Final Day - TCC - Tanzania Christian Clinic

Our final ministry day began early (most of our days did). TCC clinic opens at 8:30 and we wanted to get there by 8:00 to unload our bags of medicine, meet the staff, and tour the clinic. So, off we went at 7:00. We arrived right on time and Dr. Smelser took us into the clinic. It was a chilly day and I don’t think I ended up taking my sweatshirt off until we left at 4:00.   

 

 
                                                                Patients

 

 

                                                    Patient Records

 

  Fishers of Men & Women

                            Danny & Nancy

                                                            The Team

 

We sorted the supplies……..meds went into the pharmacy to be inventoried and stocked and the other non-medicines went into the supply room. The gratitude was overwhelming!  

 

 

Anne & I got to “shadow” Sabina for most of the morning. Sabina is a Physician’s Assistant (not like ours, educationally) and the love for her job and the patients at the clinic is contagious! She does screening for all the patients but focuses on pregnant moms and children – birth to 5. She explained many things about the Maasai culture and the difficulties mothers and babies have with so many unknowns (don’t know how old they are, don’t know when they got pregnant, don’t have any records, don’t have previous health care, etc.). I loved watching her interact with the patients! She speaks English, Swahili, & Maasai. What a delight to watch someone serving in their “sweet spot.”  

                                                 Sabina







One of the most moving moments of my 16 days was meeting a young, pregnant Maasai woman who came in for a check-up. Sabina allowed me to be in the examining room and ask questions along the way. I asked Sabina how old she was……….she said 21. I asked if this was her 1st baby………..she said 4th. WHAT? I asked how old her other children were and she said 3, 10, and 11. Yes, I could do the math in my head but my mind just couldn’t comprehend the truth! A mother at 10 years old! How can that be? Actually, this is normal in the Maasai tribe. Many things about the woman’s life in this culture is disheartening! It doesn’t make any sense to us, but it’s their way…………it’s all they know.

 

Mitch and Lee spent most of the morning counting and sorting pills (not sampling!). One would write the details of the medicine on the outside of a small baggie with a sharpie and the other would count the pills and put them in the baggie! All of the medicines were ready to be distributed when needed! It’s a wonderful system. An interesting fact: the government is very strict about expiration dates on the pills! The clinic has to keep very clean records to avoid any problems. The government even shares that expired pills are dangerous. Nancy told us that tons of research has been done demonstrating that the only thing that changes after the expiration date is the “efficacy rate.” (Yes, I had to look this word up.) Meaning, perhaps a pill that is expired for a year might only be 99.7% effective. Pills are still good YEARS after the expiration date! 



                                                        Charlotte

We had a wonderful lunch at the Smelser’s home prepared by Hilda. It was fun to sit and listen to Danny talk about the clinic: how it started and where he sees it going! One of the most compelling things about TCC is the vision that Danny Smelser has for it. He is “sponsoring” education for several Tanzanian workers/medical students to further their education and bring them back to the clinic to take greater ownership. The first clinical officer (equivalent of a PA) Danny hired is now in his second or third year of medical school (sponsored). He will return to clinic in a few years as a Medical Doctor. Bottom line, the vision is to train and equip Tanzanian’s so that these indigenous people can take more and more ownership! Someday the Tanzania Christian Clinic will be run and staffed entirely by Tanzanians. This is a BEAUTIFUL MODEL!!

We will share more about the clinic and possible partnerships when we get home, but for now, please visit their website - www.tanzaniacc.org. His Hands and Feet are ever so present at TCC in an UNBELIEVABLE way thru the ministry of the Smelsers! We can't wait to share more!

Well, tomorrow we travel back to the US. This blog is just a SMALL diary of our trip. I hope you were able to get some idea of our incredible journey. We have so much more to share! Some additional thoughts will be coming (to the blog) and we will have a "get-together" night at New Harvest if you would like to see and hear more....I'll let you know when!