In Need of Grace

Yesterday was a clinic day for us. We saw anyone who came after Easter, so the missionaries could take a break. Jodi, Rachel, and I all saw patients in the same room and it was great that we could share with each other. Jodi and I were scheduled to have call, but she was not feeling well. Even though we had cool weather, our bodies were starting to weaken. Rachel came with me to round in the evening and the afternoon to finish up the new admissions. We prayed for our own physical healing as well as for others. We are doing so much better and already thank those who are praying for us back home.

Early this morning while finishing our call, Jodi and I headed toward a 56-year-old woman who had come in with right-sided weakness. She had already been unconscious since yesterday. By the time we got to her bedside, her symptoms were showing signs of herniation in her brain. Doris, my second mom in Nalerigu, was there and immediately asked that we pray for the woman. We were able to do a few things, but mainly we prayed as her family stood closely by. This woman died shortly thereafter. Her family is in need of grace.

After doing some procedures and treating several patients in the clinic, I passed through the pediatrics ward with Rachel to see how things were going. Rachel is the 4th year medical student graduating in one month and moving to Houston to do Pediatrics residency there. She is on call today and was called to a bedside because of a 3-year-old boy named Timothy who had 8 seizures last night. As I walked up, I recognized his situation was so grave. This was another boy in need of a miracle. He was already showing signs of his brain herniating, which is basically irreversible, anything short of a miracle. We did everything in our human strength to help, given the resources available here, and prayed over the patient for God's grace according to His will for healing here or in heaven. The family was in complete agreement for the prayers even though they were non-believers. Now, we need to pray for eternal healing for this family.

Just as I glanced toward the bed next to Timothy, I saw a baby I had seen yesterday who was breathing extremely hard and looked critically ill. The baby then started having seizures. Jodi, Rachel, and I went back and forth between the two beds for about 2 hours as all of the nurses in the ward also stood by both beds. Both children were barely hanging on to life. This baby was prayed over as well. Again, we beg for God's will in the lives of these children. It was a powerful time of dependence on the Lord in the ward. We still lift these little ones up for they have been and always will be in God's hands.

Later this afternoon, we made a quick trip to the market. I enjoy that everyone in the market knows each other and it seems like such a gathering of the local community. You will see everything from mangos to flip flops there. Tonight we are going to have dinner with the missionaries, the Dickens. It should be wonderful.