I Will Not Abandon You (2006)
- Kent Galloway
- Jul 18, 2021
- 1 min read
An excerpt from "Courage in the Congo: A Doctor's Fight to Save the Pygmies"
Available now on Amazon:
I've had painful sores in my mouth for three weeks. I tried three different antibiotics and anti-fungal medicines. These sores were common in immune-compromised patients. I hoped and prayed the lesions would not get worse and would go away. The painful sores in my mouth got worse. I have not been able to eat any solid foods. My meals are soup, oatmeal, and pudding. I decided to fly to Kinshasa to get some medicine to help clear up the sores.
Everyone panicked, and many friends came to see me in the afternoon. The school interns were in a panic because the Bantu students told them I would return to the U.S. for good. Many threatened to quit school. They asked me to talk to the students. I promised them I would only go to Kinshasa and not on to America.
"The oncologist is optimistic. However, if I do not recover, I will die right here with you at my bedside," I assured them. "I'll be buried on the boarding school grounds. The boarding schools will not close. All the inheritances from my parents, aunts, and uncles will form a foundation to support the homes and the Botoa barefoot doctor project." Some had tears running down their faces, but they were relieved to hear I would not abandon them.
Comments