Sunday Morning Shamwana: A Midwife's Letters from the Field - Softcover

"In Sunday Morning Shamwana, Linda Robinson describes working conditions unimaginable to me, a physician who had seen the best and worst of emergency wards from Chicago to Boston to Maryland. Struggling with minimal resources to aid the suffering women from Congo as they gave birth and sometimes as they died, she wears her heart on her sleeve as she recounts the highs and lows, triumphs and tragedies of this time as well as her endeavor to redefine herself following a time of personal crisis. Her experiences are laid out with a palpable passion conveying joy, fear, friendship and resolve that seem to reverberate at the end of each chapter. I came away from reading this book echoing the words of an old friend: 'Surely you know the meaning of making it count.'"  —Herbert Morse, MD, National Institute of Health

"The journal format with which Linda Robinson documents her time in the Congo working as a midwife for Doctors Without Borders was compelling and I found myself unable to put [the book] down. As a midwife, I was struck by the remote conditions and the loss of life with which everyone becomes accustomed, but as an American, I could not help being horrified by the lack of food and support. Linda describes well her emotions, the politics, the amazing people, and the community where she lives. She does not shy from being frank and honest about the good and the bad of the experience. She does not glorify the team or herself and constantly questions their 'work.' The stories will amaze you."  —Catharine Heffernan, CNM, MSN, past president, American College of Nurse Midwives, Maine Affiliate

"This book is so rich from so many points of view as il temoigne and conveys . . . admiration for the Congolese people, for . . . patients and coworkers, for the environment, and even for MSF and their discipline and obsession for the safety of their staff (probably built on their historical experiences in these dangerous settings). Each Sunday morning letter is un sincere cri du coeur de la semaine and a description of events often so tragic that they desperately and urgently needed to be said. Merci de l'avoir ecrit pour nous tous."  —Robert Gossart, MD

"I found this to be one of the best books I've ever read. I thoroughly enjoyed it and I find myself so envious of [her] trip. I don't know if I would ever have the courage to do something like that by myself and . . . I enjoyed reading about [her] experience. I have been recommending [her] book to all my friends . . . I also enjoyed reading about [her] strong faith and . . . mass experiences. I found myself at the end of the book hoping [she'd] decide to stay another year so that I could keep reading! I'm sad that it's over."   —Kristi Losquadro, owner, Saltair Inn, Bar Harbor, Maine