Six Months in Sudan

Reading the journeys that others decide to embark on is always inspiring to read about, especially when one does so to help others in our society.  Enter the world of James Maskalyk, a doctor from Toronto who leaves his hospital to venture to the Sudan... this is the story told in his book Six Months in Sudan.  Dr. Maskalyk has completed a number of humanitarian trips prior to this one but he informs the reader that this may have been the hardest one to date.  For six months, Dr. Maskalyk works for Doctors without Borders in Abyei, Sudan, a territory that is caught between a number of military factions, though during his trip is not the site of a current war.  The reality of the life in Abyei reveals that few medical personnel can make it, mainly because of the climate (exceedingly hot), coupled with the lack of medical supplies for the people.  The people are very wary of the free medical treatments and expect doctors to perform miracles in a place with limited food, malaria, malnutrition, lack of education, and inner-strife between warring factions.  Dr. Maskalyk has his own inner torment of not allowing himself to connect to others from home, giving the idea that he is constantly running from something (ability to love others) and trying to solve problems beyond his abilities (solving all medical issues in a place that is incapable of helping itself).  I have read many of these stories (or it seems like I have) and this was a bit of a disappointment compared to “Paul Farmer” stories, as I wasn’t able to connect with this author like I was for many of the other “save the world doc tales.”  Dr. Maskalyk did receive some concern from the medical group for his “blogging” of the experience and I think it would have been beneficial to go into a bit more detail.  His characters were presented on a superficial level, I never got close enough to feel their experience.  Overall I am amazed at his conviction to help others, just felt the characters and his story were ho-hum.  Providing a bit more depth of the 480 paces he “ran” from his tukul (sleeping hut) to the medical units and the various ways he was touched wasn’t there.  Hitting the highlights but not in a way that moved the reader.  I’d say there are a few better reads than this “tell-all” volunteer doc, though I respect the work he completed!