Hospital Visit

Well, today was quite heart wrenching. We visited the children's ward at Mbale Main Hospital.

Let me start by explaining what a "hospital" is here in Uganda. All free hospitals are government hospitals and they are in fact free. To you this may seem wonderful, but it isn't so wonderful as it is sad. In a free government hospital you get a bed and medication, but only if it is available at the hospital. Often the hospitals will run out of medication and you are to go out and buy your own medication. If a family can not afford medication they go without it and remain at the hospital with only a bed.

In the government hospital if someone does not come with you, there is no one to feed you, bring you blankets or do your laundry. Many don't even have soap and that is why this ministry of praying and handing out soap in the name of Christ has begun. 

Without family, hospital patients are often alone and uncared for. A nurse doesn't come when you push a call light, no one feeds you three meals a day, you don't have a private room or a commode if you need to use the restroom. If you are fortunate someone will stay with you and take care of all of these needs provided that they have the money to do so.

Now that you have a better picture of government hospitals I can tell you about what happened today...

Once we entered I was immediately overcome with emotion. Roughly 24 children sat on what we would consider "dirty" beds with at least one adult. I was thankful to see that nearly each child had at least on adult taking are of them. 

We started with Pastor Charles giving a short message in Luganda (one of the most common languages here in Mbale, he is from Mbale and pastor of the church on the compound). After his short message Pastor Eric prayed collectively for the people in the room. Once we were finished praying Pastor Charles went on to ask if there was anyone in need of prayer or would like us to pray with them. Almost immediately over half of the room raised their hands. As we began we traveled from one section of the room to the next. 

I watched and listened at first and then it was my turn to pray while Pastor Charles translated it into Luganda...My first prayer was uttered and tears threatened to escape from my mouth. Emotion had overcome me as I stood over a very sick young girl in desperate need of proper medical care and the knowledge of Christ. I am deeply grateful to have had the opportunity to look her in the eyes and see her smile:) As we continued around the room we were praying and giving soap. 

Perhaps the most devastating case was when we approached a young girl of 12, named Sharon, with advanced HIV and a Mama with very few resources. This young girl we suspect was born with HIV or contracted it soon after birth. She laid in bed frail as can be with very little strength, there was zero fat on her body and her cheek bones protruded. It was clear to all of us that this was a very devastating case in need of prayer. Our hearts were especially broken for this girl and her mama.

The Mama said that they believed in Yesu (Jesus), and they trusted in Him to save their souls. We went on to pray for both of these women and the Mama began to weep, it is not common in Ugandan culture for people to weep in the presence of others. We continued to pray as I had my hand on Mama, she couldn't control the tears. We were able to read a little of her case in her booklet on her bed, it stated to go to a clinic IMMEDIATELY where Sharon could receive the correct medication and treatment. The only problem is that it is the weekend and the clinic is closed. 

As we walked out we talked a bit more about Sharon and her Mama. Pastor Charles said that now what we really need to do is pray for her Mama. He is not sure Sharon will make it through the night, but what we are sure of is that she is a believer. As we prayed she was able to fold her hands in prayer and her body began shifting from side to side. It was clear from her response that she truly believed in what we were praying. We praise God for her faith in Christ and leave her to His sovereign care! One day we will meet Sharon again if not in this life in the next where she has a new body and can walk about freely and joyfully!! 

These are the people and the obstacles that they face this very day in this very country. We cry out to Christ with them and ask for His healing hand to touch them, whether in this life or in the next we cannot be sure when, but we are sure that He is our only hope. We pray that all would know Christ and His saving death for their souls, for He is the only one who can bring health and strength.

Will you join me in prayer for Sharon and her Mama? Will you pray for the men, women and children in the hospitals? This is all hopeless without Christ, but with Christ we can find hope, happiness and blessings even among trials.

I've arrived!

Well, as I'm writing it is just after 9 PM in Mbale. 

Last night my flight arrived a few minutes ahead of schedule from Amsterdam. I got off, got my luggage, went through to obtain a visa and then meet Eric and Dianna for the first time. During my arrival my feelings were so mixed, I was excited, had become a bit nervous, happy to be on ground, and ready to see this beautiful country. Soon after meeting them we went to where we were staying, it was called "The Boma." Anyone from around here would tell you that it's fancy, and it was! On our ride they had said it was nicer than where they usually stay. When we got there I had my own room with a huge bed, a TV heated showers AND filtered water. Ask any Ugandan that's amazing for a first Ugandan experience!! After that I got a great nights rest and woke up to a great breakfast and tasty rich full-bodied coffee! 

After breakfast it was time to head to Mbale because Eric had a meeting and it's no small trip to get here from Kampala! Driving in Uganda has very little restrictions, cars go at fast speeds down two lane roads and will pass even when there is oncoming traffic! 

Along with all of the cars are mutatu's (big vans that take large numbers if people around) and bota's (motorbikes built for two, but according to standards here "as many as you can fit"). There are nearly no stop signs and at traffic crossings you jut nose your way in until you get through sometimes within inches! Driving was crazy, but we survived!

Roughly 5 hours later we arrived at the compound to 8 children ready to see there parents!:) Once we arrived I ha a tour; the house is an old British house with tall ceilings and plenty of space, we even had a fridge and wash machine. 

Soon after settling in I went on a bota bota ride to town to pick up a few things with Christi, their current MA. It was really fun! You flag them down quite like a taxi, they pick you up, and take you to town for 1,000 shillings or 40 cents! In town we walked around, the shops are a mixed variety of things from cell phones to clothing to food to pharmaceuticals. The streets are crowded with cars, and people; pedestrians are shown no mercy! I was almost hit two times once by a bota and once by a car! After we walked we went home on a bota and had dinner shortly after. 

Just a few highlights.

It's been a good first day here. The Americans and Ugandans are wonderful:) I'm excited to see how God works while I am here!

Blessings from Uganda!

Amy

What am I "excited" for?

I've never done mission work abroad and the feeling of "excitement" is so much different than that of the excitement you experience when going on a family trip or a trip with friends. You can't say, "Well, I'm just excited to get away." It is so much more than "getting away," and I'm still wrapping my head around it!

I've been thinking, am I excited? The answer is yes, I am excited, here are a few reasons why:

I'm excited to...

1. Serve God and others.
2. Be sanctified.
3. Experience God and His church in a different country. 
4. Meet new people. 
5. Experience a new culture.
6. Travel alone, it seems like more of an adventure that way. 
7. Be a bit disconnected from social media.
8. Drink Ugandan coffee/tea, I hear its amazing.
9. Eat food I have never tasted before.
10. See the beautiful land.


That may seem like a menial list, but it's hard to say what exactly I am so excited about when I've never been there so those are just a few:)  

I'm a complete novice with traveling and that is probably the one thing I am "nervous" about. Getting around airports is definitely foreign to me and the thought of doing it alone seems daunting. I have been told though, that there are many helpful people that are more than willing to get me where I need to go. 

I'm not really looking forward to the potential of bugs, I actually don't want anything to do with bugs. I suppose I should just get over it already, huh?

If the Lord wills I will be on a plane to Amsterdam at this time next week and then boarding a plane to Uganda!

Amy

It has been on my mind for a while to begin a blog.... here we are! 

Well, the purpose of this blog is simple, to magnify to name of Christ and to share a little bit about what is going on in my life. 

In just 12 short days I will be on a plane (with two levels might I add) to a country I know next to nothing about, with no travel buddy, and a lot of time to think. I will be heading to "The Pearl of Africa," Uganda. 

“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”

-1 Peter 2:9

Some of you may be asking.. What is in Uganda? What brings an average Michigan 24 year old to a place where she doesn't actually know anyone and has little expectation of what to expect when she arrives? 

Christ is the reason I will travel over 6,000 miles and be plopped into a city where next to no one knows my name. Christ has brought me here and Christ will see me through this journey. Christ will provide, and Christ already has, abundantly may I add. 

Last winter a friend came to me at a house concert in Grand Rapids and said, "My friend worked in an orphanage in Africa and I think I want to go." To which I replied with a smile, "Let's go."After this I did my research contacted the right people and filled out an application for mission work in Africa. Granted, it took me nearly a month to fill out and submit the application, finally I gave in, held my breath and hit "SEND." To my surprise I got a reply from a family within the week!

This family had some good news for me that there was an opportunity to serve alongside them in Mbale, Uganda as of January 2014. The catch was, I had to come for a visit before I could say definitively that I was going to go in January. Soon after, I got the arrangements made to head to Uganda in April for the trial stay. In God's providence three days before my flight was scheduled to leave my dad passed away ending his year long battle with prostate cancer. 

This is one of our last family photos taken

at the very beginning of Dad's battle.

We couldn't all be ready at the same time:)

One could say that they feel awful for my family and I, but I don't. The Monday before he died for the first time he told my uncle he had Jesus in his heart. Knowing Christ had captured his soul was enough for me to let go and get ready for him to go meet the Father face to face. After this we spent a week in hospice, and can I say, it was one of the hardest, but one of the most memorable weeks of my life. His last words were on Wednesday (to the best of anyone's knowledge), to me he said, "I love you too." On Sunday around 5:00 PM he went to be with the father while his favorite baseball team was playing, the Tigers, amidst good friends and family.

Christ had finally captured my earthly father's heart, and my soul was at peace with his passing. Christ broke in where I didn't see it possible, Christ knocked down all barriers, Christ rescued his soul from the pit of hell in the last days of his life. What greater gift can we have than this?

Through his battle with cancer he would always reassure me that I should go to Uganda no matter what and "do what I thought was right." After he passed away I made different travel arrangements and here we are today, just 12 days away from my two week trial visit to a country I know very little about to meet people I have only ever talked to through e-mail and... I am excited. 

I am greatly humbled for the chance to have this experience! During this two week trial visit I will be discovering if it would work out for me and for the family to come back in January for a 6 month stay. The trip will consist of meeting the family, visiting an orphanage, attending worship service, teaching a VBS-type lesson to preschoolers, preparing for a new family to join the team in Mbale, hiking, exploring Uganda, probably some culture shock and maybe even an upset stomach.

Oh, and that friend I mentioned...she's headed to Brazil in a month and a half, how exciting!

Thank you to everyone who has influenced me in my walk with Christ and encouraged me to go to Uganda. When I was baptized four years ago I never expected to be heading to Africa!

May the grace of God and the peace that surpasses all understanding be with you all!