"Big" News: 28 June 2011

From our Medical Student, Bigiwiri: "I don't have words to thank those who are helping me, but I  say thank you very much ! May God bless you. I feel free to study and I feel I have someone to go to with any problems.The study of medicine is my dream. It is very difficult, but I will do it." 

Bigiwiri  is now working hard at epidemiology and his other subjects. (Peter is the professor teaching epi.) He plans to head "home" to Maratane Refugee Camp in the north of Mozambique to see his mother and siblings for 2 weeks in July. You can google Maratane and read the latest, but the camp has been inundated with Ethiopian and Somali refugees. The food aid was cut off for 3 months, so Big sent some of the money we are giving him for his expenses here, to his mother. So as well as supporting medical education, a bit of our money is going directly to a refugee of the Hutu-Tutsi debacle.

There has been cholera in the camp, which is a big worry.  

When Big went to see his mother last year, the owner of the room  he was renting, stole everything.  Now he has a room at a place where he calls the woman Mother, so that is MUCH better. He has a plastic table and 2 chairs, a bed, 2 sheets, 2 pots, a plate, and a spoon. I just gave him extra covers and a mosquito net. He has malaria, diagnosed on Friday,  shaking chills, etc, but is still coming to classes. He is taking treatment. Hopefully the mosquito net will help.

Big is a short, handsome, quiet young man with a big smile who has spent his whole life in refugee camps. Even his family is amazed that he is here in medical school. He has many friends here at Catholic University, and I believe he is progressing well.  Thank you to everyone who is pitching in. With his determination, and your support, this young man will become a doctor, thus helping his family and the people he will serve. We are born to serve. 


Love, Emily