Sunday Hospital Visit

On Sunday, I went with my friend Christine to the hospital to visit her friend Esther. Esther is a friend from church.  On Monday she was taking her husband to the bus stop and returned late to her home. She went to bed and was awoken by the sound of someone in her home. She thought it was her husband so she went  to see what he had forgotten and quickly realized it was thief.  He ran out of the house and as she ran to shut the door behind him, he shot her in the leg. She got the door locked and then went back into her bedroom and started to send and alarm to her neighbors. No one would come and help her for fear of the thief that loomed outside. (Somehow they must have some signal to alert each other of danger.) She then realized that she was bleeding and that she had indeed been shot. One of her neighbors called the police and they came and brought her to the hospital. She has a 5 week old baby and two more older children. She is very thankful that no one else was hurt and the kids slept through it.
When we visited her on Sunday, she was looking really good. He husband told us that he was thankful that God had protected her. The shot did not injure her bone or her nerves and she survived.
After visiting with her for awhile, we went to the children's ward to look for our watchman's younger sister. She was in the hospital overnight and we thought we would try to see her too. As we were going to find her, we came upon some more friends from Christine's church.  They were visiting a preteen girl.  Christine had told me about her.  She has an enlarged heart and she needs to be treated in South Africa or India. It is basically and impossibility here. The auntie invited us in to see the young girl. She was laying on this table struggling to breath it seemed. They informed us that she can not eat anything. They try to feed her and she just vomits. She is being kept alive with IV drip. Her other organs are being affected now too.
Even now as I write, tears come to my eyes.  It reminds me of my cousin Megan!  How her family watched her struggle for a month. How, when I saw her, her breathing was so intensified. Megan was on so many machines and nothing could help her. As my Uncle Mike always says "God's will is done."  His will is not always our will. This little girl has only the iv drip and as I stood beside her bed watching her struggle for breath, I too prayed for God's will to be done. I don't know what her future holds, but I know who holds her future. Before we left, I asked if I could pray. We stood around this young girl and prayed for her.  I prayed for her healing, either eternal healing or earthly healing, knowing that only God's Will will be done!

Sometimes, I love it here and sometimes it is so hard!  I know this is where God has me and I wouldn't want to be anywhere else.  As I live everyday here, it is so frustrating to see the suffering and the inefficient medical care. On the other side, it is so refreshing to see wonderful people who have very little material blessings, but love and care for each other.  It is wonderful to see people outside.  No one sits in there homes!  Everyone is out living life together.

I pray that we as a Team, family and individuals can learn their culture, and bring Jesus into the deep roots of these people. I don't want to change their culture, but I want them to have Jesus!