Dec 31 2016

New Years Eve and the drums are beating, probably will be most of the night.   It is dusty and has been since the "harmattan" blew in Christmas day.  "Harmattan" is the north wind and dust that comes in about this time of year from the Sahara.  Visibility was less than 1 km (about 1/2 mile)) although it is better today.  The dust shields out some of the sun's heat so temperatures are only about 60F (15C) low and 80+F (27C) high but the locals feel this is cold.   The mangoes and kapok are blooming.   We are getting several papayas from the trees by our house.  
Christmas was very dusty.  We had a while elephant gift exchange here on the compound and of course there were gifts for the grandkids.  We also ate very well Christmas afternoon but the meal was delayed because of a surgery for an acute abdomen. (Sound familiar you medical people?)
We had two unusual cases Friday yesterday.   One was a 13 yr girl that presented with a few days of severe abdominal pain and no menses yet and had a mass in her abdomen.  At surgery a 6-7 cm lobulated mass that was twisted on a pedicle.  When the mass was opened we found hair and cartilage, bone and teeth so a "torsion of a dermoid or teratoma".  The same day we had a lady that came in with severe abd pain for several days and "constipation" for a week.   It was an intussisseption of mid small small intestine with ruptured dead intestine with much bowel contents in the abdomen.  Had to do a bowel resection and reanastamosis.  Both look ok so far.   We also had a Fulana lady that had been bit on her foot by a donkey that she was trying to separate from another in a fight.   The lady's foot was badly mangled with a lot of skin missing and bare bones visible.  She needs amputation but refused and left to go to the local "traditional healer" (witch doctor).
Pray that the love of Jesus can spread and bring peace and that we will be ready for His coming that is one year closer than before.

  
Our emails are drbland42@gmail.com and  dfbland01@gmail.com

Continue to remember us in your prayers.

Love,
Rollin and  Dolores Bland 
Hopital Adventiste de Bere
Boite Postal 52
Kelo, Tandjile,  Chad,  Afrique
Blog  www.weareamissionarybland.blogspot.com