My husband and I named our cat Bonnie because when we first saw her, I commented that she was a bonnie (beautiful) kitten.  Many pets’ names are based on their appearance (Shorty) or their personality (Happy), for example.  In many cultures, children are also named after a trait or physical characteristic.  I was named Katherine (“pure”) Elizabeth (“God is my Oath”), which is a combination of my grandmothers’ middle names.  On my last trip to Liberia, after explaining my responsibilities, I received my Kpelle name which means “powerful woman.” 
 
We are often given nicknames.  I’m called “Kathy Beth” for short, but in high school a schoolmate called me “Lurch.”  I was never sure if it was because of the way I walked, or if I reminded him of a character in a TV show. 
 
People sometimes form opinions of individuals based on their surname.  Per my uncle, my paternal grandfather (a Macdonald) would not do business with a Campbell due to a massacre that took place in Scotland in the late 1600s! 
 
Names matter.  Before Dignity:Liberia even purchased the property for our maternity waiting home, we decided to name it “House of Hope and Dignity.”  According to my dictionary, “hope” means “to long for with expectation of obtainment.”  “Dignity” means “the quality or state of being worthy, honored, or esteemed.” 
 
Many of the fistula survivors have told us about methods used by traditional tribal midwives to deliver a baby that are not only lacking dignity in their approach, but are dangerous to the health of the mother.  It won’t be long before House of Hope and Dignity is providing care to expectant mothers.  These women will be treated with dignity, and can anticipate having a safe delivery.  

Our backyard in Brenham appears larger than it actually is, because we have no fence. Besides giving us a beautiful view, we have the joy of seeing deer wander through our yard to get to the small wooded area on the property behind ours. 
 
Between our yard and the woods is an easement on which we grow vegetables. The previous owners of our house had permission to use this sunny spot, and we followed suit.  We also planted wildflowers on a bare patch of earth that had been used to burn trash, and erected a birdhouse in the middle of it.  Technically we are trespassing, but we can easily and willingly remove these things if asked. 
 
In Austin, we had a wooden fence around our backyard. It blocked the noise from the street and discouraged thieves. We had a dog at the time, and the fence kept him safe. While our cat could (and would) hop the fence on numerous occasions, she was relatively protected when she snoozed in the sunlight of our back yard. It also gave us privacy. 
 
I grew up overseas where our yards were enclosed by walls made of either brick or concrete. One wall had jagged glass pressed into the top to prevent people from climbing over. 
 
I’ve been giving a lot of thought to fences and walls lately: they provide security, privacy, and a clear property boundary. A wall has always been in the plans for the compound where House of Hope and Dignity is being built. If you are familiar with Liberia, you are aware of the issues of squatting, encroachment, and security. We have been advised to put up a fence to show demarcation and ownership to prevent these issues.
 
We are in a beautiful location off of a main dirt road, but we are vulnerable and we want our ladies to feel safe. We will provide more information on how you can help as plans shape up.

I first met Sao Drapper in 2012.  Sao is the Head Trainer at the Phebe Rehabilitation Center in Suakako.  Each time I visit, I see her love for the fistula survivors shining through her eyes.  The survivors have told me how special she is to them.  On one occasion, I heard her speak her mind to people in authority in order to get them to improve the conditions at the Rehab Center for the women and girls in her charge. 
 
In April 2023, Sao was kind enough to give Dignity:Liberia an interview.  She was born in Komah, where she began her schooling, and also lived in Tubmanburg before moving to Monrovia where she graduated from United Pentecostal Mission School. 
 
She has been working with fistula patients and survivors since September 2009.  Prior to working at the Phebe Rehab Center, Sao worked in Guinea at a refugee camp.  It was there that she learned the art of tie-dye and was trained in soap-making.  In addition to teaching these skills to the fistula survivors, she teaches them how to crochet and embroider as well as how to bake pastries. 
 
Learning how to make soap is vital to the survivors, because until their fistulas have been repaired, they are incontinent.  Their incontinence necessitates the need to bathe and change their clothes several times a day.  
 
The skills taught to the survivors enable them to earn a living.  Many have been abandoned by their spouses and have no money.  By learning how to make bread, for example, they can earn money to buy the things they need.  Sao tells them that their training will allow them to rely on themselves rather than having to depend on men to do things for them.  They can be independent. 
 
In addition to training the fistula survivors, she counsels them.  A supporting environment is important to the survivors’ mental health.  Sao spoke of the time that one of the fistula patients tried to commit suicide by drinking caustic [used for soap-making].  Thankfully, another survivor’s intervention saved the young lady’s life.  Sao now keeps caustic under lock and key because many fistula patients contemplate killing themselves.     

When I lived in Liberia, I was unaware of the weaverbird, whose range includes a number of West African nations.  Now, however, I try to spot one whenever I see its nests.  This small bird is so-named because of the intricate nests that it weaves using grass stems and other plant fibers.  It starts its cylindrical-shaped nest by knotting a strand to a branch using only its beak and claw!  The rest of the stems are interlaced in a weaving pattern to form the nest that has a narrow entrance.  The opening faces downward to protect the eggs and young from snakes and other predators.  As with many species of birds, the male weaverbird does the nest-building in an attempt to attract a female. 
 
Dignity:Liberia’s goal is to attract women to House of Home and Dignity to provide a safe place to stay during their final week of pregnancy.  The maternity waiting home is being built by men wielding simple tools - though more complex than a beak and claw (see May’s blog).  Many of the construction workers, volunteers, and other men contributing to the success of this project are fathers themselves.  We thank them for their hard work and wish them a Happy Father’s Day.

Five weeks ago today, the Dignity:Liberia team (Kathi, Charlie, Anne-Marie, Kathy Beth, Andrew, and Miatta) went to the Phebe Rehab Center in Suakoko.  There were five fistula survivors there and an additional seven at the Phebe Hospital.  The seven young ladies in the hospital had recently had fistula repair surgery; all seven reported that they are dry!  I was particularly excited to learn that Jumah, who had had her 4th fistula repair surgery is now healed.  (For more on Jumah, go to A Talk With Mercy Benson and Jumah Fahnbulleh.)  While this news was exciting, I felt an undercurrent of sadness, because fistula repair funding is tight, and many young ladies still need surgery.  In Liberia, that number is still at 1,200.
 
Sometimes the results of labor are not what we expect.  Certainly, the women we visited in Suakoko did not have the labor they had expected.  Being left with a painful, shameful injury that often requires multiple surgeries, emphasizes too well the need for maternity waiting homes in rural Liberia.  
 
One day prior to our visit with the fistula survivors, I stood in House of Hope and Dignity for the first time.  The last time I was at the property in Todee Junction, the home was a huge hole in the ground with concrete and rebar columns sticking up.  Like you, I’ve seen the progress made through the photographs of others, but I had not seen it in person.  When I entered rooms that will soon provide temporary housing to expectant mothers, it suddenly became real.
 
I was overwhelmed by the realization of how far the maternity waiting home has come in such a short time!  Much of it has been done with hand tools.  As I watched men measuring and sawing, I was amazed that such simple tools can produce such amazing results!  While we were at the maternity waiting home site, we watched as the workers began applying putty to the building in preparation for painting.  Since leaving, we received pictures showing completion of this work.  The results of the labor bring a smile to my face!
 
You have been a part of this labor.  If you scroll through the Facebook posts from our April 2023 trip, you will see pictures of construction material (lumber, paint, putty) that were purchased.  Your gift, no matter the amount, allows our work to continue.  We thank you for your support.  If you can give a bit more, we would appreciate that as well, because your gift will help ensure that the results of labor are what we expect

“Since its inception, Dignity:Liberia has worked to restore the dignity of women with fistula, regardless of nationality, tribe, language, religion, age, marital status, education, or economic background. We value each individual as a child of God and also apply this principle to our supporters, volunteers, and other collaborators who come from a number of different countries and political backgrounds. We value and treat others as we would want to be treated ourselves. We believe that everyone deserves acceptance, love, and dignity.”
 
The above quote is Dignity:Liberia’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion statement.  Our board of directors is made up of men and women who belong to different political parties and church denominations, and who come from different areas of the country, some living in rural areas, some in urban settings. 
 
Similarly, the women and girls we work with in Liberia come from different backgrounds.  They come from different tribes and speak different tribal dialects.  Some are from neighboring countries.  They are different ages.  Some are married, some are single.  Leemue Cooper, matron of the Phebe Rehab Center, told me that with God’s help, she was able to put fistula survivors from different backgrounds together.
 
You see, they discovered that their obstetric fistula gave them more in common than the differences resulting from their backgrounds.  Many of them had stillborn babies and many of them had hysterectomies as a result of their ordeal.  When asked what makes it hard to live with fistula, they gave the following replies:

It’s very shameful.  I thought I was the only one who had this “sickness.”  People won’t come around you and you can’t go among them.  I felt discouraged. Even some of my family would not come around me. I had to clean my clothes a lot.  My boyfriend abandoned me.  I feel less of a woman because I can no longer have children.  My friends avoided me. I was abandoned by my friends.  I shared my problem only with my sister for fear of gossip.  I felt like nobody in society. 

They are different, but pain does not recognize ethnic backgrounds and shame has no religion.  Those of us who witness this suffering are moved to help, regardless of our beliefs.  This is why it is so important to us to

My husband and I are figure skating fans. As I type this blog, U.S. Nationals are in progress.  We’ve turned to the Internet to watch most competitions since they are no longer aired on TV in the United States or get a couple of hours’ coverage at most, if other sports allow it.  Because of this, most people haven’t watched skaters’ programs develop over the season.  These athletes put in a lot of time, training, and money toward reaching their goal – a goal that can become unreachable with one mistake.  Some of the jumps they attempt put stresses on their bodies that cause severe injury before they are out of their teen years, leading to crippling pain.  Sometimes they try advanced moves before their bodies are fully developed.  It may be a coach’s decision, or it may be theirs.  Whatever the reason, their tears of anguish are hard to watch. 
 
Those of us who travel to Liberia to work with women and girls who have an obstetric fistula, have seen young girls who were injured because their bodies were not yet ready for the birthing process.  Their bodies are too small for the baby’s head to pass through their pelvis, causing it to press down on her pelvic bone.  This leads to a loss of blood supply, destruction of tissue, and ultimately a fistula.  It typically results in the death of her child.
 
We have also spoken with women whose bodies are developed enough, but whose “coach,” the Traditional Tribal Midwife (TTM), gave them bad advice or worse, bounced on their bellies.  The process was different, but the result was the same.
 
This one mistake on the part of the TTM, or the girl’s attempt to bear a child before being ready, often destroys her goal to have children, as she often needs to have a hysterectomy in addition to fistula repair surgery.  It can lead to years of pain and suffering, and heartbreaking tears.
 
The place where skaters wait for the judges’ marks is referred to as the “kiss and cry.”  A medically trained midwife and a place to stay during her last week of pregnancy can make all the difference for an expectant mom.  Will she kiss a newborn baby or will she cry at the loss of her child and her inability to bear children?
 
We are so close to completing House of Hope and Dignity but we still need funds to reach our goal of being operational in the fall of 2023!  Will you help make that happen?  I hope so, because after that, we are going to start on Phase II of our project which is to build a fistula clinic with an operating room.  I don’t want to see anymore tears – unless they are tears of joy.

Kathy Beth Stavinoha
Kathy Beth graduated from high school in Monrovia, Liberia in 1977. She retired from St. Edward’s University after 21+ years of service. She lives in Brenham, TX with her husband and cat.

When I was about 2 years old, the tip of my left pinky finger was severed when a door slammed on it.  My mom was the one who had closed the door.  Somehow, she kept her wits: she stopped the flow of blood while comforting me, scooped up the severed fingertip, notified my dad at work, and got me to the hospital where they were unsuccessful in their attempts to reattach it. 
 
My mom was an educated woman who always kept a dictionary within reach while reading.  Yet she did not know that to have any chance at successful reattachment, my fingertip should have been kept cold.  With the best of intentions, she held it in her hand to keep it at body temperature.  It is doubtful it would have been reconnected anyway; it was 1961.
 
In Dignity:Liberia’s series In a Fistula Survivor’s Voice and in other blogs, we have shared experiences of fistula survivors regarding the misguided efforts of Traditional Tribal Midwives (TTMs) during their labor.  One survivor told us that the midwife bounced on her belly in order to deliver the baby.  Other TTMs have gagged their patients in an effort to increase contractions, while another survivor shared that the TTM was trying to “haul the baby out.” 
 
Most TTMs are older women in the village, who have successfully delivered dozens, if not hundreds of babies.  I believe they are caring individuals.  But like my mom, they simply don’t know what to do in the case of an emergency.  In a crisis, they may take a wrong action based on what seems logical to them.  All too often this leads to stillbirth of the baby and an obstetric fistula for the mother.
 
Dignity:Liberia is building a maternity waiting home, House of Hope and Dignity where expectant mothers can stay during their last week of pregnancy.  A medically trained midwife will be on site to attend to them.  You can be a part of their care.  Be on the lookout for an opportunity to help furnish one of their rooms. 
 
We also hope to cultivate good ties with local TTMs such as Hawa, who was kind enough to speak to us last year.

Last month’s blog featured Jackson Carter who stressed that serving humanity is a way to serve God.  In October 2021, I interviewed Scott Patton and Rick Herrera, both of whom live in Kansas City, Missouri regarding how they gave of themselves.
 
Scott has been a paramedic with EMS in Kansas City for 36 years.  He attends Lakeland Community Church and has known Dignity:Liberia’s founder and president, Kathi Gutierrez, for 20 years.  His life has reached a point where he has been blessed enough to serve as a Dignity Advocate with Dignity:Liberia.  He said when God calls, great things can happen when you say yes.  He had been concerned about bugs, diseases, and the heat, but found there weren’t that many bugs, and that the heat isn’t much worse than Kansas City’s.  
 
Rick works for a company in Kansas City named Ace Pipe Cleaning.  His company’s president and the wife of the company’s vice president have been on church missions through Lakeland Community Church.  Listening to them talk about their experiences and seeing the videos they’ve made, made him want to “get off the couch” and “do something” instead of just writing a check.  Rick has previously traveled to Haiti.  He finds the hands-on experience to be much more fulfilling than simply providing funds. 
 
There are so many ways to serve as a Dignity Advocate.  Scott moved bricks, laid string to serve as plumb lines, videotaped interviews, and took polaroid pictures of some of the fistula survivors at the Phebe Rehab Center.  Rick helped dig a well that is still in use at the maternity waiting home site.  Both made friends and mentioned the contributions made by those with whom they worked.
 
After watching this brief video, you may be inspired to give of yourself.  If so, please complete this form to let us know your interest and to find out more.  You may not be able to take a trip to Liberia, but you can still contribute toward the maternity waiting home and fistula clinic by writing a tax-deductible check to Dignity:Liberia or donating online.  The important thing is that you give from your heart.
 
We thank you for your ongoing interest and support.  Merry Christmas!

Jackson Carter is of invaluable assistance to Dignity:Liberia, accompanying teams on numerous trips and providing a variety of support.  Always gracious and humble, he never complains when asked to help, even when relaxing at the end of a long day.  In October of 2021, he kindly agreed to an interview.
 
The father of three children, Jackson enjoys helping others.  He is Kpelle, the largest tribe in Liberia.  At the time of the interview, he had worked at Lott Carey Mission for 24 or 25 years.  Initially hired to be a driver, he was promoted to supervise all of the drivers, and is in charge of maintenance of all the Lott Carey vehicles.
 
He learned about Dignity:Liberia from his boss, the Rev. Emile Sam-Peal, Director of Dignity:Liberia’s NGO office.  He feels that serving humanity is the best way to serve God and that by helping Dignity:Liberia, he doing that, as well as serving his boss.   
 
He had heard about fistula on the radio, but he did not know how widespread it was in Liberia.  He was deeply moved after meeting some of the young victims of obstetric fistula and hearing how the injury impacted their lives. 
 
He is gracious and humble and I am honored to know him.