Jul/Aug/Sep 2012 Newsletter - Science with a Mission

Science with a Mission, Inc. “Providing Diagnostics for the Developing World” Jul/Aug/Sep 2012 Newsletter Welcome our newest volunteer: Piper

Lucky (a.k.a. Mom) packages chlamydia tests with the assistance of Piper. Well okay, I’m using the word “assistance” lightly.

Uganda: “…Medical need there is soooo great that it is unbelievable. I was busy from sun up to sun down. Villagers came from miles [away] to be seen when they found out we were there. I can tell you this: We were at a crusade one night and I had my backpack loaded with supplies. And of course the test kits provided by your glorious good works. A little boy about 7 years old was brought to me - running a temperature of 105.6, lethargic, very ill looking. We were able to test him right there in a field in Africa with the portable test kits. He tested positive for Malaria. We treated him right there in the field. He is now recovered, doing well, with an awesome smile on his face. Thank Jesus for all that he does through all of us. It was a very difficult and tiring trip. I came back absolutely exhausted.

“This is upside down. I can’t read upside down!”

Thru us all, the Lord is doing amazing work… Blessings Darlene”

Science with a Mission’s international headquarters – my house – has a new little kitten named Piper. Given how much he loves to attack fingers trying to type, jump in all boxes or bins and play with whatever is inside, walk across keyboards adding all sorts of characters to my documents, use buffer bottles as his personal toys, put my computer on “scroll lock” and other things I struggle to undo…it’s a good thing kittens take lots of naps or this newsletter might never have been written☺.

Temporary clinic in Uganda

One of the things that often surprises people is the fact that families in most developing countries must pay for their kids to go to school – even primary school is not free. As such, it is treasured.

Kids in school in Uganda

Mud house in Uganda. Notice there are no electric lines, no phone lines, no car, etc.

Philippines “I am sure it will get there before I head back home to the Philippines next Sat, thank you so much for doing what you do to support what we do. Prenatal testing for HIV, Malaria, and all the STI's is so very important to maternal and newborn survival, so thank you. Blessings, Vicki”

Haiti: “Hi Alynne, Thank you SO much for getting the order finished so quickly and especially for covering the cost [with grant money from FGSA]. Just before I received your email I was debating whether or not I had to decrease medications we order in order to pay for these tests! Thank you. Samaritan’s Purse has run a general clinic in Cite Soleil, Haiti for the past 2 years. Cite Soleil is the poorest, most dangerous slum in the western hemisphere. There are thousands of people still living in tents since the earthquake with no sanitation or access to clean water. Our clinic is the only free clinic for this area. We see approximately 200 patients each day, the majority of which are women and children. Because of the high rate of gender-based violence, there are a lot of STIs. We have never been able to test for these in our clinic as we do not have laboratory capabilities. Now with the rapid diagnostic tests for chlamydia and gonorrhea, we will be able to test and treat these infections with accuracy. It will also help us to know the incidence of these infections in this particular community. Thank you again! Brianna” Thanks to Beth, Kathy and Nancy for organizing our auction – in addition to all who donated, baked and/or attended the event. We raised a little over $6,000 for this ministry.

Science with a Mission, Inc. 602 Massapoag Avenue Sharon, MA 02067 (781) 784-6907 www.sciencewithamission.org [email protected]