CATARACT OPERATION IN THE JUNGLE
The Operating Room Nurses Association of the Philippines – Northern Mindanao Chapter flew to the jungle of Barangay Binakalan, Ulanggoan, San Luis, Agusan del Sur, last November 10-11, 2007, to support the two-day Cataract Operation. The said event was organized by the Committee of German Doctors Hospital in collaboration with the New Tribes Mission (NTM).
The Committee of German Doctors Team was composed of Country Director Dietmar V. Schug, Medical Director Oscar V. Fudalan, Eye Consultant Dr. Augusto V. Dejos, Operating Room Supervisor, Teofanes D. Guinita and Perioperative Nurses, Janoa Manganar and Romell Nalitan. They spent two days to restore the sight of the Banwaons.
The team expressed how difficult it was to operate in a modified small area wearing sterile gown without air-condition unit in a sunny day. They shared that it was also hard to communicate with the patients since they cannot understand the Cebuano, Tagalog and English languages. The group needed the services of the missionaries to act as their interpreters. Furthermore, the source of electricity was powered by solar panels, thus there were power interruptions during the operation.
The one-year planning produced dramatic results as nineteen Banwaons restored their sight. “Nabayaa tanakaa-ahaa,” (I am happy now that I can see.) Mapaundag Andaya, a native of Binakalan, shared after the operation. Andaya disclosed that he could now see houses and mountains unlike before.
“I am very overwhelmed with the result of the operation amidst the difficulty and surmountable challenges we encountered, after seeing the smiles of the people, I can see that it was all worth it.” Teofanes D. Guinita, ORNAP-NMC President said. She continued by saying, “How fulfilling your life is when you are part of somebody’s happiness.”
New Tribes Mission member Chris Strange once a hospital administrator in one of the hospitals in the United States of America, was also delighted with the outcome of the project and could not wait for the same event next year. Along with Strange, Karmen Purcell, expressed how thrilled she was to be part of this huge operation and was very ecstatic to play a part in bringing back other people’s spiritual sight.
