Lynn takes on the Ebola fight in Sierra Leone. An Update

In August of 2014 Greatest Goal Ministries was forced to close our outpatient center in Sierra Leone due to the Ebola crisis.  We joined the Ebola fight by shipping 4 containers of gloves, hand sanitizer, bleach and medical supplies through the Office of the First Lady of Sierra Leone.  Our GGM staff was placed on paid leave with a core group continuing minimal operations.  We began an outreach program to disabled communities across the country.  In all we reached about 25 communities with food, medical supplies and Ebola teaching.
As the Executive Director and co-founder of GGM for the past 7 years I felt I needed to do more.  On December 3, 2014 I left for Sierra Leone to work with Partners In Health (PIH) on the front lines of the Ebola crisis in Sierra Leone.  My 6 week deployment ended January 11 but I was asked to continue as PIH Nursing director at a Government Hospital. I am scheduled to return to the USA around the first of April.  

I know most of you have not heard from me for quite some
time.  I understand the media in the USA has all but stopped with updates about the situation in West Africa.  Ebola is definitely on the decrease but it still remains present which presents a risk to all of us involved in health care.
Travel restrictions with road blocks has been lifted but all businesses and restaurants must still close by 6:00 pm every day and no businesses open on Sundays.  Sports and public gatherings are still banned as the state of emergency is still in effect.

Last week I became ill with a fever meeting case definition for Ebola.
I was transferred late at night last week by Ebola ambulance to the British run Ebola unit outside of Freetown.  Having worked now for almost 12 weeks in Sierra Leone it was quite the experience to now be considered a possible Ebola patient.  It was determined quite quickly that I was sick with a stomach infection and dehydration.  I was discharged about 40 hours after my admission.

I am sharing this email to remind everyone that the fight is not yet over in this part of the world.  Please continue to support and pray for all of us who are still on the front lines and the organizations that are supporting the Ebola efforts and the health care of these fragile nations. I am so grateful to the tent hospital that was built and run by the British Military to serve health care workers who become ill.  It was an experience I will never forget and will be forever grateful that my diagnosis was something else.

The work and conditions are not easy here but I feel fortunate to have had the support of my family and friends to serve in Sierra Leone during this devastating health care crisis.  I have made so many friends and will never forget the time that we worked together.

See you all in another month and then 3 weeks later after my quarantine.  Until then lift up a prayer or thought for the people of West Africa and all of us still working to eradicate Ebola.  The fight continues.


--
Lynn Pelton
Executive Director
Greatest Goal Ministries USA
Web: www.ggmusa.org