Thank you all for your prayers last week. Culture shock is not easy, but loving these kids is. In the moments when I am overwhelmed I need to remember that I am not called to save the whole world, I am just called to love the children and staff that God has placed in my path. I pray as I journey here I can be obedient to that.
Today Anita and I went to the hospital to check on our three children that our there. When we have a child at the hospital, we are required to have a staff member with them at all times. Because of this, one of the things we do is bring the staff members fruits, juice and snacks while they are there. Today Anita and I went and I was so excited when she asked me to go with her. Our trips to the hospital mean so much to me. On our drive, we get some time to talk with each other about life. We also laugh a lot and sing a lot!!! During the rides we get to let go and just be friends rather than feeling the pressures of our jobs. At the hospital we get updated on the child's condition and then pray over them and the staff member. I feel it is a small thing, but I know it means so much to the staff. When we walk into the room, their faces light up. I have been there so many times, that the nurses now stop what they are doing and greet me. At times I am embarrassed by it because I feel like they are placing me on a pedestal, because I am American and visiting their hospital. All I want to do is see our kids become healthy enough that they an get out of there and back at BG. If that means I have to go there everyday until I leave here, to encourage our staff and the other patients around them, I will do it.
Two of our children are doing well. They both need to put on weight and improve with the separate illnesses they have, but I am confident they will be with us again soon. One of these children is the little boy who I had been feeding during the night. It was SO good to see him again and see his amazing smile. He may be malnourished and sick, but he has so much life and joy in his tiny, little body.
The third child that is there is very sick. She is in the ICU and is fighting multiple illnesses. Anita and I had to go in separately to visit her and we were told not to touch her because of our germs. She has a lot of tubes and wires hooked up to her and is sedated, because yesterday she pulled out her respirator. It was so hard to see such a beautiful child of the King so sick. I reached my hand over her bed and prayed out loud. I didn't care who heard me, because I had to place this child in Jesus' hand. Because she is in ICU, we do not have to have a staff person with her. Even if we did assign someone there, they would not be able to be in her room, so the little interaction we had with her was all she gets. I wish I could have stayed there longer, to pray or even bring the guitar. I believe worship is healing.
It is hard to see such little children so sick and without contact with other people. About 30 minutes away from my house in Michigan is one of the best children's hospitals in the nation. The care and attention they give their patients is amazing!!! I wish I could take some of the doctors and nurses from Lesotho and show then the care they could be giving their patients. The culture here is so hard. Because infant morality is high and disease rages through this land, people are afraid to become attached to their children because they feel they will die. Some of them give their children bad names, because they feel if they give their child a good name they might die. Instead of naming your child sunshine, or light, they name their children darkness.
Please be in prayer for the people of Lesotho. Pray they may see that children are amazing treasure and should be treated well. Pray they will leave the ways of their ancestors behind them and they will see that their children are the future of Lesotho and without the proper care and love, they will not be able to lead Lesotho to a brighter future.
Also be in prayer for our children and staff at the hospital. Days there are long, tiring and sometimes without hope. BUT we serve a God who is a HOPE messenger and He will deliver. I pray that every time I step foot into the hospital, I can be a beacon of hope to those I see.
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