Also - to keep you informed there's now one confirmed Ebola death in Bo. The man traveled to and back from a heavily effected area and, gee, some how managed to bring it back with him. There are "screening check points" but if one gets to the check point before the heath screening begins for the day - one passes on his merry way. Or if you are screened and have not fever, you travel on. Oh well.
Just received another update (actually, it was probably sent at about the same time as the previous one).
Okay - I trust our government more than the SL gvt but... I just tried to link to an article dated July 2 which was critical of the US gvt not issuing travel warnings due to Ebola. Mysteriously the link has been removed and cannot connect. CDC web site has not been updated since mid june and the outbreak is rapidly increasing. We've not received anything from the US Embassy since June 18. Hmmmm... I get the distinct impression that we're not getting the full story. Thought you'd like to know!
Keep in mind that internet is pretty shaky over there, so it's possible that this is nothing more than a series of bad connections. OK, not likely, but possible.
Most likely many of you have heard news regarding the recent outbreak of the Ebola virus in West African countries. We have hesitated to generally request prayer for this because we weren’t directly effected by it and didn’t want to cause undue alarm. It was hoped that the virus would be quickly contained in Guinea, the country where the outbreak started. Unfortunately that is not the case and Doctors Without Borders along with the World Health Organization have now declared that the virus is “out of control” in the three effected countries: Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. Fear and ignorance of the dreaded disease are fueling its spread as people seek treatment from “traditional healers” – witchdoctors who themselves then become infected and continue the spread. People are walking away from quarantine wards preferring to die in their homes. Churches are harboring patients professing to be able to heal them. Many are claiming that Ebola is a government conspiracy and even saying that it doesn’t actually exist. Others die in remote villages without going to a health post so the spread goes unreported. Extremely poor sanitation and personal hygiene also contribute to the spread.
How does Ebola effect us? By curtailing some scheduled evangelism trips. In addition to some follow up visits, _____ and I along with two students had planned to travel Kono district in the extreme east of Sierra Leone. This was to be a reconnaissance trip to make necessary arrangements to add this heavily Muslim region to the evangelism circuit next dry season. It is also very close to the area where the Ebola virus crossed into Sierra Leone and is now an Ebola “hot spot” so we decided it would be in the best interest of everyone involved to not make this excursion. As of this writing there has been one confirmed Ebola death in Bo, evidence that the spread is continuing. We ask you to pray for God’s mercy on these countries mired in spiritual darkness.
thanks steve.. i think we are going to get a better report from the Dr without boarders than the governments....Agreed. Governments always have their agendas. They truly believe that the lies they tell are for the good of the people. I'm not just repeating what others have said either - I've been deeply involved in politics for quite a few years. For the past 19 years, I have made my living providing computer and data services to political campaigns; I've been a candidate, a treasurer, a speech-writer, a convention delegate, and various other positions and activities. If there is one thing that politicians are good at, it is convincing themselves that what they are doing is truly for the good of the people - no matter what it is. Yes, I've found myself doing the same thing - justifying things I've done - much to my shame. That is one reason why I stopped dealing with politics other than having candidates and campaigns as paying customers. It is corrosive to the soul, and no one is immune to the effects that can have. Anyway, enough of all that. Bottom line here is that while most folks look at politicians as evil liars, the fact is that they really do believe what they say, and they really do believe that withholding information is for the good of the people.
thanks steve.. i think we are going to get a better report from the Dr without boarders than the governments....Agreed. Governments always have their agendas. They truly believe that the lies they tell are for the good of the people. I'm not just repeating what others have said either - I've been deeply involved in politics for quite a few years. For the past 19 years, I have made my living providing computer and data services to political campaigns; I've been a candidate, a treasurer, a speech-writer, a convention delegate, and various other positions and activities. If there is one thing that politicians are good at, it is convincing themselves that what they are doing is truly for the good of the people - no matter what it is. Yes, I've found myself doing the same thing - justifying things I've done - much to my shame. That is one reason why I stopped dealing with politics other than having candidates and campaigns as paying customers. It is corrosive to the soul, and no one is immune to the effects that can have. Anyway, enough of all that. Bottom line here is that while most folks look at politicians as evil liars, the fact is that they really do believe what they say, and they really do believe that withholding information is for the good of the people.
It really is becoming ugly. Soldiers are back in Kenema. Villages around Kenema are deserted as people flee into the bush rather than submit to Ebola testing. Rumors are rampant.
stephen? hello! you still with us?! Dang, guess not...Yup - still here.
Well imo it is worse for some reason. And not just because of the dead. And now thanks to bum for the info that over a 100 health workers are sick, something is going on.
It always helps to read the source articles instead of relying on uneducated opinion pieces from people like the ones at "the end of the American dream." It's not the first time they've done something like take a bit of information out of context and turn it into some kind of conspiratorial horror story.
Here is the actual Reuters article that discusses the 100 infected health care workers. You might want to read it. It explains a lot about how 100 workers might get infected. I don't believe there's any big conspiracy.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/08/01/us-health-ebola-healthworkers-idUSKBN0G14FR20140801
It always helps to read the source articles instead of relying on uneducated opinion pieces from people like the ones at "the end of the American dream." It's not the first time they've done something like take a bit of information out of context and turn it into some kind of conspiratorial horror story.
Here is the actual Reuters article that discusses the 100 infected health care workers. You might want to read it. It explains a lot about how 100 workers might get infected. I don't believe there's any big conspiracy.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/08/01/us-health-ebola-healthworkers-idUSKBN0G14FR20140801
I do agree that their isn't any conspiracy or anything like that here i think their is more going on than what we might understand or have recognize... its funny that the workers there are talking about the suits not being of sufficient or proper thickness... "to flimsy" yet the WHO "the politicians" are blaming the carelessness and inexperience of the workers... i don't think the workers are being careless they see directly the effects of the virus and would be extra carefull to keep the virus off them.. now i can believe the system their using is failing them...... but like the article said half of the 100 have died so their is something different this time... not a conspiracy but something... but the one thing that's got alot of people confused is why they are transporting people with the virus out of the region like to the U.S and soon to Germany.. this is a new tactic from the other Ebola outbreaks that had a policy of quarantine and isolation....
on another note have you left yet or are you already there.... like Admiral Nimitz said when looking for Halsey.... "where is.. repeat.. where is Task Force 34? The world wonders....
Steven thanks for the update.... It looks like the virus will be getting out of the african continent at this rate and it'll be heading for the EU.....That could certainly happen, but unless there is a major change in the DNA of the virus, it won't have much of an impact once it gets out of Africa. Cultural practices (like nothing a civilized Western man can even imagine) are what is causing the spread in Africa. Drop the same number of infected people in typical America, and it would most likely end with no more than a handful of additional cases. Africans generally have absolutely no concept of personal hygiene and cleanliness. The governments have tried hard to get them to adopt what we consider the bare minimum levels of sanitary practices, but they refuse. It isn't a matter of simple ignorance (lack of knowledge) it is willful ignorance (having the information available but refusing to use it). also known as stupidity. It is found throughout the African continent, as well as in Washington D.C.
Praying for your friends.Thanks for the prayers - they are needed.
However, I think it is past time to worry about the rest of the world. We need to fix our own problems first. America has too many hungry kids and old people. Too many living in poverty. I'm talking about the ones who cannot help themselves.
Praying for your friends.Thanks for the prayers - they are needed.
However, I think it is past time to worry about the rest of the world. We need to fix our own problems first. America has too many hungry kids and old people. Too many living in poverty. I'm talking about the ones who cannot help themselves.
You might be confusing what we do with the "do gooders" that call themselves missionaries. We are there for one purpose only - to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We don't give them stuff, we just do what The Bible says we are to do.
Praying for your friends.Thanks for the prayers - they are needed.
However, I think it is past time to worry about the rest of the world. We need to fix our own problems first. America has too many hungry kids and old people. Too many living in poverty. I'm talking about the ones who cannot help themselves.
You might be confusing what we do with the "do gooders" that call themselves missionaries. We are there for one purpose only - to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We don't give them stuff, we just do what The Bible says we are to do.
Stephen its a tough job but a godly one thanks for your efforts to get the word and gold bless your people on the front lines... our prayers with you and your people... I'll put your organization on our church prayer list and my father in laws prayer chain... THANKS......!
Yes, thanks for asking. In fact, they are in the air right now. They caught "the last plane out" yesterday. We pick them up at the airport tonight. There is one still remaining there to "hold down the fort", so it's not over yet for us. I should have some pretty good information once I have the time to just sit down and talk with them for a while.
the Africans are still people for whom Jesus died for, we are still commanded to preach the gospel to all the world, and they are souls that need to be saved. That's why we have missionaries there risking their lives for those lost souls.
The man is being kept in isolation in an intensive care unit. He had no symptoms when he left Liberia and began to show signs of the disease on Sept. 24, the CDC said. He sought care on Sept. 26, was hospitalized two days later at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital and is critically ill, said CDC Director Thomas Frieden. The agency is working to identify anybody who had contact with the man and track them down, he said.http://bloom.bg/1poVMw3 (http://bloom.bg/1poVMw3)
Let me say it again - Unless there is a major mutation in the Ebola virus that results in a much more contagious while still as deadly strain, this will likely go nowhere here in the U.S.
Good points. I hope you are right. I think this IS going to be a bigger problem than advertised.
So, Your saying you should use toilets AND wash your hands after????? uuuj
Good points. I hope you are right. I think this IS going to be a bigger problem than advertised.
So, Your saying you should use toilets AND wash your hands after????? uuuj
No, he is saying you should just hold it in till this whole thing blows over! :o
Let me say it again - Unless there is a major mutation in the Ebola virus that results in a much more contagious while still as deadly strain, this will likely go nowhere here in the U.S.
While I hope your right, it seems we have the loony tunes squad of the CDC running the show. Possible contact people went from 20 to 100 overnight, the ambulance that transported the patient was kept in service for 3 days before being quarantined, the apartment maintenance guys where the guy lived was found to be cleaning up the vomit outside without protective gear and washing it all down the local sewage drain and the list goes on.
Some doctors are saying this strain has already possibly gone airborne.
I swear the CDC wants this to spread.
Stephen if you don't mind please PM me your mans first name for a prayer list. So much going on with the ev and the idiots in, charge. I think you for the updates, may we all stay safe an in good faith and health.Thanks, ~D. No need to PM it - his first name is the same as mine - Stephen. Last name begins with "H", so we can refer to him as "Stephen H." Just to head off any confusion, we are definitely two different people. To make it even more confusing/coincidental though - our wives both have the same first names, the two Stephens and the two wives are the same age, and our wedding anniversaries are within a couple weeks of each other. With all those matches, how could we NOT have them as best friends and support their mission work! He is retired military and using his military retirement to fund this project (with a good bit of help from churches and individual supporters).
Just a side note... Several articles showing a run on protective gear, especially tyvek suits. Tyvek is NOT biohazard protection rated. It is intended to protect against dry hazards and wet non- hazardous splashes. TyCHEM on the hand is rated for and specifically protects against biohazards ( and chem warfare agents). Tyvek will do you no good in the ebola arena.
Just a side note... Several articles showing a run on protective gear, especially tyvek suits. Tyvek is NOT biohazard protection rated. It is intended to protect against dry hazards and wet non- hazardous splashes. TyCHEM on the hand is rated for and specifically protects against biohazards ( and chem warfare agents). Tyvek will do you no good in the ebola arena.
Hey papaswamp i read that the tyvek suits primary uses against the EV would to be for localized splash protection (non health care professional) for disposable purposes but not usefull if caring for EV paitents...
Ebola is no longer just on the African continent. A nurse in Spain that was treating a priest brought back from Africa with Ebola has herself contracted the disease. Tested twice, both positive. She is te first case contracted outside of Africa. The person she was treating died 25 September. So about a 10-12 day lag time. The fact that this was a healthcare worker in a modern hospital with all precautions in place is a bit worrisome.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-29514920 (http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-29514920)
well thats never a good thing... it's going to be interesting to see how our technology protects our health care workers or their really might be something to all the speculation and hehawing around that the virus might be getting/gotten airborne...
http://www.dcclothesline.com/2014/10/07/4-new-cases-spain-says-ebola-spread-europe-unavoidable/
http://www.dcclothesline.com/2014/10/07/4-new-cases-spain-says-ebola-spread-europe-unavoidable/
It will be interesting to see what happens. Typically to get to the US, people must first go through Europe. Europe also, since making immigration easier, has set themselves up for a possible larger problem. It will be interesting to see how things go.
Those exposed to the Dallas index patient should be showing signs by now if they have contracted the virus. Since we are hearing nothing, we may have dodged a bullet. Though the people in the apartment have been moved to 'another location'. I worry that govts will sit on some cases in an attempt to quell panic only for us to find out later there are far more cases than previously thought...we are less than a month out from elections.
The new Dallas case sounds like it was a Deputy who went into the dead guys apartment.....with no protective gear.
http://www.libertynews.com/2014/10/breaking-patient-in-texas-exhibiting-signs-of-ebola-claims-to-have-had-contact-with-now-deceased-thomas-duncan/
Like I stated in a prior post, it sounds like they want to spread. 1st reported case in GA, AL or in here in FL and we are headed north to the middle of nowhere.