Africa Cries Out Report 2023016 Journey to Africa

Author Cyan Ding, 10th grade, Davis Senior High School, CA

Mahatma Gandhi once said, “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others”. I never would have thought I would enter Africa before college, much less serve on a medical missionary trip. 

Thinking back to how this journey began, I find myself astonished at how fast it ended. Not only did I learn much about medicine, but I also found much personal growth. Let me take you along with me through each step I took in this adventure.  

3/18.

My first day at the base. We finally arrived at the airport in Dakar, capital of Senegal after a transfer flight from San Francisco to New York. Senegal is one of the most awe-inspiring yet foreign places I have ever been. Coming from California, I did not feel affected by the arid, dry climate Senegal had. But the lack of buildings and the desert terrain was quite new to me. After getting introduced to the home and conditions I would be living in for a reasonable extent of my stay, the new norm gradually began to set in. I would have to get used to not having air conditioning, clean water, or as-comfortable living conditions. This would eventually become a testament to my adaptability and perseverance. 

3/19

It is midnight. Jet lag had me waking up sporadically. A lack of sleep due to outside noise was a common theme throughout this trip. Before I knew it, the clock ticked 6 am, and it was time for breakfast duty. The youth made scrambled eggs for the rest of the group, and everyone enjoyed the modest breakfast. This would be one of the better breakfasts I would have on this trip. The rest of the day was spent visiting one of the local churches, a fun experience with enjoyable music and singing. Afterwards, we visited the House of Slaves on Gorée island and learned about the history of the African slave trade. The next day I would be waking up at 5 am, and I was drop-dead exhausted.

3/20

Today we departed on a 12-hour bus ride to Kedougou, our first stop in treating patients. The base there was minimal but contained enough amenities to sleep comfortably. However, through a mistake in the shower, I ruined a full set of clothes I had packed and had to sleep in the daytime-clothes of the previous day. We slept on mattresses on the floor. 

3/21

We woke up nice and early and departed to a hotel where the rest of the team slept. After concluding breakfast there, we drove to the village where we would be treating patients. Throughout the day, I learned how to triage, take patients’ blood pressure, and write prescriptions. Shadowing doctors here was quite interesting, as I got to witness some casualties of leprosy; some patients had multiple limbs amputated due to bacterial infection. We treated upwards of 200 patients. After getting lunch and treating a few more patients, we returned to the hotel and settled for repose. 

3/22

Wednesday already. I cannot believe how fast time flies. Looking back on the time I’ve spent in Africa so far, I could not believe that I was already used to this place. Cold showers, groggy mornings, the dusty and dry air, and all the living conditions I resided in. It all seemed to blend into drawn-out, tiring days of sunrise and sunset. After beginning the 13-hour bus drive, I quickly found myself nauseous and carsick. But thanks to the caring doctors on the bus, I survived, only vomiting a few times. This was my first experience with acupuncture too. I can personally attest to the beneficial effects of this treatment. 

3/23

Today, we departed to a different village to treat more patients. An estimated 250 patients were treated on this day, and in gratitude, the village chief gave us a tour of the village he resided in. In a place so arid, I marveled at the beauty and lusciousness of the village that the chief and village men had managed to create.

3/24

The last day. After a filling breakfast of bread, we headed to the final village. Everyone was here now for the treatment of a final batch of patients, and I rotated across assisting a few different doctors. Patients came in and left with a prescription paper. Some youths played with some drums, and we handed kids lollipops. I conversed with a translator, and learnt about the common dialect the natives spoke. Later that day, the surgical team returned, and at dinner, everyone at the base enjoyed a bountiful meal. The youth gifted the local students their computers, and I can still remember the hopeful and grateful smiles on the students’ faces. 

This trip was an incredible experience. I experienced my first time shadowing doctors and seeing patients. It was also my first time living alongside people from a whole different world than me and coming to an understanding that although they were not born in a privileged household like I was, they too have the driven mindset to improve the world they live in.  

One adventure ends. But another one begins as life returns to normal, and I find myself searching for ways to contribute to Africa Cries Out and to do my share to better this world.

Editor:  Rachel Zhang

Editing Team: Liu Hui, Wu Hao, Guo Yuanchun, Duan Xiaohong, Cao Juanjuan, Grace Huang, Yang Zhifeng, Rachel Zhang, Daniel Xu