Departure Letter

July 20, 2016

Dear friends and family,

An Illness: Have you ever had a runny nose? How about numbness in your fingers and toes? In the U.S., these symptoms are likely to be related to a cold or type 2 diabetes. Fifty years ago in the African country of Cameroon, however, these could be symptoms of leprosy. Now referred to as “Hansen’s disease,” sufferers were often stigmatized and shamed as being “unclean.” Difficulties in prevention and treatment as well as lack of education were often compounded by the cultural and religious implications.

Stigma and Jesus: Have you ever felt like a leper? Many modern-day illnesses that share aspects of shame and stigma - HIV/AIDS, schizophrenia, substance use disorders, certain physical disabilities, chronic illnesses, among others. How do we consciously or unconsciously distance ourselves from these people? Breaking from the traditions of his time, Jesus touched people w/ leprosy and offered them compassion, healing, and dignity. While he yelled at and rebuked the pharisees, religious leaders, and his own disciples at times, Jesus spent time with and advocated for the poor, needy, abused, and stigmatized. We believe that when Jesus is referred to as the Great Physician, that refers to all illness, whether biologic, psychologic, sociologic, or spiritual.

The Hospital: If you had leprosy fifty years ago in Cameroon, you may’ve been referred to Mbingo Hospital in the northwest province. Originally beginning as a Leprosy Settlement, Mbingo is now a moderate sized hospital and referral center. With now successful and widely-available treatments for this once-dreaded disease, there are only a handful of chronic cases of leprosy still on site. The hospital, sustained and run by Cameroonians, has over 300 beds for patients whose illnesses range from malaria to meningitis, heart failure to hepatitis, tuberculosis to typhoid. They partner with physicians and health-care professionals from other countries to train African physicians to provide quality medical care for Cameroonians, with the hopes of avoiding the so-called “brain-drain” - training physicians who then move to work in Europe and America, leaving their country with even a greater physician shortage.

Our Plans: Bryan and I plan to spend the majority of this next year (and hopefully those to follow) at Mbingo (pronounced “Em – bing- go”). Our role will predominantly be one of learning from as well as teaching and consulting. With our dual training in Family Medicine and Psychiatry, we are interested in learning about mental illness in the Cameroonian culture.

Updates and Prayer list: We plan to send periodic updates to our email mailing list. If you would no longer like to receive updates, or if you did not receive the electronic version but wish to, please let us know. We are creating a separate prayer list for those who wish to support us in prayer for specific requests. Please let me know if you would like to be included on that list. Finally, many have asked about financial support. All our basic expenses (room, board and travel) are provided at this time, but if you feel led to give towards additional ministry projects you may do so at https://www.samaritanspurse.org/medical/wmm-doctors/ . We depart in September, 2016.

We are immensely grateful for your kindness, generosity, and prayers.

In Him,

Drs. Bryan & Mary Cairns

"For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink,
       I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me,
            I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me…
                 whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me."

                      -Jesus (Matthew 25)

Bryan & Mary at Mbingo, 2011