Cyclone Aila in Bangladesh – Diary of a Humanitarian

TEAR Fund is meeting the needs of the suffering after Cyclone Aila struck Bangladesh last month through its partnership with the Integral Alliance and its local partner Koinonia. Medical field worker with humedica, Nancy E. Smith, tells the story of the work being done through her personal diary.

Personal Journal from Nancy E. Smith – humedica Bangladesh Team 2009

May 31, 2009 “Our God is the God of “suddenly´s…”

The southwest coastal area of Bangladesh survives the winds of Cyclone Aila, but suddenly floodwaters destroy homes, crops, and families are devastated.

Three friends and humedica colleagues are having an evening meal in an outdoor restaurant in Cologne, remembering the past missions with humedica, people and places, and then suddenly an SMS appears… there is need in Bangladesh. Looks of wonder on each face, knowing that is not a polite invitation from God, it is His clear call. Without hesitation, the three are now a humedica team.

June 3, 2009 Travel day.

Supplies, checklists, boxes of medicine are successfully checked in at Munich, headed for Dubai, then finally Dhaka, in Bangladesh. The stopover in Dubai allows for the joining of Dr. Markus Hohlweck, with Dieter Schmidt, coordinator and Nancy Smith, an American Nurse.

A brief rest, then the three continues on. Landing in the deep grey overcast skies of Dhaka – flying over what appears to be extended areas of flooded lands. The reality of why we are here, begins to set in.

We are met by officials of Koinonia, our local partner organisation – they are welcoming, kind, and obviously pleased to be working with humedica again.

June 4, 2009

A day of meetings and planning to map out schedules for the day ahead.
There was comfortable and open dialogue between Dr. Dennis Datta, Mark, Dieter and Markus. The destruction of the land areas by the “saline waters” is of grave concern. There is a severe loss of fresh water and food supply. The health implication alone, are staggering. Coordination of effort is essential, and energetic; pleasant young man, Ripon, becomes our main guide and Koinonia contact.

The medical members spend the afternoon, sorting, packing, re-packing, … rethinking and packing again. Difficult to plan for the unknown, but Dr. Hohlweck´s previous experience provides a point of reference. We are told by Koinonia that the two main health issues, critical at this point are people suffering from diarrhea and skin diseases – resulting from over eight days of continued flood water.

June 5, 2009 7am morning traffic in Dhaka

Loud, vibrant – constant motions and colours of bicycle rickshaws saris are beautiful. We settle in for a short six to eight hour drive to Satkhira – our “camp” destination. Approx 7:30pm (a mere 12 hours later) we locate and are welcomed by Father Luigi; a catholic priest who directs an organisation to support and provide social services to the local Bengali families. His hospitality is genuine, our rooms are plain but very comfortable. The warm humidity of this season is so different than the cool summer nights of Germany.
Our first team meeting with all the members provides opportunity to meet the young men who will assist us in the logistics of reaching those we have come to help, and to bring hope.

June 6, 2009

Daylight begins about 4:30 to 5am, along with the sounds of worship at the nearby mosque. The anticipation of the first day in the field is always electric – again, so much simple not known – but we are prepared as possible… eager to finally be with the people, see them, speak with them, offer and help as we can.

Boat rides, changing of boats, more time in the boats – the water is the only way to travel – sadly so much of our destination was not intended to be under water. Our 1st mobile med begins in a “cyclone shelter”; a concrete building an pillars. The top floors dry, the bottom areas often covered with the changing tidal surges. Day one goes well and the nervous anticipation gives way to continued talks, planning, assessment and response.

June 7, 2009

Our clinic destination is a different cyclone shelter, today. We travel in long narrow wooden boats, moved by oars, paddles or a local pulling at the bowline to keep us straight in the swirling waters of the back canals. As we approach our shelter, it is its own island, completely surrounded by water – the connecting walkways are submerged by at least half a metre. We unload, set up and begin.

The heat of the direct sun, mingled with smoke from cook fires intensifies the warmth.

There are people here who are quite ill, two young boys with high fevers; intravenous drips (IV) are quickly started and we continue on. These faces reveal both sadness and extreme fatigue. The constant water offers no rest, no possible return to life as they knew it before. “Dr. Markus” works quickly and efficiently; the nurse and Bengali assistant in the pharmacy completes treatments and provides medications. More often, just a touch, a kind tone or word seems to bring out shy smiles, much more so than the offer of medication. The very sick ones are so tired, and the eyes of their family plead silently for help. The two young boys are both better after several hours of IV infusion and rest of plastic tarps – they lay in open outside area, but out of the sun. At late afternoon we leave, knowing there is so much more to be done.

June 8, 2009

We awaken after a restless night. We struggle with the news of poor weather conditions, an area of low pressure that will cause even higher tidal surges. Our thoughts dwell on those we left yesterday… how high could or would the waters rise again? There is concern, not worry… there is planning, not panic… there is heartfelt prayer, and determination of follow God’s direction through the midst of it all.

The decision is made to work on an inland location, while remaining in contact with the canal and island areas. No boats are being allowed out on the river today – rising waters make it too difficult, so we work in an area of higher ground.

Our “clinic” is in sharp contrast to working outdoors yesterday. We have an actual room with some tables and chairs. The people we served today were not as critically ill as those yesterday but they seem desperate for simple human attention, any help to lift their emotional burdens. There seems to be a common, constant battle against hopelessness.

The team is beginning to find our rhythm, and the patient flow becomes easier. Two more cases of high fevers, two women… again IV therapy and rest offers a stabilizing effect. The both are better by the time we must pack to leave.

For a gallery of images from the field, click here.