Kristin and I followed the mother along the sidewalk that wound along the buildings making up the Hospital in Yarina. Entering the pediatrics ICU, she led us into a small room where three babies lay in basinets. One was clearly very ill, and it was hers. As we peered down at the tiny 23-day old preemie, my heart broke. Skin and bones except for a big, bloated belly, the baby had been in the hospital for nine days and couldn´t keep anything down. The family didn´t have enough money for the medicines and treatments it needed, so Kristin and I had filled a prescription for it. I could see the weariness and worry written all over the woman´s face as she leaned over her little one. I wanted so badly to help this tiny life. To find out what it needed and fix it. But, it was out of my control, and all I could do was fill some prescriptions and pray. I am realizing this is a constant struggle in the mission field. There is really only so much you can do, and then you have to trust God and pray. This is very hard, especially when there are no gaurantees things will turn out well or the way you want them to. Thankfully this baby is getting better. He is now nursing and able to keep it down. He still has an uphill battle ahead of him if he is going to regain the strength he lost, but I am praying, and I know prayers work. Prayers do things we are unable to do humanly. I am realizing when I feel hopeless or like things are totally a mess, I can always pray. God has the power to make any situation, any life, any problem all better, working in ways we aren´t even aware of. That´s why I am so happy to be able to do the little bit I can. I may be limited, but the God of this universe who loves and cares about each of us more then we can even imagine, and knows our needs better then we do is only limited to the extent that we ask.
I forgot to mention in my last blog, that if anyone chooses to donate the surgery for the man with his intestines in a bag and we end up with multiple donors, we will be creating a fund for future people in need with any money left over. So, if you would like that money returned to you if we meet this need, just let me know. Thank you.
Our programs are going well. We went through the community and did an evaluation of the letrines. They are all above ground, and many are not even fully enclosed or covered. This is a real contributor to disease and diarrhea in the families here. But, it is very difficult to come into a community and tell them that something they all practice and believe is just fine needs to be changed. It is a good challenge, and we are learning more everyday.
2 comments:
Hi Emily,
I am not sure if we have met, but we have a mutual friends, who told me about your blog.
I am a pastor, and I want you to know that your story about the baby really touched me. You know, what you did is exactly what Jesus would do. Jesus didn't always see results in terms of people signing up for His kingdom, but later after they understood who He was, and comprehended the magnitude of what He did they followed Him even to death. You will never know the full affect of your words and actions until the millennium. But you can know today that I and others who read your story are encouraged and our hearts warmed.
Thank you so much for your encouragement. It was a blessing to read your response.
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