Helping abroad 国外救助

By the end of this lesson, you will be able to apply advice from an art expert.

MARK: I honestly think I have the coolest job in the world. I get up at 6.15 am, shower, have breakfast and drink some coffee. Coffee is grown here in Malawi, so it's possible to get some half-decent stuff. Mornings are when the clinic is busiest. Most patients either come from far away or live nearby but want to get back to work, so they come early.

MARK1: We're generally finished by 12.3. The people here are amazing, so uncomplaining, so ... so self-reliant, so hopeful.

ADVENTURER: In 28, Mark Stover decided not to pursue a career in medicine in his home country, the US, and instead joined Medecins Sans Frontieres or, as it's translated into English, Doctors Without Borders. Doctors Without Borders was formed in France in 1971 by a group of concerned doctors and journalists, who wanted to give their time, skills and effort to helping the people most in need around the world. Today, the organization helps people in more than 6 countries, people who are suffering in terrible conditions due to natural disasters, war, famine, poverty and drought. But why would someone give up what would have been a well-paid job, to travel and work in a faraway country?

MARK: The best thing about this job is seeing people get better. The average life-expectancy in Malawi is around 4, due in large part to diseases such as TB, meningitis and HIV. However, every day I meet people who have been on medicines provided by our team of doctors, and who are healthy, working hard and looking after their families. To feel you've played a part in improving their lives is the best feeling in the world.

ADVENTURER: Well MSF is an international organization, so the medical teams often have a multi-national make-up.

MARK: Our coordination team are French, there's a doctor from Colombia, a nurse from Japan, a Kenyan lab technician, four Americans and our lab supervisor, Phoebe, is Ugandan. All in all, it's a mixture of languages, a wide range of cultures and experiences, brought together by the desire to help people less fortunate than ourselves.

ADVENTURER: So what about the rest of Mark's day?

MARK: After lunch I usually review my cases then visit the patients in the TB ward. All being well, I'm out of the clinic by 6pm. We eat dinner around seven. Unfortunately, there's often a power-cut at this time, so we quite often have to eat in the dark. Still, I guess that's all part of the adventure!

MARK1: By nine p m., I'm exhausted. I crawl under the mosquito net and fall fast asleep. You know, instead of worrying about bills, contracts, bosses or deadlines, when your work is concerned with real life or death issues, you need your sleep.