Gimbie Reports

Recently the sunshine has dominated the sky and dark hefty rain clouds have submitted to the resilient rays’ command. Despite the decrease in rain and the increase in sunshine, mornings are still chilly. It was unusually cold this morning when my alarm sounded. Knowing Becky would be getting up too, I sluggishly threw the warm bed coverings off: two thick wool blankets sandwiched between a cotton sheet and a thin maroon throw I purchased at a local Muslim shop.

Becky and I groggily met in the living/dining room. “What are we doing?” I asked. “Beach Body?” she suggested, referring to her exercise DVD. I utter an “um-K” as I returned to my room to grab my mat. Within moments we were led by our “friends” Tony, Pete, and Lisa through stretches, power Pilates, and cardio. “The cardio section’s not long enough” Becky stated. So we went outside to run the red dirt steps between our house and the hospital.

Yesterday we did not exercise or shower; for us the two go together like a pen and paper. Even though today is colder than yesterday we MUST shower. Thus we push ourselves to raise our heart rate and sweat. Our morning motivations are mutual: because the shower is cold we exercise and because of the warming exercises we shower.

Becky Carlton, the dean of Gimbie Adventist College of Health Science, is an alumnus of Pacific Union College. In PUC’s quarterly Alumni Magazine, six pages of Becky’s adventures are featured.

To read about her experiences and see pictures from Sudan and Ethiopia go to http://www.puc.edu/campus-services/public-relations/pr-projects/viewpoint and select the “Fall 2009” issue. The cover is blue with two Ethiopian children sitting on a bench.

The stories of our patients that receive charity are often similar; they have no education, no work, and lack health. Today, we discharged a Save-A-Life patient with a somewhat different story.

About 10 years ago Bekuma served the Ethiopian Army as a soldier. While fighting on the boarder of Eritrea he received a bullet wound to his abdomen. He had abdominal surgery at a border-land hospital and was sent home to Gimbie. After he recovered, Bekuma found work on a day to day basis. His wife Alemtsehay also worked as a daily laborer but stopped when she became pregnant with their first child.

Since then, Bekuma has felt the continuous responsibility of feeding his wife and three daughters. Often, Alemtsehay will leave the girls with a neighbor to find miscellaneous work for more desperately needed money.

Despite their poverty, symptoms of severe abdominal pain, vomiting blood and fever, motivated Bekuma to come to Gimbie Adventist Hospital . He was seen by Dr. Priscila, our general practitioner, and referred to Dr. Khalid, our surgeon after it was found that his previous wound had herniated. Dr. Khalid performed an emergency hernia repair.

Bekuma is grateful for the treatment he received at Gimbie Adventist Hospital. He acknowledges that it is God’s providence that allowed him to receive medical treatment. Gimbie Adventist Hospital is thankful that God has blessed the hospital with generous friends and family.