The call came at 8 PM. A lady in her 30’s had drunk DDT in a suicide attempt and was admitted on the female ward. By the time I reached the hospital, the efficient hospital staff had already washed out the lady’s stomach. But why did a middle – aged lady do such a drastic thing? Normally, the women who attempt suicide by drinking DDT are teenagers who have had fights with their families, their boyfriends, etc. So what was going on?
This poor lady had given birth to twins about a year ago. Unfortunately, one of the twins was developmentally delayed – possibly due to a bout of cerebral malaria. At any rate, the lady’s husband was neglecting her and recently took a young cute second wife. Now this woman was so poor that she only had one cloth in which to wrap both twins and she scarcely had any clothing herself. Feeling that she was at the end of her resources, the woman had attempted suicide.
When our Mental Health Nurses and Sister Paschalina, who handles welfare problems, investigated further, the situation turned out to be far more complicated than we had first anticipated. All of us were concerned that if we sent the woman back into an abusive situation, she might either starve or be killed, and the babies might also suffer. But advising the woman to leave the husband would raise lots of problems. Traditionally, the Konkombas had a practice of exchanging girls for brides between families. In the old days, baby girls would be betrothed at birth to someone 15-20 years older, who would then work and pay the family bride price waiting for the girl to mature. The girls had no say in the matter whatsoever and many girls committed suicide rather than be trapped in a loveless marriage. Even now families still exchange girls for brides, and this woman was caught up in such a situation. When she was promised by her family to her husband, one of her brothers gained a wife. Were she to leave her husband, her brother might lose his wife, because the wife’s family would demand that he return the woman.
SIster Paschalina and the Mental Health Nurses counseled with the woman and her husband, and we examined the twin with developmental delay. For now the lady has gone back to her husband, and the husband has agreed to support her.
Recently, there were numerous demonstrations in support of International Women’s Day. Some women marched, while others demonstrated in other fashions. But here in Northern Ghana, women and girls still have very low status. Girls are forced to leave school and to work at home or to get married. Two days ago, I did a C/section on a 25 year old lady who was delivering her 8th baby! Here women and girls fetch firewood and carry water for long distances, in addition to working very hard in the villages.
Had we not had a Mental Health Unit at the Assemblies of God Hospital, Saboba, this lady’s plight might have been far worse. As it is, the Mental Health Nurses will now be following up and monitoring the situation. Please pray for this lady and her family, and continue to pray for us here at the Assemblies of God Hospital, Saboba, that we will be God’s hands and feet in making a difference in the lives of all of our patients.
Thanks for loving, caring, praying, and giving! Remember, there’s always “Victory in Jesus!”
BOB AND JEAN YOUNG – SERVING AT ASSEMBLIES OF GOD HOSPITAL, SABOBA, PO BOX 29, SABOBA, N/R, GHANA, WEST AFRICA
Birthdays: Bob-Feb 11th, Jean- Feb 12th Anniversary: April 14th
Emails: 1) youngs@healthservicecorps.org, 2) servantgh@yahoo.com, or bushdoctor.young@gmail.com
Web Sites: www.healthservicecorps.org ; www.facebook.com/jean.a.young
www.flickr.com/photos/member/servant24-7; www.sabobamedicalcentre.net
Mission: Evangel Bible Translators, PO Box 669, Rockwall, TX 75087 – 0669; http://evangelbible.org/donate/
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Christian Health Service Corps, PO Box 132, Fruitvale, TX 75127
You can donate on-line at https://secure.acceptiva.com/?cst=1def0f or by snail mail. Make checks payable to Christian Health Service Corps and indicate that the donation is for Bob and Jean Young support.
Ghana #’s: Bob-233-244-996692;233-27-3481533;233-20-5746206
Jean-233-244-444387; 233-55-4426460; 233-20-4934208
JEAN’S WHATSAPP: +233 244 444387
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