I will lift my voice

Often I feel useless here. I am not a doctor yet and so have little to offer these people in the way of medical help. I have the gospel and the hope that comes with accepting it but so many here proclaim to be “born again”. So… what do I have to offer? What can I do for them…I can tell their stories. That is what I will do tonight.

I have become attached to a woman in the hospital. Her name is Grace and I met her two weeks ago. I was helping in the HIV clinic when she was brought in by her family. Her family looked scared, and she looked desperate. She was tiny and couldn’t walk in on her own. As I began to take her vitals, I realized that the adult blood pressure cuff wouldn’t fit her arm because it was so small. Her temperature was sky high and her pulse was racing. I pushed her through the line and called the doctor to see her immediately. I wanted to help her. She was seen by the doctor and blood work and an x-ray were ordered. I wheeled her through the hospital and took advantage of my skin color to get her test done quickly. We returned to the clinic and the doctor admitted her immediately. She was diagnosed with HIV associated neuropathy.

Since that day, I have visited her and her family most every day. She has had days that she knew me, spoke with me in Kiswahili and some English. She has laughed and gone outside to walk with her sister. But, there have been days, like this past Thursday, that she didn’t recognize anyone, was distracted, and was unable to speak. It broke my heart to see her decline so quickly in one day. I have had the opportunity to talk and pray with her family. They are all believers but have needed support and prayer. What I learned is that Grace is the oldest of four children. They were orphaned as children and Grace was widowed two years ago. The brothers and sisters have been at the hospital everyday sitting with their sister. They have asked for continued prayers, and I know that there are many who would gladly join me in lifting up this family during a time of uncertainty and sickness. In the mean time I will try to figure out what else I can do for this family. They have been so kind to bring me pineapples from their shamba in the evenings when I visit. It breaks my heart every time to know that these people are giving to me when they have so little. What a lesson for me to learn.

Thank you for joining with me to love, support, and cover in prayer Grace and her sweet family. Pray that she will be able to eat again soon and regain strength. Pray that the Lord would strengthen her immunity and that the medicine she is taking will start working. And, pray for her family as they struggle through watching their sister die of a terrible disease.

“Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up.” (James 5:13-15)