Bound by Superstition.

The woman, notice the cords she was bound with...

A woman was carried in to our clinic today -- fighting and struggling everyone she encountered. Her wrists were bound by her family, with a very strong cord. It wasn’t helping much.

It took four strong men to hold her down so we could inject her with a powerful sedative. But it was quick to take effect. Whouf! What was that about?

We tested her for malaria as she was having all the symptoms... the worst of which is severe abnormal behavior and violence. It was positive and we started her on the appropriate treatment.

But the family was angry. I went to find out why.

They watched us treat her through the window and were horrified that we injected her with something. (Let me stop to explain. In this culture, there is a large fear of being stabbed. I still don’t fully understand the fear but it’s very real to them. Some won’t let you give them immunizations or injections because of this fear.) So when the family saw that we did this heinous thing. They were enraged.

They complained that they didn’t want to bring her here. They were trying to take her to the Witch Doctor and got lost. They wanted to take her away.

Dennis went to talk with them. He explained that she was very sick and needed the medicine we had to offer. They could take her but she would not get better at the Witch Doctor. Would they be willing to stay? They said they would stay.

But as we gave her the IV drip with Quinine, they continued to cause a stir. One man kept screaming at us through the window. He happened to have a rifle -- as he was a military officer.

Dennis asked them to leave as guns are not permitted on the premises but they refused. Our guards stood there like confused little boys doing nothing. It’s at this point that Dennis told them that if they insisted on taking her, they could. But they had to leave --and leave now. They came and took her away.

She will most likely die without proper treatment. Her malaria is so severe and a Witch Doctor will do nothing for her. I shudder to think of the rituals he’ll do on her.

The superstitions bind her in sickness and death as much as her cords on her wrists.  Lord free them of this burden and curse. Show them the truth. Save Lord. Save now. Please... Save her.