Introducing Doro

It took a lot of prayer to decide where the Lord wanted me to serve when I return to Africa in 2014. It was HARD to decide! When I first started my midwifery training here in the Philippines a contact in Doro, told me of a maternity ward they were opening. Then he happened to mention "maybe you will join us when you finish." That statement has stayed in the back of my mind since then. Lingering. After much prayer and guidance from trusted friends it became clear that this was the direction the Lord is leading me. This past week I committed to serving in Doro! I am excited about what the future holds for me there. 

I have committed to serving in Doro's Maternity ward for two years starting in the spring of 2014. 

Where is Doro? 

Doro is in Maban county in the Upper Nile state near Ethiopia (the cream colored area on the upper right of the map). I formerly lived in Eastern Equetoria (the yellow area, lower right side of the map) near the Uganda border in the Didinga Hills.

Maban county is home to over 100,000 refugees 

 "A year ago previously-inaccessible, remote peoples from Sudan to the north of our Doro home began streaming into the new country of South Sudan, fleeing the systematic bombing of their villages and markets.  Today there are more than 110,000 refugees in tented camps around Doro.  Refugees come by foot, impoverished, with but a few goats or sheep. These people are our friends, and they are poor.  They did not choose their lot in life.  They suffer in ways we barely comprehend." ~ Missionary couple serving in Doro 

Where will I live?

I will live on this compound in a mud hut, probably with another young woman. There are 15-20 (roughly) other medical missionaries that also live here. Looks cozy! (this picture was taken in 2010, not sure what it looks like now). There is a dog or two, which of course makes me happy :) 

The weather in Doro is HOT. In the dry season the temperature rises above 100ºf  with out any rain! From what I have read this is for 7 months out of the year. There is also a rainy season from roughly July-September (I think) and the area gets a lot of flooding from what I have read. I am not choosing Doro because of the lovely weather. 

Doro airstrip

This picture is a bit old, so not sure what it looks like today, But it made me feel at home :) I believe AIMAIR will be flying me in and out, at least some of the time. I sure love the men & their families that serve faithfully in AIMAIR flying missionaries in and out of hard to reach places! 

What will I be doing in Doro? 

My first 3 months will be spent language learning. I will learn the Mabaan language and possibly Juba Arabic. After these 3 months I will start serving in the maternity clinic along side other midwives, doctors & nurses. We will be providing prenatal, labor & delivery & postpartum care along with training up national midwives and community health teaching. 

I will be spending four days each week in the clinic and be on shift for births at night. The other 3 days of the week I can have a ministry outside of the maternity clinic, which I don't know what that will look like yet. There is a lot of unknowns as far as the maternity clinic because it is just getting up and running this year. 

One of the changes for me in serving in Doro is that I will be working under a different organization. Africa Inland Missions will be lending me to Serving in Missions (SIM). I will still be a AIM missionary, but will be under the authority of SIM while in Doro. If you would like to know more about SIM, you can visit their website at: http://www.sim.org

Pictures were found on google

I step out in faith in my commitment to serve in Doro. There will be many challenges and heart breaking moments of that I am sure, but there will be joy and hope in the midst.  I offer up my gifts to the Lord to be used for His glory. To bring hope to the hopeless. 

 "The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit." Psalm 34:18