No Quiet Retirement

At age when most people would be enjoying their quiet retirement, 74 year-old Canadian physician Bruno Freigang thinks nothing of traveling half-way around the world to serve people in need under difficult conditions. Participating in his third PFI Global Assistance Project, Dr. Freigang recently led a team of medical professionals to treat prisoners in Papua New Guinea. The two-week project included local PF volunteers and medical personnel from New Zealand, Guam, and the USA.

Located just north of Australia, Papua New Guinea presents numerous challenges for foreign visitors, including tribal customs, more than 800 native languages (pidgin being the most common), a tropical terrain, immense poverty, and increasingly widespread crime. Random violence is common, as many roam the streets looking for victims, and he prisons are overcrowded, which leads to disease and neglect. 

Despite these conditions, Dr Bruno and the medical team held clinics in six prisons, treating not only the prisoners, but also the children of the prison staff.  “The Lord looked after us and we are thankful that we could work in His service,” said Dr. Bruno, who has served on several overseas medical missions, including two previous Global Assistance Projects in Papua New Guinea. “We were able to provide them not only with medical care, but also with a message that they were neither lost nor forgotten.” 

Coping with the oppressive heat and humidity, flight delays, and arduous travel over rough roads, the team criss-crossed the country to provide treatment for more than 600 prison inmates and prison guards. Many of the prisoners were suffering from typhoid fever as a result of contaminated water supplies. The team was able to bring the typhoid outbreak under control, and also provide treatment for prisoners suffering from malaria, various skin ailments, beriberi, and even old gunshot wounds. Thanks to the members of the team and Dr. Bruno‘s indefatigable commitment to serving people in need.