Monday, December 22nd, 2014
Church aids woman's surgery
Area house of worship brings translator from Africa for procedure, physical therapy
By Jared Mauch
Photo by Jared Mauch/The Daily Standard
Marie Gabrielle Tsomo, right, came from Libreville, Gabon, for surgery on her left hip. She is seen with her mother, Jacqueline Tsele, left, and Vicki Quellhorst, who is hosting the women at her Minster home. The operation has been paid for through donations from doctors, a local hospital and members of an area church.
NEW BREMEN - New Bremen church members are giving a woman from Africa a life-changing gift this holiday season.
Faith Alliance Church brought Marie Gabrielle Tsomo, 38, from Libreville, Gabon, to the area to have surgery and physical therapy for her left hip. Tsomo, who had suffered damage to her right leg after a childhood bout of polio, injured her hip after years of overcompensating while walking.
The surgery will take place at Joint Township District Memorial Hospital, St. Marys. Church deacon and anesthesiologist Bill Harr said doctors also will check to see if a second surgery is necessary. Physical therapy after the surgery will take six months.
Church members have known Tsomo since 2013, when they took mission trips to Gabon.
"She was learning English, so she acted as our translator," youth pastor Dave Wray said. French is the predominate language in Gabon.
Church members were instrumental in setting up the surgical trip for Tsomo. Donations paid to have a diagnostic X-ray taken of her leg in Gabon.
"He took the X-ray and ran with it," church member Vicki Quellhorst said about Harr's involvement.
Harr contacted Joint Township District Memorial Hospital, St. Marys, which agreed to host the surgery. About $50,000 in orthopedics medicine and physical therapy were donated, Harr said.
Quellhorst is letting Tsomo and and her mother, Jacqueline Tsele, stay with her family while they are in the United States. Quellhorst taught widows to sew on 2013 and 2014 mission trips to Gabon. Women from the church also donated cold-weather clothing for the women, Quellhorst said.
"She had a prayer that she could come to the U.S. to have her leg fixed," Dave Wray, youth pastor of Faith Alliance Church said.
"They received a revelation that I would travel to America and come for a surgery," Tsomo said. "I had not met Vicki yet when this happened."
Quellhorst and others did not find out about the prayer until they had begun to work with Tsomo.
"It was like I knew right away that she was going to come here and stay with us," Quellhorst said.
Tsomo shared the prayer on Quellhorst's second visit to Gabon.
Tsomo said medical workers were on strike in Gabon, which made it difficult for her to receive treatment.
"God is still working. He's not yet done with me," Tsomo said.
Church members have made five mission trips to Gabon since 2009. They have helped provide clean water and a sewing center for widows in a partnership with Gabonese people.
Clarification:
Bill Harr is a certified registered nurse of anesthesiology.
