Yulen's Story

Yulen's story in her own words:

"I remember the time and date the 22nd of February at 7 o'clock at night I
wanted to light the kerosene lamp at our house. I put more kerosene in the
light then I went to put the container of kerosene back but I was still
holding the light when all of a sudden my hair and face was on fire. At the
time my hair was long and it was falling off onto my body, hands and legs as
it burnt. I screamed and fortunately my neighbour who was bathing nearby at
the well heard me and threw water over me. I was cared for at home for a day
where a nurse gave me intravenous fluids but then I went to the public
hospital in Tobelo. I was in that hospital for 20 days but the nurses only
changed my wounds every 2 or 3 days. The other patients were upset by my
wounds because they smelt so bad. We heard from a nurse that the clinic here
(IFC Clinic named Hohidiai) has good cream for burn wounds so we asked the
clinic for help. For the time we were in the public hospital we had to pay Rp. 8
million (that is about $ 900 USD). We received assistance from the church
and other friends and relatives but we were almost out of money when my
relatives and I made the decision together to take me to clinic Hohidiai. We
arrived here on the 14th of March with the hope that the medical staff would
serve me here. We are so grateful that I can be in this clinic. God Bless
you."



"Yulen's burns are very extensive. Whilst we will do our best to get them
healed she will be in our clinic for many months and may end up with severe
scarring. She may need plastic surgery later. Whilst she has a long haul
ahead of her we count it a privilege to serve her here. She is not out of
complete danger. Burns patients can die in the first 6 weeks from infection,
fluid loss and malnutrition." Esther Scarboroug