“An Imperfect Offering: Dispatches from the medical frontline”
Posted by Ingolf on Wednesday, August 27, 2008
“The rich beauty of Dr. James Orbinski’s writing contrasts with the stark poverty and suffering of the people he has served. . . . This book exposes truths most of us would rather not know. Do not put it down. . . . See who you become after reading it.”
Canadian Medical Association Journal
I was equally moved by an interview with the author on tonight’s LNL. The unsparing clarity of his insight into suffering and redemption after years on the frontline with MSF in Rwanda, Somalia and Afghanistan is a dark and beautiful gift.
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This entry was posted on Wednesday, August 27th, 2008 at 9:44 PM and filed under Blogging - general.
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5 Responses to ““An Imperfect Offering: Dispatches from the medical frontline””
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Thank you. Ordered.
Posted on 28-Aug-08 at 7:59 am | PermalinkIt was a powerful interview Ingolf.
I was particularly struck by the part where he describes trying to place a gastric feeding tube down a poor starving HIV infected infant’s throat, and the child cries in pain.
He pauses for a moment to steel himself to the task and looks out the window at lush green mountains and fertile soil, and asks himself why these people are starving amongst such plenty. And the answer he eventually discovers, is that the IMF policies have forced the people to grow coffee and tea as a cash crop on those lush terraced mountainsides, and not food for their children to eat.
Posted on 28-Aug-08 at 6:36 pm | PermalinkYes, Rex, I remember that clearly too. Another was when he explained how NGOs had become targets in Iraq and Afghanistan because coalition policy tended to treat them as adjuncts to the “good fight”. More than anything though, what has stayed with me was his stoic humility, clearly so painfully acquired, and the care with which he answered Phillip’s questions.
A truly remarkable individual.
Posted on 28-Aug-08 at 7:19 pm | PermalinkYes, I liked his care and thoughtfulness in answering PA’s questions.
Posted on 28-Aug-08 at 9:53 pm | PermalinkThe IMF was formed to look after the worlds gold and ensure global monetary stability. Having failed at that job it should have been disbanded long ago.
Posted on 28-Aug-08 at 10:38 pm | Permalink