On World AIDS day the statistics can be overwhelming.

34 million HIV-positive people worldwide.

More than one million adults and children die every year from HIV/AIDS in Africa alone.

Over 36 million have died from an HIV-related cause.

To Mission Doctors, this day is about more that statistics, it’s about people, people like Emmanuella a young mother living in rural West Africa.

We first met Emmanuella in September 2010 when she sat in the last bed of side one, females ward one.  It seems like yesterday that I looked the length of the ward and my eyes met this beautiful face that could light up a room.

Thirty-five year old Emmanuella, one of our first patients, was in the hospital with HIV and Tuberculosis.  Her hospital course was complicated first by a blood clot in her leg and then a pulmonary embolus.  She nearly died, only to recover and then sustain a worse insult.  She had a terrible stroke leaving her with complete paralysis of the right arm and leg and unable to speak.  Despite all these terrible things, Emmanuella never lost her beautiful smile.  Emmanuella miraculously recovered and got home just in time for Christmas with a wheelchair we were able to get for her.

That was 2010-2013.  And to think that now, we should be blessed to see Emmanuella here in 2016 and looking well.

I don’t know what more to say, but… I know now why we needed to come back to Njinikom. What a day this has been.

Without your support, Mission Doctor Jim Hake would not have been there to provide competent, compassionate care for Emmanuella. On behalf of Emmanuella and her family “thank you”. Thank you for your continued support of the lifesaving work of Mission Doctors.

Terry Hake

Dr. Jim and Mrs. Terry Hake have just returned to serve short-term
at St. Martin de Porres Hospital in rural Cameroon, West Africa. Jim and Terry Hake served there long-term from 2010-2013.