by Sr. Margaret Anne Meyer, MMM                                             USA                                29.10.2025

Yes, the Christmas celebration at Dareda was very breathtaking to behold the deep faith of the people who came from far and near to fill the Cathedral-like church adorned with Connemara marble and festive banners tied between the large columns. All this brought me close to the people and after four months I was beginning to settle in the place.

There was an established routine which seemed to work most of the time but as usual in the medical field emergencies can topple the best intentions.

The Medical Assistants were very capable. Sr. Doctor Maureen Mc Dermott was medical officer in charge and held a meeting at 8:45AM to hear the report of the night admissions and who it may be serious for us to see. We were kept busy with ward rounds, operations, and difficult deliveries. For a few hours every day, one of us did Out Patients. We alternated night call. I loved our cup of coffee in the wee hours of the night before doing a Caesarean Section. Maureen was very skilled in surgery, and she taught me many things. I loved working with her.

To celebrate, New Years Eve, Maureen and a few of the Sisters went to the Maryknoll Sisters who headed an agricultural school near Mt Hanang. They had an enjoyable time. A few nights later, a boy of 14 years was gored by a buffalo and air was escaping out of a hole under his heart. We took him to the theater and found that his right lung had collapsed. We thanked God that his heart was not injured at all and continued to beat very well. We closed the hole and inserted an underwater seal into his pleural cavity. Slowly his lungs began to expand. After a week, the seal was removed, and his lungs were normal. We were incredibly grateful to God.

Upon finishing, a woman with obstructed labor came. The baby was dead, and her uterus was very damaged. She needed a hysterectomy which we did. Then afterwards a man came with intestinal obstruction. By this time, it was 3:30 AM and we decided we would observe him with an IV drip and nasogastric suction. We thought we were finished for the night when another man walked in whose scalp had been split open by a machete. A medical assistant had pity on us and sutured the man’s scalp. By the time the sun rose that morning, all four patients were doing well.

We were incredibly grateful to God. I do not remember having another night as busy as that one and I was extremely glad Maureen was with me dealing with all these emergencies.

We were both delighted that in a few weeks another doctor would be coming to help us but that is another story.