Libby Dealy loved "Seeing them Smile...in Africa"

When you think of summer school vacations you generally think of heading to the Cape, New Hampshire or some far away warm resort with beaches and palm trees, but I doubt Tanzania would be on that list of places!

However, Libby Dealy, a senior at Medfield High School, did just that.  She and her Mom, Mary, were two of about 20 volunteers who travelled to Tanzania for the Missions for Humanity in early July and spent two weeks helping others.  For Libby, this was a most rewarding trip and the perfect way to spend a portion of her summer vacation.  She said she “felt so fulfilled” after this trip.

Dealy’s mother, Mary, is a Hospitalist Nurse Practitioner at Charleton Memorial Hospital in Fall River.  While at work one day she happened upon a Missions for Humanity poster in the break room and decided to act on it.  She contacted Kathy Crosson, founder and President of Missions for Humanity and inquired about this mission trip and most especially if she could bring her daughter along; and was told yes!

“Libby has always wanted to do this and when the opportunity came up, I took it” said Mary.

Prior to going, Libby raised money by speaking at her church, St. Edward the Confessor, in Medfield, and raised $1,200.  She used that money to buy supplies to bring on the trip, (Children’s Advil and Anti-Fungal creams mainly) which were ordered through CVS.  “40 suitcases filled with medical supplies went with us on our trip” said Libby.  Each of the 20 volunteers brought 2 suitcases of supplies while using only a backpack each with their own personal needs.

Crosson told me that Missions for Humanity holds one major fundraiser per year in which to raise money for supplies and equipment. This past year they were able to raise enough money to purchase medications such as malaria rapid test kits, glucometers to test for diabetes and a portable dental chair.  In the past, without this chair, a volunteer would have to hold the head of the patient for the dentist.  It was very uncomfortable for the patient and very difficult for the dentist.   In addition to being the founder and President of Missions for Humanity, Crosson is a chemistry teacher at Bishop Stang High School and said, “Other over the counter meds come from collections taken up (like Libby did).  Many of the students at Bishop Stang took up collections at their parishes, youth groups and soccer leagues.”

 While in Tanzania from July 5 – July 22, the Dealys stayed in the city of Dar es Salaam at the Mbagala Spiritual Center.  The center is owned and run by the Diocese of Dar es Salaam.  Libby described the center as a gated and armed building in which they ate their meals and slept.  Dealy said the priests, nuns and monks live there and the food they ate was prepared by the nuns. 

Each day, the volunteers would drive 1-3 hours into one of the villages to provide medical assistance.  Most of the villages had dirt roads and the villagers lived in mud huts.  One of the villages had a three room building for the volunteers to use, while others were nothing but stone structures with dirt floors.

 Prior to being assigned a task, Libby was concerned that she might not be useful enough, and would possibly just hold a flashlight as an assistant to one of the dentists, but the job Libby was given was “intake”.  She was the check in person who would gather pertinent information about the patient such as their name, age, weight, blood pressure, heart rate and their main complaint.  Making this a bit easier was that each volunteer on the trip was assigned their own translator.

“There was a lot of Malaria” said Libby!  Other common complaints were backaches, tooth pain and stomach pain.  The dentist volunteer performed mostly teeth extractions and cleanings while the doctors and Nurse Practitioners, according to Mary, provided care to patients with chronic problems like hypertension and diabetes but also sick visits for adults and children who were diagnosed with ear infections, pneumonia, UTIs, and rashes.  “We saw lots of Malaria and I had point of care testing (blood test) that I could do right away and treat with medication.  We did exams based on their complaint, limited testing and wrote “prescriptions” for medications that they brought to our “pharmacy” and were filled.”

In talking with Libby, she told me that these people live in small villages and have very little, but they are happy.  “I was struck with how happy the people are; they were the happiest people I’ve ever met”, she said.  “They have each other, and are very trustworthy.”  She said they were very appreciative of the Mission.  She went on to say that some of these people only receive any kind of medical care when this Mission comes to help them.

Going on this mission trip helped reaffirm Libby’s future plans.  She told me that she has always felt like helping others is what she is called to do and now that she has gone to Tanzania; she definitely will go there again! She also intends to become a volunteer for “City Year” in Boston after she graduates Medfield High School next June and she is considering becoming a doctor, but she isn’t certain yet.  What was clear to me is that whatever career she does choose, it will involve helping the disadvantaged in some way. 

 “She sees this as her life’s work and feels most happy and fulfilled working with the underprivileged.” said Libby’s Mom.  “Just seeing them smile…I went home proud of myself”, said Libby.

To learn more, or to donate, please visit their website at www.missionsforhumanity.org.