23/05/2025
“If not you, then who?”
On May 5, 2025, I received a letter of assignment from the Ministry of Health: I was to report to F.J. Grante Hospital in Sinoe County, deep in the southeastern region of Liberia.
It was a salad of emotions.
At the time, I was a young newlywed, father to a six-month-old baby and two other minors. My heart was torn. I was proud to be called to serve, but like any parent, the thought of being absent during my children’s formative years weighed heavily. Joy and sorrow danced in my chest.
Confused and anxious, I called my wife and broke the news. She listened silently and said, in the calm way only she can, “Babe, this is what God wants for us.”
That evening, we sat over dinner, held hands, and prayed. We thanked God for His providence and began discussing the road ahead. I remember saying, “That place is too far. The road’s reportedly terrible during rainy season.”
My wife looked at me gently and said something I’ll never forget: “If not you, then who?”
Then she added, “What if you are the answer to someone’s desperate prayer?”
That single line pierced me. It echoed in my soul.
And so I came.
Here in Sinoe, I’ve met a team of seasoned professionals who are not only holding the line in challenging conditions but shaping my own clinical and leadership journey. One such person is Mr. David Tiah, Pa Tiah, as I affectionately call him, a scrub nurse with more than 18 years of experience. Under his steady hand, I’ve been honing my surgical skills and growing in ways I never imagined.
The work is hard. The road is rough. The needs are many. From erratic power supply to scarce oxygen and limited tools, we are often stretched thin. But every day, we show up.
Because “if not me, then who?”
Who would get to grow in both skill and spirit?
Who would have the privilege of being part of healing where hope sometimes feels distant?
Who would be blessed to serve a community that teaches more than any textbook?
Today, I walk with a deeper sense of mission. I serve not just because I’m assigned, but because I am called. Called to be present, to be useful, and to grow, not just as a doctor, but as a man, a father, and a leader.
To my wife, Atty. Christine Dono Sarboah, thank you for seeing purpose when I saw problems.
To my children, know that Daddy’s journey is part of the legacy I hope to leave you.
To the people of Sinoe, thank you for receiving me, teaching me, and trusting me.
I am here now.
And I have resolved in my heart:
If not me, then who?
