was massively enlarged, she
was in pulmonary edema, and she was full term. I silently prayed for her as we
gave her oxygen, lasix, hydralazine, and IV digoxin. Miraculously, she
gradually stabilized, and later in the day delivered a full term baby girl who
unfortunately appeared to have brain damage from her prolonged hypoxia. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Add
to that a couple other challenges—a vacuum extraction on a woman whose baby had
apgars of 5, 5, and 7; and a c-section on a patient attempting a trial of labor
after prior cesarean. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif; font-size: 12pt;">All
these women survived, and two of the four had good neonatal outcomes. If these
women had been pregnant just 18 to 22 months ago, during the worst Ebola
epidemic the world has ever seen, it’s quite likely that all 4 of them would
have died or had even more complicated deliveries, due to the closure of most
health facilities here. Timely, skilled maternity care is a lifeline in a place
like Liberia—a very fragile lifeline. One of our priorities is to extend that
lifeline to as many women as possible, as well as training local midwives and
physicians in quality emergency obstetric care. I’m so grateful to practice as
part of teams, both here in Liberia and in Worcester, that make women’s health
and maternity care such a priority!</span><span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div>
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Rick and Debbie Sacrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07230882112257940851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2216720797742516196.post-53083991621211143562016-04-08T00:12:00.000+00:002016-04-08T14:49:43.063+00:00The answer to his own prayer request<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">One of the first people patients meet when they check into
the clinic at ELWA hospital is William Pewee. He receives their clinic card
with a warm greeting and a smile, then hands them their medical record before they
join the line to see a provider. If they have a question, he will help, because
he wants people to feel cared for when they come to ELWA. In fact, before he was employed in the records
room, Pewee was a volunteer who led
devotions and prayed with patients on the wards.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> In the midst of the Ebola crisis, Pewee shared a request at
the monthly ELWA prayer meeting for the patients in the Ebola Treatment Unit,
that someone would encourage them in the Lord. For obvious reasons, volunteers
could not enter the unit to lead devotions. That night, he dreamed that a man
in a white gown came to him saying “we are coming for you, so get ready,”
meaning that he might die, but he argued and wrestled against him. He had recently read the story of King Hezekiah,
and he told the man he was a preacher and wanted more time like Hezekiah was
given. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> The next morning as he got ready for work, he felt the
chills of a fever. Although he did not think he had been exposed to Ebola, he
knew he should be careful. When he arrived at the hospital, Dr. Fankhauser saw
his bloodshot eyes and put him in the “suspected cases” ward of the Ebola unit. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> The Ebola test was positive, but his case was not typical. Although
he experienced bleeding from his nose and ears--one of the scarier symptoms--it
subsided after a few days. In the end, his sickness was very mild and he never
even had the diarrhea that weakens most patients. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> After just four days in the ETU, Pewee felt better. But he
realized that his prayer request was very relevant, because dozens of people were
dying around him. People were truly afraid,
especially at night when so many seemed to pass away. So he became the answer
to his own prayer request and “opened a revival,” as he puts it. Late every night, after the last medications
were administered, the patients who were strong enough gathered to read the
Bible and sing and pray. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> While he was recovering, he met a familiar face. A surgeon and former medical director of ELWA
Hospital, Dr. John Dada, was admitted to the ETU. Dr. Brown asked Pewee to look
after him, and call whenever there was a concern. But sadly, even as he seemed
to be improving, the beloved doctor suddenly died. Losing Dr. Dada hit the ELWA staff very hard.
</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> SIM recognized that many people would be affected by the
traumas they faced in those months. They
organized a program to train local facilitators of “Trauma Healing Groups” who
would learn about the emotional impact of trauma and the road to healing. Eighty facilitators were trained in July 2015.
There is such a demand for these groups among those who have been touched by
the Ebola crisis and other past traumas in Liberia that more facilitators will
be trained in May.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> Pewee participated in the first trauma healing workshop. Although he was able to reach out to others in the middle of his own Ebola experience, he said the program helped him to understand and cope with his own lingering emotions: "it helped me come down," he says. Losing patients he prayed with, watching the body bags leave the ETU was a painful experience that has stayed with him.</span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">William Pewee’s job at ELWA may seem like a small one,
pulling and replacing files all day. But for him, it is a way to show the love
of Jesus to someone who may be having a difficult day. He is one of the wonderful
staff that we get to work with at ELWA--so many of them have a story to tell of
God’s faithfulness. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">And I’m excited to share that it is going to be my new
assignment with SIM-Liberia to tell these stories. I am now the Communications
officer for our field, a job that I began during my trip in February. I’ll be doing my best to fill the role from
the U.S. with occasional trips to Liberia as our family situation allows. I hope that you will be encouraged to hear
more about the way God has been working in Liberia through these stories.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Praise God for the power of the Resurrection in our lives
and in our world!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Debbie</span> </div>
</div>
Rick and Debbie Sacrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07230882112257940851noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2216720797742516196.post-13397816798869906032015-09-02T21:33:00.002+00:002015-09-02T21:42:30.059+00:00Thank God for Life<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lHd3ATB6Pkk/VedtLIq5J7I/AAAAAAAAArI/C4jwiOoWyjI/s1600/IMG_1456.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lHd3ATB6Pkk/VedtLIq5J7I/AAAAAAAAArI/C4jwiOoWyjI/s400/IMG_1456.JPG" width="400" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span> </div>
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> In Liberia when you greet people, “How are you?” they often
respond, “Thank God for life.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve
always appreciated that answer—it says so much:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>God is in control, God has given me life, this day is a gift from Him
and I want it to honor Him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That answer
is even more real to me now. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> September 1 was the one year anniversary of Rick’s diagnosis
of Ebola virus disease.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is hard to
believe that life is so normal now, considering the possibilities that this day
held for us a year ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> While</span> Rick waited
for the result of his test, and began to feel the effects of the virus taking
hold, he felt the strong arms of his heavenly Father holding him close.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For my part, I took long walks and shed many
tears, trying to imagine life without Rick, but completely sure in my heart
that God would carry me through. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> As the news broke, we were caught up in a tidal wave of evacuation
plans and media attention, and held afloat by the prayers and acts of kindness
of our family, friends and community.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
have often said that for a few days, Rick was probably the most prayed for
individual on the planet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are no
words that could ever express our gratitude for the way our family was loved
through our crisis, so we wish to just say thank you and God bless you. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> We admit that the story of the Ebola epidemic reveals many
uncomfortable realities of our world today, including apathy towards the crisis
from the developed world in the early months and the social inequalities
exemplified by the evacuation and treatment of the Americans who contracted the
disease. But there were no guarantees because our times are in God’s
hands.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By His mercy and thanks to the
amazing professionals at the Nebraska Biocontainment Unit, Rick recovered fully.
We trust that in some way, God has used him in the battle against Ebola in West
Africa, which is hopefully in its last days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Although Liberia has been Ebola free for much of the last 5 months,
Sierra Leone and Guinea are still reporting a few cases each week. But now
there is promise that a vaccine could finally bring this epidemic to an end,
and prevent future ones. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> However, that vaccine will not prevent a crisis like this
from happening when a new disease or virus emerges to sweep through West Africa
or another region. Strengthening the healthcare systems in countries like
Liberia is the real “vaccine” that will prevent a future crisis.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> This week, SIM has invited missionary and West African
healthcare leaders to meet in Ghana for a conversation about how the mission
and its partners can help strengthen healthcare resources in the region. Rick
couldn’t be there, but you know his heart is with them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Please pray along with us for these Christian
leaders who desire to change the realities that caused African families to lose
their husbands, fathers, wives, mothers, brothers, sisters, and children in the
last year and a half. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
Rick and Debbie Sacrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07230882112257940851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2216720797742516196.post-64121666046002012652015-07-18T19:03:00.003+00:002015-07-18T19:03:39.216+00:00Community Health Survey<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Last Saturday
afternoon was bright and sunny after a rainy morning. Because I had the day
free, I had contacted a few friends to let them know I might be visiting. First
I walked up Rock Hill across the main road from ELWA, to visit old family
friends Tom and Bindu. It’s always so wonderful to get off the compound into
the community, to greet people as they’re sitting on their porches or working
in their gardens. I was encouraged to see that the city had run water pipes up
to the top of Rock Hill and now residents can fill 2 buckets of water for 5
Liberian Dollars (about 6 cents US) at any of several stations like this one: </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span></span> </div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mHhgLbUdWAo/VaqhyAyFOlI/AAAAAAAAAqI/Sn3piMix97U/s1600/Rock%2Bhill%2Bwater%2Bstation.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="225" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mHhgLbUdWAo/VaqhyAyFOlI/AAAAAAAAAqI/Sn3piMix97U/s400/Rock%2Bhill%2Bwater%2Bstation.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">This setup
solves a major problem for the community. In the past, during dry season,
people would have to walk 15 minutes to get to reliable wells where they could
draw water. The money goes to pay the city water bill.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> My
visit to Tom and Bindu was a house call of sorts—Tom’s foot was hurting and he
was having difficulty getting around.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So
I did an exam and recommended some treatment that would help him recover. I enjoyed
some nice sweet potato greens, rice, and fresh mangoes and bananas that Bindu
had fixed, and caught up with everyone in the family.</span> </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> Getting
out in the community is more than just a chance to see old friends and greet
people. It helps me to understand the context which has such an impact on
peoples’ health. As I walked up the hill, I noticed a lot of big holes full of
water in yards and near the road. Many of the residents of Rock Hill make a living
by breaking up the rock (with hammers) around their houses into gravel for road
and construction projects. The holes are left behind after they have dug out
the rock. During rainy season, these holes fill with water and become a drowning
risk for toddlers and kids who wander away from their caretakers and fall into
them unobserved. Bindu told me that each year there are incidents of drowning
in the community.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What a heartbreak it is
for those families when a tragedy like that could be prevented.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> On
Sunday morning I was on duty at the hospital. An elderly man who had died at
home during the night was brought in the back seat of a car. The family needed
a certificate from the hospital stating that he had not died from Ebola, so
that they could take the body to a funeral home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The man had not been ill, and there were no
signs to suggest Ebola. As I was filling out the paperwork, I overheard some of
the family members saying that others in the home were not feeling well. When I
inquired about it, I found out that all the others who had slept in the house
were dizzy or disoriented. I asked about generators and learned the family had
been running a small generator in a utility room inside the house. I
immediately asked the family to have the others who weren’t feeling well
brought to the hospital, and we treated 3 of them with oxygen for carbon monoxide
poisoning. This is another common safety issue that occurs in Liberia: there is
no utility power for most Liberians, so they purchase a small generator to
provide household power. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The generators
are not always vented properly and cannot be left outside for security
reasons.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There isn’t a system of
enforcing building codes for most residences, and people don’t always understand
the safety precautions they must take with a generator. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> I don’t
want to give the impression that people are simply careless with these matters –
the truth is that safety costs something. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You have the rock available to help provide income
but then what do you fill the hole with?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>You can’t use the money to build a safety fence-- you need it for important
things like school tuition. You find a way to buy a little generator and a
liter or two of fuel for each day so you can have lights, but you can’t afford
to build a proper exhaust system. And the generator will be stolen if you run
it outdoors (or it might be raining). We don’t realize that safety is a benefit
of affluence.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> In
spite of that reality, I feel compelled to try to raise awareness when I see
things like the water-filled rock holes and carbon monoxide poisoning. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>ELWA Radio airs a program called “Appointment
with the Doctor” which is a forum for educating listeners about health
issues.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yesterday I recorded a radio
program about these two community safety matters. I am praying that our
listeners will be able to share information and ideas with their neighbors and
help communities in our area become safer!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></span></div>
</div>
Rick and Debbie Sacrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07230882112257940851noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2216720797742516196.post-74236100728583364692015-06-30T20:30:00.002+00:002015-06-30T20:41:33.435+00:00Some Family News<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> We have not shared any family news in long time, and a
lot has been happening, so I’m going to use this update to catch you up.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"> We had two graduations in May. Caleb graduated from high
school.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He will be attending Lesley University
in Cambridge, MA next year, where he is signed up to study Illustration.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We feel that Lesley is a great fit for him,
and hope he will thrive and grow there as he discovers his talents and
interests.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He is going to be working at
Worcester Art Museum this summer as an assistant teacher for their children’s
classes.</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jcsNn6jZZcs/VZL5DsvrVAI/AAAAAAAAApM/eduS5q9PNY4/s1600/2015-05-23%2B006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jcsNn6jZZcs/VZL5DsvrVAI/AAAAAAAAApM/eduS5q9PNY4/s400/2015-05-23%2B006.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span> <span style="font-family: Arial;"> Jared also completed his program in Heating, Ventilation,
Air Conditioning and Refrigeration (HVAC-R). He really toughed it out over the
winter, traveling every day to Boston on the commuter rail. He is applying for
entry level jobs in his field, which is always a tricky process.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> Max has been living at home since Rick’s illness, and
just got a job as a restaurant server. It has been good to have him on hand,
especially when Rick is away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> Our family has talked and dreamed of visiting Europe for
many years (it was always so close, as we traveled through on the way to
Liberia) and the timing seemed just right this year to make it happen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We spent about two weeks in central Italy and
France at the beginning of June, just ahead of the crowds and the heat. We saw
the sights and the museums until our legs felt like rubber, but we feel like we
made the most of it. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LhduEfQDelo/VZL5g4-iVaI/AAAAAAAAApU/IMCrdH3D-nE/s1600/2015-05-30%2B022.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LhduEfQDelo/VZL5g4-iVaI/AAAAAAAAApU/IMCrdH3D-nE/s400/2015-05-30%2B022.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> Probably the most powerful day of the trip was the day we
spent touring Utah and Omaha beaches in Normandy and visiting the American
cemetery. Our guide told stories that made us think “God was there.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2tTRI_r6law/VZL5i9eNyDI/AAAAAAAAApc/zFfI2NMZ_-o/s1600/2015-06-08%2B006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2tTRI_r6law/VZL5i9eNyDI/AAAAAAAAApc/zFfI2NMZ_-o/s400/2015-06-08%2B006.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"> Rick left on June 29 for Liberia, and will be there through
most of July.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The SIM Liberia team is
slowly transitioning back to normal operations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Our new country director, David Writebol, returned in June along with
his wife Nancy (the Ebola survivor) to take up his new position.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The other missionaries are also getting
back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dr. Fankhauser and his family have
been there for several months already. They all recently enjoyed a visit from
Dr. Kent Brantly and his family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In
addition, work has resumed on the new ELWA hospital complex. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><strong><em>As the team and staff at ELWA come back together, please
pray for them.</em></strong> As we learned after our evacuations from Liberia due to civil
conflict, you don’t just pick up where you left off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Things happened in the interim that might
have changed everything. It takes grace and patience and understanding to put
the organization back together. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><strong><em>Also, please continue to pray for EBOLA TO END in West
Africa.</em></strong> It was just about a year ago that the first Ebola cases came to ELWA
Hospital. Sadly, after over a month of zero cases, at least one death due to
Ebola was reported in Liberia this week. Twenty to thirty cases continue to be
reported every week in Sierra Leone and Guinea.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The ongoing situation is no longer in the news, but efforts to contain
and end this epidemic continue to require attention and resources in the region. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Thanks for your ongoing support and prayers for us, our family and the ministry in Liberia. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">For the Kingdom, Rick and Debbie</span></div>
</div>
Rick and Debbie Sacrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07230882112257940851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2216720797742516196.post-61786949006320194162015-05-08T03:02:00.001+00:002015-05-08T15:37:58.200+00:00A Good Read<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DPyl9r_oXPs/VUvgwgLgJiI/AAAAAAAAAoA/nYlYdnlnTAw/s1600/troh%2Bcover.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DPyl9r_oXPs/VUvgwgLgJiI/AAAAAAAAAoA/nYlYdnlnTAw/s320/troh%2Bcover.png" width="212" /></a></div>
I just finished reading this lovely little book, the personal story of Louise Troh, who invited her long lost love Eric Duncan to come to the United States to build a future together, only to lose him to Ebola disease within a month of his arrival. I loved it. And I hated it. You will get to know a true Liberian woman if you read this book. She is an iconic Liberian "mother" but she is also honest about ways in which she has not been perfect. On the other hand, her story reveals to us how our media-saturated culture of outrage has dehumanized those who get caught up in a situation like hers -- spewing vitriole and hostility, spreading gossip and outright lies, making them victims of our fears. It's shameful. It also raises uncomfortable questions about the royal treatment that the other (dare I say, white and/or American) patients, including Rick, were given compared to the abusive scorn directed at Ms. Troh, Mr. Duncan and their families. These are questions that we all need to confront, confessing that injustices exist. I'm so sad that she lost a chance at love because he did not get the level of treatment that was made available to us. <br />
<br />
A shining light in the midst of this story was the loving care of the Wilshire church for Louise and her family. It was an example of the way the body of Christ is supposed to be. Her own courage to rise above the hurt and wait on God for justice and provision is a testimony of her trust in God, though some might accuse her of being too passive. I would maintain she could not have chosen a more powerful way to speak against injustice and prejudice than to tell her story in her own voice (with the help of a journalist who seemed to understand and respect her) without polishing her words to sound like a civil rights activist. Reading her story, I shared her pain and her anger-- I experienced her journey as a war refugee, and a struggling and misunderstood immigrant, and matriarch of a close-knit family building a life as new American citizens. Perhaps if more of us knew people like Louise Troh personally, or even through a book like this, we'd see more progress in dealing with the injustices that continue to exist in our society.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/My-Spirit-Took-You-In/dp/1602862893/ref=pd_rhf_gw_p_img_1">http://www.amazon.com/My-Spirit-Took-You-In/dp/1602862893/ref=pd_rhf_gw_p_img_1</a><br />
Look for my review. </div>
Rick and Debbie Sacrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07230882112257940851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2216720797742516196.post-85255042994400532052015-05-04T16:33:00.002+00:002015-05-04T16:33:27.739+00:00An unexpected opportunity<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yXT5UY2YiRw/VUed4NV0nuI/AAAAAAAAAnc/lWf6YkrK0_U/s1600/post%2Binterns.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yXT5UY2YiRw/VUed4NV0nuI/AAAAAAAAAnc/lWf6YkrK0_U/s400/post%2Binterns.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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There is something wonderful about the look on the face of a
young, enthusiastic physician as they learn something new.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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I’ve gotten to see that look a couple of times during this
visit to Liberia. We have three new Liberian physicians working with us who
have just completed their internships and are presently in a six month
emergency obstetric and surgical skills training program.
We call them our post-interns. They will spend three months with us and three more at another hospital. Then they will be deployed to a rural hospital post for a two year term of service. This system is part of the tuition-free medical education program in Liberia. </div>
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A
couple days ago I led a mini-training session about the management of bleeding after childbirth;
this coming Tuesday I’ll be teaching them again on the use of insulin in
diabetic emergencies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Today they were
getting some words of wisdom from our Medical Director Dr. Jerry Brown before
starting rounds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
If you know me, you know that training doctors is my passion. While
much of what we do and know is contained in books and articles, there is a lot
of personal experience and nuance that gets passed on from doctor to doctor,
during rounds, “curbside” consultations, and case discussions. I am again moved
and stimulated to continue to pray and trust God to help us establish a Family
Medicine residency program here at ELWA. <br />
</div>
Rick and Debbie Sacrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07230882112257940851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2216720797742516196.post-13684403280049839252015-04-24T13:27:00.001+00:002015-04-25T16:07:01.276+00:00Counting the days.....<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">About a month ago, Liberia reported a week in which no Ebola
cases had been diagnosed. May 9 is the target date for Liberia to be declared
Ebola free, with no diagnosed cases for 42 days. People presenting at hospitals
with fevers and other symptoms continue to be screened for Ebola and hundreds
of tests are still being run each week, so the vigilance continues. Sierra
Leone and Guinea are making some progress as well: only 12 and 21 cases were
diagnosed in those countries in the last week, with large increases in testing
taking place showing that more people are interacting with the Ebola
intervention program. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’re all praying
for the numbers to really drop off soon, just about a year after the world
began to understand what was happening in West Africa.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Rick headed back to Liberia on Thursday, April 16<sup>th</sup>
for a few weeks before our graduation season begins (Caleb from high school and
Jared from his HVAC program). He will fill us in on how things are running at
the hospital now that regular services are ramping up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The day before, Samaritan’s Purse officially
re-launched the new hospital construction project. Meanwhile, SIM missionaries
are returning and assessing the status of their ministries. Everyone is ready
and willing to be back to work. </span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yn-4tToyBIE/VTpDCgG4a2I/AAAAAAAAAnA/aO4e5N_doNY/s1600/hospital%2Bconstruction2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yn-4tToyBIE/VTpDCgG4a2I/AAAAAAAAAnA/aO4e5N_doNY/s1600/hospital%2Bconstruction2.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-o8mlHlIiSns/VTpDCTT7bwI/AAAAAAAAAm8/DMNzMDNaw_Q/s1600/hospital%2Bconstruction.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-o8mlHlIiSns/VTpDCTT7bwI/AAAAAAAAAm8/DMNzMDNaw_Q/s1600/hospital%2Bconstruction.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">We’d like to update you on the fundraising that we have been
doing since Rick’s first trip to Liberia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We are hoping to raise $50,000 this year for three ELWA Hospital
projects. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The first is the ELWA Hospital Benevolence fund to assist
patients who cannot pay their hospital bill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>So far, $2,400 has come in for that project.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span> </div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">The second fundraising goal is to purchase
some lab equipment as a part of the ELWA Hospital Transition Project.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>$6,550 was given for that project, which
should allow the Hospital to acquire some laboratory equipment in the near
future. Rick hopes to determine what is needed while he is in Liberia and take
it back with him in July. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Finally, in anticipation of the need for more and
better trained physicians in Liberia, we are raising money for the Family
Medicine Residency Program that Rick hopes to develop at ELWA Hospital.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Almost $7000 has been given to this project
in recent months.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Therefore the total so
far is $15,950.00. Thanks to those who have given to these projects. We have
been overwhelmed with your generosity towards the Liberian people and the work
of ELWA Hospital.</span> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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If you would still like to give to these projects, all the information is posted in this <a href="http://iscripts.blogspot.com/2015/03/thanks-to-all.html" target="_blank">blog post</a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">More news from Rick in Liberia soon!<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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Rick and Debbie Sacrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07230882112257940851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2216720797742516196.post-84552744523921654622015-03-30T18:37:00.002+00:002015-03-30T18:37:35.563+00:00God first, and the Nebraska Biocontainment Unit Team second<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Last weekend, Rick and I traveled to Omaha to help the Biocontainment Unit Team celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the creation of the unit at Nebraska Medical Center for the treatment of patients with highly contagious diseases. For 9 years, a team of nurses, infection control experts, lab techs, and doctors trained and studied without caring for a single patient. And finally, on September 5, 2014, they admitted their first patient. Yes, that would be Rick. As he said in his comments, he put the "Bio" in "Biocontainment" </div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9N6I27KkAk4/VRmCNjAgC-I/AAAAAAAAAmE/ZvGG3htPHp0/s1600/WP_20150327_11_12_34_Pro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9N6I27KkAk4/VRmCNjAgC-I/AAAAAAAAAmE/ZvGG3htPHp0/s1600/WP_20150327_11_12_34_Pro.jpg" height="179" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This was Rick's room</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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It was a special time to be able to thank all of the team members who did so much to save Rick's life. They are really an exceptional group of professionals. Since Rick left, they have had two additional patients. They have also become a resource to other hospitals all over the USA in preparing to handle an unexpected contact with an Ebola patient. They have traveled around to evaluate newly established isolation units and invited thousands of doctors, nurses and administrators to Nebraska to learn the essentials of setting one up. We are so impressed by them. They are also heroes of the Ebola epidemic, because they make it possible for volunteers to go to West Africa to serve in such a high risk situation. Even this month, they were monitoring a small group of workers who had an exposure in Sierra Leone while they went through their 21 day observation period. Today is their 21st day, and none of them became ill. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Most of the leadership team</td></tr>
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We really thank God for the team of doctors and nurses and support people who took care of Rick in Nebraska. It was super fun to go back and see them again. They were all so pleased to see that Rick had gained weight and had his color back--- "You look good" was the most frequent comment. We shared memories of good moments in the midst of Rick's illness: homemade Runzas by Nikki's mom, Kendall's chicken soup, and a midnight air guitar dance party that had not previously been exposed. We got to meet Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts, who was bursting with pride in his state and his people. It was really fun to be a part of their celebration.</div>
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But most of all, it was good to take a moment to thank God for what he has brought us through. As they say in Liberia "Thank God for life!" </div>
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<a href="http://www.ketv.com/news/dr-rick-sacra-returns-for-biocontainment-units-10th-anniversary/32046142">http://www.ketv.com/news/dr-rick-sacra-returns-for-biocontainment-units-10th-anniversary/32046142</a></div>
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Rick and Debbie Sacrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07230882112257940851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2216720797742516196.post-79064953460302160542015-03-13T16:24:00.002+00:002016-02-19T20:27:25.455+00:00It's All Grace.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Last weekend, we had the privilege of participating in the 58th Annual Missions Conference at Black Rock Congregational Church in Fairfield, Connecticut. Black Rock has been supporters of former SIM-Liberia missionaries Jon and Pat Shea, so they were familiar with the work of ELWA in Liberia. We were welcomed there as if we were long time friends. <br />
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Rick preached the morning message on Sunday, which he had to do 3 times!! God gave him a challenging word to share from Philippians 1:29-30: "For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake, engaged in the same conflict that you saw I had and now hear that I still have." In the sermon, he told a very powerful story of one of the ELWA staff who contracted Ebola and spent his time in the ETU ministering to others that we haven't told in another place. I listened to the sermon all three times and the story still got to me on the third time through it. The story starts at 18:35.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="281" mozallowfullscreen="" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/121604024?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="500"></iframe> <br />
<a href="https://vimeo.com/121604024">March 8 - Missions Conference: Engaged In The Conflict</a> from <a href="https://vimeo.com/blackrockchurch">Black Rock Church</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.<br />
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Thanks for tuning in. Also, thanks for praying for us in these great opportunities that have come up-- to share God's word, to encourage the church in missions outreach and to keep the Ebola crisis in West Africa in the prayers of His people.<br />
<br />
For the Kingdom, Debbie and Rick</div>
Rick and Debbie Sacrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07230882112257940851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2216720797742516196.post-69513799138664872622015-03-01T22:46:00.002+00:002015-03-20T02:03:49.808+00:00Thanks to all!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">It was cold outside, but warm and friendly inside at First Congregational Church of Holden on Friday night. A big thank you to Pastor John Barber (who recounted some of our history with him) and the hospitality crew at FCCH who took care of everything with regards to the facility. I think that over 200 people attended from all over the state. The music by Michael Borkay and the "Five Golden Rings" from Trinitarian Congregational Church in Wayland, MA was enjoyable and suited the theme of the occasion. Rick shared some moving stories of his time in Liberia and gave us a glimpse of what Liberia has been through in the last year. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">You can watch the video of the entire program here:</span><br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y5SwfhA7H0I" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Rick Sacra's presentation at First Congregational Church of Holden</span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">It begins at about the 7 minute mark</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The evening concluded with a fundraising appeal. If you would like to give to the projects Rick explains in his presentation you can use this link:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><br />
<a href="https://web.simusa.org/Give/projects.php" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;">https://web.simusa.org/Give/projects.php</span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">enter country: Liberia, keywords: ELWA Hospital and select “All” <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Choose any of the following:</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Benevolence </span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">082876-091:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>this project will provide assistance to patients who cannot afford to pay their hospital bill </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Family Medicine Residency </span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">095213-091:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> this project will be used to start a Family Medicine Residency program to train Liberian doctors</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Hospital Transition </span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">095212-091:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>this project will allow ELWA to replace lab equipment that is urgently needed.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Rick has set an ambitious goal of $50,000 for these three projects. So far from Friday evening, we have received gifts of over $3000. Thanks to all who responded so generously. God bless you!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Here are some photos from the evening -- we should have recruited a photographer to get more photos than we could do on our own!</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lz82m2p1Rug/VPOP8qcQGII/AAAAAAAAAlA/yVmcYDUFHZE/s1600/DSCN0830.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lz82m2p1Rug/VPOP8qcQGII/AAAAAAAAAlA/yVmcYDUFHZE/s1600/DSCN0830.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pastor John Barber of FCCH</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Michael Borkay</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Capella Group from TCC -- "It is Well with my Soul"</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eKsm-1vChOY/VPOQntG7X7I/AAAAAAAAAlQ/lIv7AZLyk7M/s1600/WP_20150227_20_38_37_Pro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eKsm-1vChOY/VPOQntG7X7I/AAAAAAAAAlQ/lIv7AZLyk7M/s1600/WP_20150227_20_38_37_Pro.jpg" height="179" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Arthur David surprised us - another Liberia missionary, with the Church of Christ.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Joe and Jemimah Teh, co-workers from Liberia</td></tr>
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Rick and Debbie Sacrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07230882112257940851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2216720797742516196.post-29915395472885543632015-02-23T20:08:00.004+00:002015-02-23T20:08:28.334+00:00You want to be there!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
We have invited a special guest for Friday evening!<br />
Michael Borkay was our neighbor in Liberia, but he lives in Charlotte, NC now.<br />
When Rick was sick in the hospital in Omaha, this recording was a huge encouragement to him and Michael will be here to sing it on Friday evening. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://ytimg.googleusercontent.com/vi/mdj9WqOSWcE/0.jpg" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/mdj9WqOSWcE?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
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<br />
Also, Rick's brother Doug is bringing his a capella group from Trinitarian Congregational Church in Wayland, MA.<br />
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We hope you can be there!!<br />
Friday, February 27, 2015<br />
7 pm<br />
First Congregational Church of Holden, MA<br />
1180 Main St. Holden, MA. <br />
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Rick and Debbie Sacrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07230882112257940851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2216720797742516196.post-90863001832429625392015-02-19T18:57:00.002+00:002015-02-19T18:57:16.617+00:00ELWA Hospital Fundraiser<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt;">You are invited to an evening </span></i></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt;">with Dr.
Rick Sacra<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt;">7:00
PM<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Friday, February 27, 2015<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><o:p> </o:p></span></i></div>
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<img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HvPdM6fPqEY/VOYvyM1PY3I/AAAAAAAAAkI/95kA231dnnU/s1600/Rick%2Bw%2BJoel%2Bcrop.jpg" height="320" width="253" /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Rick
will share stories and insights </span></i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt;">from his trip back to Liberia<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt;">after
his recovery from Ebola virus disease<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt;">First Congregational Church of Holden<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt;">1180 Main St. Holden, MA<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><o:p> </o:p></span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Free and open to
all with an opportunity to give </span></i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt;">to </span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt;">SIM <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">projects </i></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt;">for ELWA
Hospital in Liberia<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Help raise
$50,000 to jump start its recovery from the Ebola Crisis<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><o:p>If you cannot attend, you can give through the following link: </o:p></span></i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><o:p><a href="https://web.simusa.org/Give/projects.php" target="_blank">DONATE to ELWA HOSPITAL</a></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">enter country: </span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Liberia<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">, keywords: </i>ELWA Hospital<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> and
select “</i>All<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">” <o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Choose any of the following:<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Benevolence </span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">082876-091<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">:</i></span></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>this project will provide assistance to
patients who cannot afford to pay their hospital bill <o:p></o:p></span></i><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Family Medicine
Residency </span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">082876-091<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">:</i></span></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> this project will be used to
start a Family Medicine Residency program to train Liberian doctors<o:p></o:p></span></i><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Hospital Transition
</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">095212-091<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">:</i></span></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>this project will allow ELWA to equip their
new facility which is under construction<o:p></o:p></span></i><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8hW8Ntt0rlg/VOYwikjU-jI/AAAAAAAAAkQ/h4-NaSPGkuQ/s1600/SIM%20Logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8hW8Ntt0rlg/VOYwikjU-jI/AAAAAAAAAkQ/h4-NaSPGkuQ/s1600/SIM%20Logo.jpg" height="70" width="200" /></a></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></i> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt;">P.O.
Box 7900 Charlotte, NC 28241<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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Rick and Debbie Sacrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07230882112257940851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2216720797742516196.post-14529457314089397812015-02-17T20:41:00.003+00:002015-02-17T20:41:55.049+00:00A Team Effort<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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"For the body does not consist of one member but of many....God has arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose." 1 Corinthians 12:14,18<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6RV_TiM3abg/VOOfkrysk_I/AAAAAAAAAjg/-BivQCdG-B8/s1600/Dr%2BBrown%2Bthanking%2Bstaff.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6RV_TiM3abg/VOOfkrysk_I/AAAAAAAAAjg/-BivQCdG-B8/s1600/Dr%2BBrown%2Bthanking%2Bstaff.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dr. Jerry Brown thanking the ELWA Hospital staff </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Monday
morning, February 9, was my last morning at the hospital—in just a few hours I
would be headed for the airport. We held an appreciation program with breakfast
for all the ELWA Hospital staff after our morning chapel gathering, to
recognize those who had served so courageously during the worst of the Ebola
crisis.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Along with Dr. Brown, our
Medical Director, I was asked to say a few words. As I spoke, thanking our
nurses, midwives, aides, and cleaners for coming to work during the toughest
times in August, September, and October, my mind went back to a meeting with
health care planners from an international NGO.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They wanted to know: “What allowed ELWA to remain open when other
hospitals closed?” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The health system
collapse was one of the greatest unanticipated consequences of the Ebola
epidemic. It led to many deaths due to malaria or obstructed labor or
pneumonia—illnesses which have nothing to do with Ebola, but which went
untreated because hospitals and clinics were shut down. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>ELWA Hospital was one of the bright spots,
remaining open and caring for the sick through the most difficult months of the
crisis. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tHj2eAcUvLo/VOOftVIS0CI/AAAAAAAAAjo/KehMEnD90PY/s1600/Rick%2Bw%2BJoel%2Bcrop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tHj2eAcUvLo/VOOftVIS0CI/AAAAAAAAAjo/KehMEnD90PY/s1600/Rick%2Bw%2BJoel%2Bcrop.jpg" height="200" width="158" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">you know Rick loves babies</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Also
on Monday morning, we discharged little Noah (not his real name) from the
hospital. Noah, a five week old baby, had come in about 12 days earlier with
severe vomiting. He couldn’t keep anything down. He was hungry and was
breastfeeding vigorously, but after every feeding he would vomit all of it up. He
wasn’t making dirty diapers any more. He had lost weight and become dehydrated.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of our doctors suggested he might have
pyloric stenosis—a thickening of the muscle around the outlet of the stomach
into the small intestine, which leads to blockage of the flow of nutrition. The
best test for pyloric stenosis is an ultrasound exam, and I’ve developed
reasonable ultrasound skills over many years of scanning and learning on the
job. I went to the office and found our big two-volume ultrasound text, and
read about pyloric stenosis. With the ultrasound machine, you can measure the
thickness of the muscle in the pyloric canal (the outlet of the stomach) to
confirm the diagnosis. As I scanned little Noah, one of my colleagues joked
with me about doing the scan with the ultrasound in one hand and my textbook in
the other. I told him this was not the first time I would be doing this, nor
would it be the last! We got some clear images showing that little Noah did indeed
have pyloric stenosis and would require surgery.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">God
has blessed ELWA with some truly gifted staff. Dr. Jerry Brown, our medical
director, is one of the few residency trained surgeons in the country. We also
have some highly qualified anesthetists, one of whom is especially skilled
handling infants.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So after coordinating
the schedules of all the staff who were needed, the child had a successful
operation about 4 days after admission. As we monitored Noah through his
recovery, I realized we were one of only a few institutions in Liberia that could
pull together the resources to successfully diagnose and operate on this little
baby.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">After
the surgery, little Noah improved quickly. He nursed voraciously and started
gaining weight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His mom and dad were so
relieved!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Finally on my last day in
country, he would be going home!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">This
takes me back to the question that was asked by the visiting international health
care coordinators: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After the reopening of the hospital on August
6<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup>, how did ELWA manage to stay open when other facilities were
having repeated closures?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I see it, there are two reasons. The first
is that our staff are mission driven. They are motivated by the example of
Jesus Christ and his call to care for their neighbors who are in need —their
belief in God is no mere intellectual assent or religious ritual, but real,
where-the-rubber-meets-the-road faith that strengthened <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>them to do this difficult <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and fearful work and leave the results to God.
And the second answer has to do with little Noah: when you put all the pieces
of the puzzle together, you can accomplish so much more than any one of you
could accomplish on your own. That synergy, the teamwork that results in the
ability to give a couple their baby back who surely would have died otherwise,
makes the work so satisfying. This, too, can motivate people to come to work,
when they know they are a critical piece of the puzzle that saves lives. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-80T9GoTPyUc/VOOfuiv4gAI/AAAAAAAAAjw/i0nK8RSt-t0/s1600/Thank%2Byou%2Bcrowd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-80T9GoTPyUc/VOOfuiv4gAI/AAAAAAAAAjw/i0nK8RSt-t0/s1600/Thank%2Byou%2Bcrowd.jpg" height="187" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">ELWA Hospital staff at morning devotions<br />
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Rick and Debbie Sacrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07230882112257940851noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2216720797742516196.post-48668014382332256132015-02-11T21:12:00.002+00:002015-02-11T21:12:48.711+00:00At the White House<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Last week, Rick received an invitation to attend an event at the White House in honor of those Americans who have been a part of the battle against Ebola in West Africa. As it happened, he was already flying through Dulles Airport, outside DC, the day before so he could simply stay there an extra day before coming home. He warned them he was coming from Liberia, but the CDC gave him a letter that said he was not at risk for Ebola, since he has antibodies against it. No problem, they said. <br />
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So this afternoon, Rick stood on the podium with the President and many members of the US Health Corps and other volunteers who have worked in West Africa in the past few months. The President stated that the help the US gave was effective, and would continue for another 90 days. He also recognized that ongoing help would be needed to help rebuild the fragile health care system of these countries. This work was not charity, he noted, it was in the self-interest of the United States to help eradicate Ebola and prevent another crisis of this nature. <br />
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You can listen to his remarks at <a href="http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.whitehouse.gov%2FEbola-Response&h=MAQEGHj3o" target="_blank">Ebola Update Press Conference Feb. 11, 2015</a><br />
The press conference begins at 39:00 and there is a shout out to Rick, specifically at around 47:55. He got to shake the President's hand at the end, but on the video it cuts for some reason.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eGYKaaAeS30/VNvFiL2cHfI/AAAAAAAAAjM/etiMCAE45R0/s1600/Rick%2Band%2BPOTUS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eGYKaaAeS30/VNvFiL2cHfI/AAAAAAAAAjM/etiMCAE45R0/s1600/Rick%2Band%2BPOTUS.jpg" height="177" width="320" /></a></div>
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Cool, huh? Even cooler, I will be picking him up at the airport in just a few hours. Won't he be surprised at the snow? <br />
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More from Rick in a few days. Thanks for praying!!</div>
Rick and Debbie Sacrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07230882112257940851noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2216720797742516196.post-72009671883532030852015-02-09T15:01:00.003+00:002015-02-09T15:09:46.651+00:00Survivors<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Last week, I had the privilege to greet a group of about one
hundred Ebola survivors who were meeting at the ELWA Hospital chapel—the very
structure that, 7 months ago, was Monrovia’s first Ebola Treatment Unit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The group was diverse—elderly, young people, even
little children.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some educated, some
not.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Roughly equal numbers of men and
women; some dressed up in nice clothes, some in t-shirts, shorts and flip-flops.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some were clearly feeling happy just to have
survived Ebola, with smiles on their faces, while others looked like they were
still experiencing some of the trauma and stigma of Ebola-- faces downcast, not
making eye-contact.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I met them, tears
welled up in my eyes. These people had gotten through Ebola just like I had,
but here in Liberia, where the resources, staff and treatment available were so
much more limited. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
To read the rest of the blog, follow this link to </span><a href="http://www.cnn.com/2015/02/06/health/ebola-sacra-3/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;">CNN: Doctor's notes</span></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Dr. John Fankhauser with Barbara (in the green blouse), one of the survivors from the ELWA-2 ETU who was a nurse at ELWA, and other ELWA hospital staff. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">You can listen to her story at </span><a href="http://vimeo.com/112711150" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Barbara Ohoh</span></a><br />
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Rick and Debbie Sacrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07230882112257940851noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2216720797742516196.post-34020244052782578082015-01-29T21:36:00.002+00:002015-01-29T21:36:28.354+00:00Reflections from Rick's first week in Liberia<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">I’ve
been here 10 days now, and spent last weekend on call at ELWA Hospital, the 55
bed facility that SIM runs just outside Monrovia, Liberia’s capital city. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The news here is good – the Ebola epidemic
really seems to be coming to an end.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But
in the healthcare setting in particular, its effects will be felt for many
months to come. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Many
outward changes have been made at ELWA due to the Ebola crisis.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All patients, staff and visitors now enter
the hospital compound through a single gate where people must wash their hands with
bleach and have their temperature checked before entry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bleach is everywhere throughout the
hospital.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Staff members with sprayers
wash down the floors multiple times per day and are on hand after surgeries or
other exposures to blood or body fluids to decontaminate staff before “doffing”
their gowns and gloves. Temporary buildings have been erected to house our
outpatient clinic because our old clinic became part of the Ebola Treatment
Unit, ELWA-2. But for the most part, ELWA Hospital is up and running, and most
beds are full. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2WtRHJBpZyM/VMpRTMtsk3I/AAAAAAAAAio/Mrj7psRh01M/s1600/ELWA%2Btriage%2B2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2WtRHJBpZyM/VMpRTMtsk3I/AAAAAAAAAio/Mrj7psRh01M/s1600/ELWA%2Btriage%2B2.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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The new screening entrance to the hospital.</div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">For
me personally the first week was about confronting the reality of death. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Many patients die in the hospital—this should
not be a surprise, right?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But
emotionally it is a challenge to face mortality so frequently.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">We counseled several patients about their
metastatic cancer this week, presenting them with the hard information that the
cancer had progressed beyond a stage where anything could be done from the
medical point of view. We talk with these patients privately, off the busy ward;
then, along with the hospital’s chaplain, we pray for them if they wish. The
comfort and compassion we offer, along with an honest explanation in plain
language, are important hallmarks of the work we do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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To read about Rick's other patients over the weekend, please go to <br />
<a href="http://www.cnn.com/2015/01/29/health/richard-sacra-africa/index.html" target="_blank">Doctor's notes: American Ebola survivor back in Africa, dealing with loss</a></div>
Rick and Debbie Sacrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07230882112257940851noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2216720797742516196.post-88377771853755322312015-01-22T15:17:00.003+00:002015-01-22T16:01:32.413+00:00First Days Back<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<strong>Here is an update from Rick, covering his first impressions and activities back in Liberia. The post links to CNN for the rest of the blog. We pray that through the publication of his blog, people will gain a greater understanding of the needs of West Africa in the aftermath of the Ebola crisis.</strong></div>
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Wow! It's 9:30 p.m. Sunday (January 18) and I am beat. Might fall asleep. Guess I will find out how the Patriots did in the AFC playoff tomorrow (the game would have started at 11:40 p.m. local time). I arrived here in Liberia Friday evening, January 16, after a 26 hour trip (three flights with a long layover in Brussels), with my seven pieces of luggage, filled mostly with donated drugs and supplies for ELWA Hospital, the ministry SIM runs just outside Monrovia. </div>
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I've spent some time catching up with our SIM Liberia country director, Will, who just got back here from the UK about five days ago, and Dr. John, my colleague who has been anchoring the hospital medical staff throughout the Ebola crisis. </div>
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Because I wasn't due to report for work until Monday, we decided to clean the apartment where I had stayed in August, as it had been unoccupied since I left. </div>
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Read the remainder of this blog post on the CNN website:</div>
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<a href="http://www.cnn.com/2015/01/22/health/feat-rick-sacra-ebola/index.html" target="_blank">Doctor's notes: American Ebola survivor is back in Liberia</a><br />
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Keep on praying for Rick and the SIM-Liberia and ELWA team! Many transitions ahead.</div>
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Rick and Debbie Sacrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07230882112257940851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2216720797742516196.post-75500555995934923872015-01-18T20:08:00.000+00:002015-01-19T14:53:40.456+00:00Off he goes!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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After a couple days of publicity and packing, Rick boarded the plane on Thursday and arrived safely in Liberia on Friday evening. He spent Saturday and Sunday catching up with our country director, Will Elphick and his wife Jenny, and with Dr. John Fankhauser who has been the primary missionary doctor at ELWA Hospital through most of the Ebola crisis. Tomorrow it's back to work. But he is hoping to find somewhere to watch the playoff game tonight, even though it might mean staying up most of the night....yea, not sure he is going to make it through that. Maybe the first quarter.<br />
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Here are some photos from the week.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Wh8UNOFNONM/VLwPW831edI/AAAAAAAAAhs/UQvjhMUik2w/s1600/DSCN0805.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Wh8UNOFNONM/VLwPW831edI/AAAAAAAAAhs/UQvjhMUik2w/s1600/DSCN0805.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QWQQowTDpNg/VLwPf-T3FWI/AAAAAAAAAiE/WjvhOiczwHo/s1600/DSCN0806.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QWQQowTDpNg/VLwPf-T3FWI/AAAAAAAAAiE/WjvhOiczwHo/s1600/DSCN0806.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Dl9jev_SiPY/VLwPdAQozJI/AAAAAAAAAh0/9M6WouNkco0/s1600/WP_20150113_20_19_02_Pro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Dl9jev_SiPY/VLwPdAQozJI/AAAAAAAAAh0/9M6WouNkco0/s1600/WP_20150113_20_19_02_Pro.jpg" height="223" width="400" /></a><br />
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Rick will be blogging from Liberia in the next three weeks. His blogs will appear here, but will link to the CNN website for the last few paragraphs, so don't be thrown off. We are praying that many people will read the blogs and continue to pray for the Ebola crisis to end in West Africa. We also hope that people will understand more about the ongoing needs for health care infrastructure in Liberia and other vulnerable parts of the world through Rick's story. </div>
Rick and Debbie Sacrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07230882112257940851noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2216720797742516196.post-13060091855152875782015-01-11T00:20:00.001+00:002015-01-11T02:57:21.437+00:00Getting Ready<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
5 days and counting. The boxes of drugs and medical supplies have arrived. Rick and Jared are making the most of the Patriots' game breaking down packaging to get as much as possible into Rick's bags. <br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9L2MIOIcfL8/VLHBlyagvyI/AAAAAAAAAhY/n6U0zAmVOe4/s1600/WP_20150110_17_21_00_Pro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9L2MIOIcfL8/VLHBlyagvyI/AAAAAAAAAhY/n6U0zAmVOe4/s1600/WP_20150110_17_21_00_Pro.jpg" height="179" width="320" /></a></div>
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Rick and Debbie Sacrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07230882112257940851noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2216720797742516196.post-17749764352858211272014-10-19T19:13:00.002+00:002014-10-19T19:13:28.058+00:00A link to a boston globe "Perspectives" article titled "Unintended Consequences"<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="http://www.bostonglobe.com/magazine/2014/10/15/ebola-survivor-richard-sacra-what-must-next/Ht3relF2R19s7583e5xGtN/story.html">http://www.bostonglobe.com/magazine/2014/10/15/ebola-survivor-richard-sacra-what-must-next/Ht3relF2R19s7583e5xGtN/story.html</a></span></div>
Rick and Debbie Sacrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07230882112257940851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2216720797742516196.post-71393969824637544472014-09-11T13:07:00.000+00:002014-09-11T13:07:19.897+00:00A Message from Rick<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I asked Rick to write some comments that I might share at a press conference. Here is his message:<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I have truly been overwhelmed by words of kindness and
support received over the last week since my diagnosis with Ebola virus
disease. Some old friends from years past, some new friends whom I have not
met, and others have joined a mighty chorus of prayer on my behalf. This is a
very humbling and overwhelming experience.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Thank you all for your prayers. They have sustained me thus far as I
make daily improvements in my condition. Thank you also for your contributions
towards the work in Liberia. Without your generosity, the situation there would
truly be hopeless. With your contributions toward supplies of personal
protective gear and other medical supplies/medications, the door will remain
open for SIM and ELWA Hospital to have the ministry God has called us to,
providing medical care in Monrovia, a city whose entire health care system is
in crisis.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Finally, thank you for your
prayers and kind words of support and love toward my wife and children. We
deeply appreciate every one and I feel like I am truly experiencing the body of
Christ at work on a global scale! We love and appreciate you.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span>I have been told that the SIM Ebola project has received over $180,000 so far. This morning, I received an email from Dr. John Fankhauser that some work to redesign the intake area of the hospital is nearly finished so that they can begin to care for patients in other areas besides obstetrics. Please continue to pray for all the hospital workers to be protected from exposure to the virus. </div>
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Rick and Debbie Sacrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07230882112257940851noreply@blogger.com4