Second Newsletter

SELAM Foundation - November 29, 2006


Dear Friend, Greetings!!

First, apologies are in order to you and all our supporters for being so tardy in reporting back about our October mission trip to Ethiopia. It has been a month since the SELAM Foundation team returned from the trip and we are only now beginning the longer process of contemplation, study and discussion needed to fully understand the significance of what we experienced and how to move forward into the future.

From any point of view, the trip was an unmitigated success. Our team of doctors, students and support staff joined together - through a mix of work, play, laughter and tears - and became both personally close as friends and highly effective as service providers.

As planned, our trip had a two-pronged approach. For one week we opened a small pediatric clinic in the city of Bahir Dar and provided over 60 children, mostly orphans, with needed medical services. Our student interns were amazingly active, effective and loving participants in this process. For two weeks our surgical team partnered with other surgeons to provide critically needed ear surgeries to approximately 70 patients. At the same time, extensive training was provided to a dedicated set of Ethiopian ENT surgeons, surgical nurses and attendants.

During the second week, our student interns joined the surgical team where they got to observe first hand a wide range of surgeries and assist with patient care in ways that were safe and appropriate. The experience of giving service to those in need was life transforming for each of us. We know that the essential medical care we provided also transformed the lives of each of the children and adults lucky enough to have received them. Please understand that none of this would be possible without your support.

Far more significant than what we gave to them was what the Ethiopian people gave to us. The people of Ethiopia are a uniquely welcoming and generous people and everyone we met greeted us with great love. The nature of our work meant we had constant contact with people of many different ages, education levels and socioeconomic classes. To us from a wealthy country, the courage and grace they exhibit within the context of the dire circumstances they live in is absolutely inspiring.

The Ethiopian people, especially the children, taught us so many lessons. To remain brave and courageous in challenging circumstances, to find joy in little things, to be generous to others, to be industrious and creative in solving problems, and above all – to have gratitude for what we have and to share whatever we can with those who are in need.

As you probably know, this trip was the culmination of the very first internship program of our young organization. We had planned to take our second trip to the Philippines in January 2007. However, given our experience in Ethiopia, we have decided that we will not be going to the Philippines and instead will begin planning our second trip, with location to be decided, tentatively scheduled for the late summer or early fall of 2007.

Please know that we will continue to do our best to keep you informed about future trips and how our planning process is progressing. We thank you again for your invaluable support.

In Peace,

Peter Meadow SELAM Foundation
email: peter@selamfoundation.org phone: (510) 868-0276 web: http://www.selamfoundation.org