Thank You letter (snail mailed too)

At the hospital, Christmas Eve 2009

January 31, 2010

Dear  Friends and Family:

Thank you for your incredible generosity and open heartedness in your support of Justine’s operation.  I am attaching the blog post from early December that I posted as a thank you to all of you.

Justine finally had her surgery on December 21, 2009.  She left village on Saturday the 19^th and spent the weekend at the hospital, along with a group of six other women from around the country that were all scheduled to receive the same operation on the 21^st.  Very quickly the women bonded together and became a tightknit support group, praying with each other, encouraging the others, swapping stories, looking after each other.   Justine was the first woman to have the surgery, early Monday morning.

On Monday morning I myself arrived at the hospital, in Afagnan , about 80km from the capital city of Lomé.   I accompanied Justine’s mother, “Dada” (the local language for Mama) who at the last minute also insisted on coming along.  Cecile, Justine’s 18-year-old sister in her last year of high school in Lomé, had arrived in village on Sunday on her school Christmas vacation and agreed to go with Justine over the weekend.  Cecile was a saint throughout the whole process, and ended up staying almost the entire stay with Justine, sleeping on the floor beside her bed and tending to her needs while sacrificing her valuable and short school vacation.

Justine’s surgery was reported to have gone well, and I stayed the whole day in Afagnan.  Because it was an intrusive procedure, she was in a lot of pain and hazy from medications, but the doctors assured me that she was quite ‘normal’ and on track with her recovery.

I returned to the hospital on Thursday, Christmas Eve, and all the women who had the surgery remembered me and were excited to take Christmas photos with me (I brought a Santa Claus hat just to make them laugh) and while everyone was still in pain, they were at least able to walk around.

Justine was very lucky and was allowed to leave the hospital on Saturday, one week after being admitted.  (There had been a good chance she would not come back before I returned to the USA.)  She returned to village and was able to say goodbye to me when I left village for good on Monday morning.

Justine had a follow-up doctors’ appointment in mid-January, and I telephoned to see how it went.  Her internal organs are still healing and she is in a lot of pain, and is not even allowed to use her sewing machine for at least two more months.  She has a third follow-up appointment in about three weeks, and I will check on her progress again at this time.   Her spirits remain high, and she made sure to remind me to “Tell your friends I said hi!”

Thank you once again for your unbelievable support and touching donations.  Justine and Simon were incredibly surprised and grateful for your help.  Ever since they learned that this surgery really was going to be possible, they haven’t ceased to mention their wonder and their appreciation for the kindness of strangers.  When I left Togo, they gave me a letter for my friends and family, and I am attaching a photocopy (with a rough translation!) for you all.  They have always remained humble and thankful, and we all send you our sincere thanks.

Anna Harrison

Returned Peace Corps Volunteer, Togo 2007-2009

Simon and Justine's letter

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December 27, 2009

TRANSLATION:

To our beloved friends and family of Anna :

We, Justine and Simon, ask you to accept our sincere thanks to everyone (Anna’s friends and sisters) who showed us their love and sent us their help during our moment of difficulty with Justine’s illness in sending us money for medical care.  We thank all her sisters and friends who became benefactors, not forgetting our sister and friend Rebecca.  May God reward you as you deserve!  We wish you an overwhelming thank you and may God bless you !

Justine and Simon