Ezo: Land of the Living Dead.

2 weeks ago I received a call that made me so happy.
Elated actually.
One of the CMMB Managers asked me if I wanted to join them on an expedition with a large convoy of NGOs (non governmental organizations) to Ezo.
They were going to do an "evaluation" for NGOs with the United Nations to see how prepared Ezo is for us to return and the programs to continue and what emergency supplies are needed there.
Of course he did not expect me to scream, "YES" on the phone.
I was so very excited to go.
I thought to myself, no matter what I see or the evaluation is, I am going to say that I need to go back to Ezo immediately and continue my Safe Motherhood project.
It has been 3 months since I have left Ezo and have NOT performed a SINGLE surgery because here the Comboni Nuns in Nzara do not have an Operating Room/Theater, do NOT have a Maternity Ward, NO Labor and Delivery.
For those of you who know me, you know that my FAVORITE patients in the world are pregnant women, women with Gynecologic problems, et cetera.
My passion is performing deliveries, Cesarean Sections, cool  Gynecology surgeries.
My FAVORITE time this year were the first 7 months I was in Ezo. Literally saving woman's lives. Wow!!! How fulfilling!!!!!
That is MY VOCATION, my purpose in life to take care of Obstetric and Gynecology patients. My supreme destiny.  For this purpose I was created. For this noble work I was born.
Soooooooooooo.............................
On February 10th, 11th and 12th, I went with a large group of people from different NGOs to evaluate Ezo.
My Beautiful Ezo...
We arrived in Ezo and I could not even recognize the place.
It is dry season and bush fires every where.
But the real reason I was shocked was......
The entire town of Ezo and the county is abandoned.
My lively, friendly, welcoming Ezo looks like a picture from a horror movie.
The 40 thousand people of the town of Ezo are not there with the exception of a like 20 people literally. The people  are ALL still hiding in the bush.
Home after home, compound after compound are abandoned.
Homes are burnt purposefully.
Homes are bombed out.
The 90 to 100 thousand people from the county are mostly hiding in the bush. They are still fearing the looting (stealing), insecurity.
No local government officials are there.
We went to 4 different Government Clinics called here PHCC and PHCU (Primary Health Care Centers or Units)
All the equipment has been looted except for one place Madoro.
All the medicines are finished except Madoro.
Madoro just had MSF donate medicines and the Comboni Nuns from here in Nzara donated medicines as well.
People are walking greater than 4 hours to get to these clinics.
There are NO skilled Medical Personnel at ANY of the facilities.
The situation of HORRIBLE.
One of my colleagues performed the Nutritional portion of the evaluation and the number of Moderate to Severe malnourished children is devastating. The number of severe Malnourished children is shocking.
My portion of the evaluation was the Health Status.
I wanted to cry.
People coming out of the bush. Like zombies.
People that were previously super healthy, fit people are now malnourished and dehydrated.
After now being in the bush for 3 months, they are so weak and devastated they look confused and mentally unstable.
The last stop was the worse because it was mostly people from Ezo town who had left to hide.
They were crying and hugging me.
They were begging me to come back.
They were telling me that they stopped counting Maternal Deaths after November 31st because there were already 6.
From November 18 to the end of November.... 6 of my beautiful pregnant women had died.
5 from mal-position of the baby and one from a Post Partum hemorrhage.
Which ones????
I am haunted seeing all the smiling faces that last day of Prenatal Clinic on November 18th, Wednesday morning.
The beautiful, smiling faces of the 50 Moms who came to see me.
Laughing with me, as I told them in local language, sit closer, drink more water, and greeting each one as they arrived.
I see the faces laughing as I tell them in their language to eat greens.
Which ones died?
Why????
Why was I not there for them????
Well, I knew I could not cry in front of all the people there on Friday morning our last evaluation and last day.
I remembered what a wonderful strong Kenyan Comboni Mother Superior told me here, "Rachael, you must remember, you are a HOPE to these people.They need your joy, your smile."
She was correct.
I smiled and attempted to speak in the local language about food.
Everyone started to laugh.
They all hugged me smiling and laughing.
That is my last gift to the people of Ezo.
Joy. Laughter.
On a practical note, the last day if you can imagine, the Army started to shoot gunfire and RPGs the big blasts.
Everyone in the group was freaking out.
We had to rapidly leave Ezo in our convoy.
We were told that there was reports of Rebels, stealing the last food from people hiding in the bush and assaulting women so the Soldiers went to stop it.
Of course that sadly "sealed the deal".
Everyone was saying that without any of the local governmental figures (the Commissioner, the Chief Payam, the Executive Director, etc) Ezo is NOT secure.
I could only stay quiet.
I could not say what I desired in my heart, to go back to Ezo and help.
I knew no one would ever agree.
So the NGOs including CMMB (Catholic Medical Mission Board) are going to send supplies and nutrition and medicines to the locals who are there working in the facilities. Of course we are talking about minimally skilled personnel.
The United Nations had now removed all the Congolese refugees from there.
As one of the women from the group said, "If the UN leaves, you know there is big trouble."
My Ezo, my beautiful Ezo, my beautiful people who were SO kind and opening and welcoming to me.
Thank you Ezo.
You are in my thoughts and prayers daily.
The pregnant women's faces haunt me at night.
I beg the universe to allow us to live in a world where peace and equality are "normal".
Please continue to pray for me.
Thank you all for your words of encouragement and love.
Good night and God bless.