Second Medical Mission to Niger

I get on the plane today for Niamey to get things ready for the arrival of our second medical team. This will be the second trip for our medical advisor, director and father/mentor/angel Dr. Bob Skankey. His wife and soon to be pharmacologist, Louine, will brave Niger for the first time and Margaret Guglielmo, experienced in Africa missions, is a retired nurse practitioner, specializing in mid-wife training. When I get to Niamey I will be running around purchasing medicine and other necessities for the mission and then the long 12hr bus ride north to Agadez. The others arrive Feb. 22 and Mar. 1. Sidi tells me there are likely to be more patients than the opening in September because the word has really spread. Three people who were blind can now see after taking Vitamin A. Several who could not walk are now walking. I find these stories impossible to believe, yet I do. Who knows why? Their belief in our medicine? Or the real effects of vitamins on a nutrient poor diet? No matter what–there are miracles happening. Lets go and see if we can conjure up some more. The patients are waiting.