Nasara: Dispatches from a District Hospital in Chad

by James Appel MD

30 year old Dr. James Appel leaves the comforts of home in the US to work as the only doctor in a floundering district hospital in the Republic of Chad. As a general practitioner he is faced with having to attempt things way beyond his level of comfort and training. Share the frustration, sorrow, pain, joy, triumph of living life in a totally different culture where patients often prefer to go see the witch doctor or traditional bone setter before coming to the hospital and where death is a daily occurrence. Dr. Appel shares his experiences in riveting first person narrative, written originally as blogs sent over a satellite phone from a village without telephones, water or electricity. Dr. Appel's commitment takes him from highs to lows over the course of three years as he struggles to bring health care to a desperate community while going on his own spiritual journey. Also available from James Appel, MD "Children of the East: the Spiritual Heritage of Islam in the Bible" www.createspace.com/3603603

Genres: Nonfiction

220 pages, Paperback

First published July 5, 2011

Reviews

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

James Appel is a Missionary Doctor (with the Adventist Church) in Bere Chad, where he is the only doctor in the hospital. This is really his diary (or blog posts) from 2004 - 2006. Even though he often feels as though he is way in over his head, he is determined to keep going, and give the local population the medical treatment they need.

[Cascade]

Written in the same place as African rice heart, this book is similarly honest and journal-like. This is the truth of working as a doctor in rural Chad. There are no resources, you are always sick, the heat is oppressive, cultural differences frustrate, and people usually die. Through it all, James maintains his good humor and still finds energy for swimming in the river, playing wild soccer games, and falling off galloping horses.