Page:Kvartalshilsen (Kvinnelige misjonsarbeidere). 1914 Vol. 7 nr. 1.pdf/6

 4,500 feet above sea level, surrounded by high mountains.

In the autumn of 1906, the German "Hülfsbund" began its work in this area. There is hardly any place in Asia Minor where there are as many sick as in the Musch area.

(In the first few years I spent out there, it seemed indescribably depressing to me to see all these miserable sufferers, and yet to be able to do so little for them. There is probably no one at home in Norway who has any idea how the poor in this area are doing.)

Here there are no skilled doctors who take care of the many, many sick, no hospital and no friendly nurses who understand how to care for the sick in the homes. There are occasional skilled military doctors here; but they are so preoccupied with the many sick soldiers and demand so much per visits, that very few can call on them.

The district physician is employed by the government, his district is so extensive – up to 2-3 days away - so he is often gone both up to one and two weeks, and since he has no deputy, in that time there is no one to look after the ill. Musch and all these 400 villages, several of which are large, have just one district doctor. In this troubled country, where so many are wounded or murdered, he often has enough to do with the examination of the wounded and murdered and giving the government the necessary information.

After all, it is the duty of the district physician to visit the poor sick free of charge; but first the proof of it must be presented to him, and things does not go so fast in this country, so the sick often die before the doctor arrives.

By the grace of God, I was allowed 6 years ago to begin a little practice among the sick in this area, through outpatient clinics, house visits and maternity care. In the outpatient clinic, there are more than 3000 patients and approx. 240 to 300 patients are visited in the homes.

For the last two years we also have a small room where poor, miserable sick people are admitted, especially wounded patients from the villages who need daily treatment! The Lord has blessed this small beginning so that we have been able to help a great deal and many, with thanks to God, have returned healed to their homes; but how many are there, which we must send away without help, when we had no room, or when an operation was needed. Many go blind for years because no one can do a surgery and many dies from a lack of skilled medical care.

In early July, a poor man came to me in the outpatient clinic, one of whose toe was quite black. Yes, an operation had to be carried out immediately so that the gangrene would not spread. I immediately sent him to the district physician, as he should be operated on sooner rather than later. The doctor promised to operate him freely, but demanded 1 lira, approx. 17 kroner, for after treatment. Later I hear that he did not return to the doctor, but let a farmer with a knife cut off the toe, and then the gangrene quickly spread, and in a short time the man was dead, and now the widow is left with 7 unprovided children and is in great distress. The man did not have much faith in the doctor, and he probably wanted to save the money. He was very poor, so it is probable that he could not raise 17 kroner.

This is just one example to show how much a skilled doctor is needed in this area and to ask if there is no believing doctor at home in Norway who feels called to come down and help us in this great and glorious work, which offers so many opportunities for a rich harvest for the kingdom of God.

Surely it is a great sacrifice to leave the lovely old Norway and come down to this lonely, miserable and troubled region; but not too great for the one who works for the Lord. I am