Place of Compassion

In 1961 an unexpected call took the writer from a hospital in the UK to an African village in the midst of the rugged mountains of Lesotho in Southern Africa, which led to the founding of a small hospital within a year and a functioning well-equipped hospital after seven years. In 1961 an unexpected call took the writer from a hospital in the UK to an African village in the midst of the rugged mountains of Lesotho (formerly Basutoland) in Southern Africa. This acute 'culture shock' involved acquiring a working knowledge of an African language, living at first with the local Basotho people and sharing their basic living conditions. Initiating a medical practice in virgin territory, 80 miles from civilisation, at the end of the Mountain Road, presented a challenge that was met with humour and tenacity. Negotiating rocky mountain tracks on horseback, adverse climatic conditions and flooding rivers to visit patients, built up their confidence and enabled a vivid insight into their way of life. This steep learning curve and unique experience led to the founding of a small hospital within a year and a functioning well-equipped hospital after seven years.
As the story unfolds a unique insight into traditional African culture and way of life is told. The remarkable synthesis of old and new is described. Many and varied hospital staff have helped St. James' Hospital in the last 40 years to serve some of the poorest people of Africa where AIDS is now pandemic.