It was my privilege to spend time with many of the patients whose lives were improved and blessed through the surgical works of the medical team that traveled to Lumbadzi, Malawi. Our team of 10 health care workers (4 doctors and 6 nurses) was able to treat more than 44 patients. As the minister serving in prayer and communication with the patients I had the blessing of learning the names and life stories of many of the patients. Beyond the patients, I was given the opportunity to get to know many of their family members and friends who both came to take care of these patients, and to visit them post operation. Some of my favorite stories were those of people with whom I was able to connect with right away.
Jacob is the father of one of the lab techs at Blessings Hospital. His sons were surrounding him throughout his time and he shared with me what it was like to be an elder in his church for over 13 years. He was clearly proud of his sons and a hard worker. He was joking about getting back out in his field to farm the day after his surgery. The surgery done on him was able to be so non-invasive that he came out telling me he was ready to play soccer that day. This was a huge relief to him to discover that his surgery would have so little of a prohibitive recovery time that he would be able to get back out to work soon. We spent several moments in prayer together, both with his sons and alone as he waited in pre-op for a several hours. Through all the waiting he was very patient and kind referring to God's goodness and his trust in him. In his story, I see our ability as a spiritual global family to show God's love in ever increasing fashion (1 Thessalonians 3:12).
Santi, was the first old man through the doors Saturday during our screening day. He was your typical village man looking for a way to cut to the front of the line and needing a place to sit down. We connected early, not through words but using body language and smiles we quickly became friends. After sharing my name, and learning his I discovered he had a hernnia and was in need of help. He stayed Saturday night in the hospital and was one of our first two surgeries. You could tell he was dubious about not eatting for a day leading up to his surgery but was obedient to not eat for the length of Sunday. By mid afternoon when the surgeons were ready to do his surgery he was feeling bothered by the lack of nutrition. He even, through a translator, appealed to the felt need to eat with me. He was good not to eat even as delays in getting materials ready and a new anesthesiology machine up and running pushed his surgery late into the evening. After coming quickly out of a general anesthesia his first request was for food. This old man, who let me pray without ever responding in English and let me introduce myself and talk through a translator, at the top of his lungs cried out to the post op nurse, "I am very hun-gry!" By the end of the day his wife and family had the local porridge N'sima ready for him to eat and he was up and on his feet again the next day to walk home.
Some of our patients stayed a bit longer with us and scared us a bit more in post op. Some extenuating health circumstances left some of our patients depleted post-op. I got to witness the caring love of one gentleman, Willie, as he cared for his sweet wife while she needed blood infusions and intensive care post op. He stayed up through the night with her, slept in his car, and in all the concern continued to exhibit a great trust in the Lord and gratitude to the staff, surgeons and me as the pastoral care. Since her surgery he and his wife have sent us photos and thanksgiving for our coming as a team all the way to Malawi to provide the medical service that helped his wife and improved her physical health. Their general attitude exhibits the overall reception that we had from everyone during the trip.
One last story I would like to leave you with, a woman who insisted on speaking to me in Chichewa in the first day kept smiling and speaking. I could tell she was trying to get something very important across to me. So, I invited Smith one of our great pre-op nurses to help me translate. He came and as she spoke to him he laughed and said, "She's asking if this hospital just lets anyone work there." We all laughed together for a moment and I said it woudl sure seem that way since they let me come and serve, wouldn't it? She then explained that her daughter was studying nursing and health care and that she would like for her daughter to be able to come and work at this hospital when she graduates. This was one of many encouraging messages we received about the hospital. Even as I was departing the country, at the airport passing through security and passport control, I had three different people call me out by name and thank me for the work that the surgical team did for their friends, wives, and children. In all this I saw how clearly the work of Blessings Hospital is bring about glory for the name of God and his servants. Thank you for sharing in the work of Blessings Hospital and the ongoing ministry of Chikondi Health Foundation.
Willie was
Jacob is the father of one of the lab techs at Blessings Hospital. His sons were surrounding him throughout his time and he shared with me what it was like to be an elder in his church for over 13 years. He was clearly proud of his sons and a hard worker. He was joking about getting back out in his field to farm the day after his surgery. The surgery done on him was able to be so non-invasive that he came out telling me he was ready to play soccer that day. This was a huge relief to him to discover that his surgery would have so little of a prohibitive recovery time that he would be able to get back out to work soon. We spent several moments in prayer together, both with his sons and alone as he waited in pre-op for a several hours. Through all the waiting he was very patient and kind referring to God's goodness and his trust in him. In his story, I see our ability as a spiritual global family to show God's love in ever increasing fashion (1 Thessalonians 3:12).
Santi, was the first old man through the doors Saturday during our screening day. He was your typical village man looking for a way to cut to the front of the line and needing a place to sit down. We connected early, not through words but using body language and smiles we quickly became friends. After sharing my name, and learning his I discovered he had a hernnia and was in need of help. He stayed Saturday night in the hospital and was one of our first two surgeries. You could tell he was dubious about not eatting for a day leading up to his surgery but was obedient to not eat for the length of Sunday. By mid afternoon when the surgeons were ready to do his surgery he was feeling bothered by the lack of nutrition. He even, through a translator, appealed to the felt need to eat with me. He was good not to eat even as delays in getting materials ready and a new anesthesiology machine up and running pushed his surgery late into the evening. After coming quickly out of a general anesthesia his first request was for food. This old man, who let me pray without ever responding in English and let me introduce myself and talk through a translator, at the top of his lungs cried out to the post op nurse, "I am very hun-gry!" By the end of the day his wife and family had the local porridge N'sima ready for him to eat and he was up and on his feet again the next day to walk home.
Some of our patients stayed a bit longer with us and scared us a bit more in post op. Some extenuating health circumstances left some of our patients depleted post-op. I got to witness the caring love of one gentleman, Willie, as he cared for his sweet wife while she needed blood infusions and intensive care post op. He stayed up through the night with her, slept in his car, and in all the concern continued to exhibit a great trust in the Lord and gratitude to the staff, surgeons and me as the pastoral care. Since her surgery he and his wife have sent us photos and thanksgiving for our coming as a team all the way to Malawi to provide the medical service that helped his wife and improved her physical health. Their general attitude exhibits the overall reception that we had from everyone during the trip.
One last story I would like to leave you with, a woman who insisted on speaking to me in Chichewa in the first day kept smiling and speaking. I could tell she was trying to get something very important across to me. So, I invited Smith one of our great pre-op nurses to help me translate. He came and as she spoke to him he laughed and said, "She's asking if this hospital just lets anyone work there." We all laughed together for a moment and I said it woudl sure seem that way since they let me come and serve, wouldn't it? She then explained that her daughter was studying nursing and health care and that she would like for her daughter to be able to come and work at this hospital when she graduates. This was one of many encouraging messages we received about the hospital. Even as I was departing the country, at the airport passing through security and passport control, I had three different people call me out by name and thank me for the work that the surgical team did for their friends, wives, and children. In all this I saw how clearly the work of Blessings Hospital is bring about glory for the name of God and his servants. Thank you for sharing in the work of Blessings Hospital and the ongoing ministry of Chikondi Health Foundation.
Willie was