Congo Kinshasa: an uncomfortable night reveals a tropical danger

I couldn't sleep. 

I felt bloated. Nothing seemed to resolve the problem. I imagined having an indigestion disguised heart attack, cancer, or the need for a surgical intervention. I laid on on side, on my back, on the other side. I made several visits to out Turkish style toilet. The pain was across my lower ribs - across my spleen, stomach and liver. A dull, tight ache.

Francis and Judith Hannaway 

Judith brought me a glass of water the first night, and 2 paracetamol. I slept. The following day, I consumed the maximum amount of paracetamol, as well as drinking multiple cups of sweet, milky coffee. The bloating didn't go away. Pain across the lower ribs! For two days I hardly ate. 

The next morning I took my first of three de-worming tablets. The change was SO remarkable that I've eaten loads today, and even had a beer.

Worms are picked up as eggs from contaminated food. Perhaps, someone carrying them didn't wash their hands before touching food.

The eggs enter the stomach and intestines. As they progress they develop into spaghetti-like worms that produce thousands of microscopic eggs, each day! The eggs pass from the intestines to the blood supply, eventually emerging in the lungs. They cause irritation and emerge in phlegm as the patient starts to cough. The eggs emerge in the throat and are then swallowed, only to develop into thousands more egg-laying worms! The cycle repeats. Eventually, the intestines fill with worms, get blocked and the body goes into shock. Death often follows.

I obviously had this parasitic infestation. I could sense it, report it, get treatment for it. I didn't go into shock and die like Fr Patrick CCIM did, 30 years before. I took the pills and survived!

Tragically, for our malnourished children, the story's different. They're too young to speak. The parents are often ignorant of the low price if treatment (20 pence!). The days of bloating, lack of appetite, abdominal pain, go unnoticed. At least 75% of our malnourished children need treatment for worms. The parents are oblivious.

That's why we desperately need your donation to combat these infections in a country where we're the only option!

Make a donation to Francis and Judith's Malnutrition Centre (click) 

Congo Kinshasa : Ex-soldier, Papy, dumped at our house in a critical state!

 ==£300 needed urgently!==

We sat down to breakfast. Judith is still a little worn out from her river journey. "I've still got a headache," she said. "There's a new child waiting outside, but I've already sent someone to take them for a checkup at the hospital." The hospital is a small affair and just next door. Judith sat with me at the table and I filled our cups with hot water from the thermos flask. Breakfast had become more enjoyable since Judith's two weeks away. As well as sacks of beans, rice, milk-powder and all the things we need for the malnutrition centre, she'd also managed to source some breakfast goodies! Orange marmalade for my bread is a rare treat, and hot-chocolate makes a real difference! "Don't take too long," she added. "You promised to take that parcel across to the convent for Sister Marie." I nodded to acknowledge what she'd said. "Oh, and Papy's come to see us."

"Papy? Papy?" I thought for a while before asking which Papy it was.

"You know, he was our watchman before."

Yes, I remembered him now. His girlfriend had come to stay with him. He'd been fine. An ex-soldier; very quiet, but serious in his work. She'd caused all the trouble and then they both suddenly left.

I finished my breakfast and picked up the parcel. I walked past Papy on my way out of the yard. He was sitting, slouched on a plastic chair near the gate. I said hello, but, true to his manner, didn't really notice a reply. I continued on my way.

Francis Hannaway with Papy

It was already 8:30 and starting to warm up. I arrived at the convent and, after a nice chat with two of the sisters, made my way back.

The sun was now too hot and my shirt was absolutely soaked with sweat! I called in to see Fr Christiantus. After half an hour cooling down in front of an electric fan, he took me in to town to see his new shop.

We sat for an hour with a bottle of beer each, while he showed me all the motorbike parts in his boutique. We finally got back to my house at 1 pm where Judith was waiting.

Fr Christiantus with Francis Hannaway 

"Papy came because he's ill." she told me as we walked in. "I had him sent to the hospital and the doctors have just sent this note." The writing wasn't too clear but very noticeable in the middle was "appendicitis".

I asked how he'd got here if he was so ill. I thought back to my morning greeting - the reason he hadn't replied was because he was only half-conscious. "His neighbours carried him here," sighed Judith. "He doesn't have any family, his girlfriend left him... and it doesn't look like he has any friends. So, his neighbours dumped him with us."

Fr. Christiantus joined us for lunch. "If you've had trouble with him in the past," he said, "and if he dies during the operation, you'll be accused later."

"No," said Judith. "We didn't have any problems with him at all. He left because of his girlfriend."

"What do you want to do?" I asked her. "He needs an operation, and he needs it now. What shall we do?"

Judith wasn't happy. "This hospital's expensive. Maybe we can do it cheaper with Dr David."

Fr Chris went home while Judith went across to the hospital. She soon came back, saying, "They want 250,000 Francs upfront." (That's £80!)

Normally, we pay our hospital bill at the end of each month, but I remembered that operations need a "kit". A "kit" includes all the scalpels, syringes, swabs and whatever, they need for a particular operation. We decided to go ahead.

The total costs will be around £300.

Papy doesn't have a fixed place to live. He drifts around looking for work. After his operation, some of his brothers (well, brothers-in-arms!) arrived from Djombo, a sizeable village, 8 hours upriver. They'd all been soldiers together during Bemba's war and settled where they were, when it ended. Thinking they'd come for his funeral, they were happy to see he was still alive. They stayed three nights, sleeping on a mat next to his bed in the hospital.

Urgent donations are still needed to cover his costs. 😊 Details on my page.

Judith donated a towel and some soap and persuaded me to part with some clothes (although most of mine would swamp him!)

He'll be in hospital for a couple of weeks - that's why we need to raise funds. 

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