June 17: Move Our Hearts to Hear a Single Beat.
I awoke at 6:00am again, for our final clinic day. My heart began to grow heavy and there was a pit in my stomach, realizing it was my last day in the clinic. It has been an unbelievable joy serving these people, loving them, and learning so much more from them than I ever fathomed. Praise you, Jesus.
At the clinic Lindsey and I paired up in assessing/giving patient care, since we only had one translator (Christine) between the two of us. I began loving this idea because the quality of our patient care dramatically increased, since we were able to bounce ideas off one another as we worked together. Our first patient was a small, petite, quite woman. She began explaining (via Christine) that she'd had four abortions, and one late-term abortion. She'd had one performed at home and the remaining three performed at the hospital. My heart broke as Christine was translating this story to us. She explained the signs, symptoms, and complications she'd had since her operations. Her reason for coming to the clinic was advice on how to get pregnant now, because she wanted to have a baby. My heart strings were tugging in a million directions. My heart ached for the sense of brokenness, shame, guilt, and fear this woman must have harbored. I could sense it in the way she spoke, and how she carried herself. Both Lindsey and I explained to her that most likely (based on her specific signs & symptoms she explained...which I will refrain from stating ;) ), there had been extensive damage to her uterus with these abortions. We continued by saying, it would be highly unlikely for her to become pregnant in the future. At that moment, all there was left to do was to pray for her. The three of us (Christine included), laid hands on her, and prayed over her frail body. We prayed for holistic healing over her, in the name of Jesus. When we finished, she opened her eyes, boldy smiled, and held and squeezed our hands as she said, "Asante Sana" (Thank you). Jesus, it's nothing in us, but you through us. Praise be to you, that you use your children to love other children. It blows me away.
Lindsey and I continued working/assessing patients, along with the other doctors and nurses, until around 5:00pm. These patients stories continued to blow me away: one had a broken arm for four years, another a broken foot for two. We ended up seeing a total of 227 patients that day. We even were able to have a local eye doctor come and prescribe eye glasses which had been donated to the clinic. It was unreal, to see these people have eye exams and given glasses, for the first time in their lives. Their joy was indescribable, beautiful, and refreshing. You truly are redeeming your people.
They are your servants and your people, whom You redeemed by your great strength and mighty hand. -Nehemiah 1:10
We finished at 5:00, and I wasn't exhausted. My heart was full. I'd been working all day, yet it was a joy. It was just a beautiful thing to lose myself in the interest of others, in His children, to begin to understand the meaning of dying to self. As we closed the clinic, I was thankful: thankful for all He is revealing to me, and to others. I loved working alongside this medical team. Although we didn't work all together in one room, our hearts were for one purpose: to be used by Him for His healing/redemption for His people.
Currently Playing: Gratitude - Nichole Nordeman
June 16: All Creatures of Our God and King.
I got a somewhat unexpected late start to the morning, due to lack of setting my cell phone alarm. Note to self: always ensure I double check AM/PM when setting the alarm ;). I, along with some other running late friends, grabbed a super quick breakfast at the lodge. It was a spectacular morning: eating freshly made steaming pancakes, complete with mango juice, overlooking Ngorongoro Crater. My heart was eager at seeing the landscape that lay before us, to make our way down into the crater. Our group was loaded up and ready to begin our second safari day by 7:00.
Our jeep (with the same people plus another best friend: Whitney), descended into the crater. The cool wind swept over my face and brushed through my hair. It was truly an amazing feeling: to know you are deeply loved and valued by the same God who created this crater, created the vast myriad of animal species, and lush landscape before your eyes. On that ride, I could feel the presence of the Holy Spirit powerfully in my heart. The morning clouds lay over the rim of the crater like fingers curling over an armrest. It was a beautiful view in the valley, as beams of sunlight shown through the clouds.
I've never seen so may herds of different species in one landscape, in my life: lions and their cubs, wildebeest, cape buffalo, kudu, eland, elephants, zebras, flamingos, hippos, hyenas, rhinos, and my favorite: the cheetah. The Lord's blessing was definitely on our safari. People who'd been on the same trip previously explained they'd never before seen this many animals at one time. All I could think of was how loving our God was: He didn't have to bless us by seeing this many animals in such a beautiful landscape, but because of His great love, He did. How amazing. I pray I never forget that. The landscape was so diverse: open plains met a large lake which was lined with flamingos, which met a lush jungle filled with tall acacia trees and monkeys. God blessed me with such an amazing morning of complete worship and joy. It's truly an amazing experience to be most satisfied in Him, for His glory. At one point, David Crowder's "All Creatures of our God and King" came on my iPod, followed by Balmorhea's "Settler". I instantly jumped up, stuck my head out of the roof, raised my hands to the sky, and worshipped Abba. What an amazing moment I will treasure and reflect upon when I'm back in the states. What a gem of a memory.
Later, after our amazing day in the crater was complete, we headed back to Arusha, TZ. I was listening to a song I'd downloaded years before by Paul Colman Trio, "Africa". There has always been a part in the song which I've never quite understood what the exact words were, so like many, I've "hummed" my way through that line. As the familiar part of the song played, for the first time ever, I finally understood the words (thanks to learning a little Swahili since I'd been in Africa). The line is: "mimi naku penda", which translates into English: "I love you." The band was saying in their song, "I love you," in Swahili. It was so amazing, to have heard this song for years, but now for the first time God opened my mind to hear it fully, when I was in the exact location my heart had longed to be for years. What a humbling and beautiful moment. Later at dinner, I shared that story with Whitney. She simply replied, "God was saying to you, 'I love you.'" My eyes filled with tears (again ;) ), in awe of His mighty love for us.
Naku penda, Abba.
Currently Playing: Settler - Balmorhea
Psalm 104
1Bless the LORD, O my soul!
O LORD my God, You are very great;
You are clothed with splendor and majesty,
2Covering Yourself with light as with a cloak,
Stretching out heaven like a tent curtain.
3He lays the beams of His upper chambers in the waters;
He makes the clouds His chariot;
He walks upon the wings of the wind;
4He makes the winds His messengers,
Flaming fire His ministers.
5He established the earth upon its foundations,
So that it will not totter forever and ever.
6You covered it with the deep as with a garment;
The waters were standing above the mountains.
7At Your rebuke they fled,
At the sound of Your thunder they hurried away.
8The mountains rose; the valleys sank down
To the place which You established for them.
9You set a boundary that they may not pass over,
So that they will not return to cover the earth.
10He sends forth springs in the valleys;
They flow between the mountains;
11They give drink to every beast of the field;
The wild donkeys quench their thirst.
12Beside them the birds of the heavens dwell;
They lift up their voices among the branches.
13He waters the mountains from His upper chambers;
The earth is satisfied with the fruit of His works.
14He causes the grass to grow for the cattle,
And vegetation for the labor of man,
So that he may bring forth food from the earth,
15And wine which makes man's heart glad,
So that he may make his face glisten with oil,
And food which sustains man's heart.
16The trees of the LORD drink their fill,
The cedars of Lebanon which He planted,
17Where the birds build their nests,
And the stork, whose home is the fir trees.
18The high mountains are for the wild goats;
The cliffs are a refuge for the shephanim.
19He made the moon for the seasons;
The sun knows the place of its setting.
20You appoint darkness and it becomes night,
In which all the beasts of the forest prowl about.
21The young lions roar after their prey
And seek their food from God.
22When the sun rises they withdraw
And lie down in their dens.
23Man goes forth to his work
And to his labor until evening.
24O LORD, how many are Your works!
In wisdom You have made them all;
The earth is full of Your possessions.
25There is the sea, great and broad,
In which are swarms without number,
Animals both small and great.
26There the ships move along,
And Leviathan, which You have formed to sport in it.
27They all wait for You
To give them their food in due season.
28You give to them, they gather it up;
You open Your hand, they are satisfied with good.
29You hide Your face, they are dismayed;
You take away their spirit, they expire
And return to their dust.
30You send forth Your Spirit, they are created;
And You renew the face of the ground.
31Let the glory of the LORD endure forever;
Let the LORD be glad in His works;
32He looks at the earth, and it trembles;
He touches the mountains, and they smoke.
33I will sing to the LORD as long as I live;
I will sing praise to my God while I have my being.
34Let my meditation be pleasing to Him;
As for me, I shall be glad in the LORD.
35Let sinners be consumed from the earth
And let the wicked be no more
Bless the LORD, O my soul
Praise the LORD!
June 15: Oh Heavenly Day
My eyes were wide, and my heart was full at 6:30am. I was so eager for the two day safari, I could hardly stand it. I was finally going to see the animals I'd only viewed on a television screen or in a circus, for the first time in real life. We had safari jeeps that were rented for the two days, which picked us up swiftly at 7:00am from Vernon & Mary's house. I, along with the Griffin family (Mom & Dad, Lindsey, Grant, and Jonathan...my second family ;) ), Candice, and Todd, piled into the large dark green safari jeep. The roof could rise up, for the purpose of having clear animal sightings ;). We left the house with cameras ready, and headed to our first destination: Lake Manyara National Park (approximately a 3 hr drive). Along the roadside to the park, I loved seeing the locals starting their day. We passed by little children who herded goats with sticks...women carrying buckets replete with fruits/vegetables on their heads...for miles. It was a beautiful thing.
His creation surrounds us always no matter where we are, but there's something unique about Africa, in how it displays the works of His hands.
As we finally passed through the park gates, my eyes filled with tears (I'm passionate ;). Words cannot capture my heart's emotion in that moment. Lush green forest tress stretched like a canopy over the road, and we were immersed in thick jungle on both sides of the jeep. Everyone in our car had already made the oath to be "intense" when it came to spotting animals...so we were all standing up (for the remainder of the afternoon), heads peering out over the rooftop in search of life. Alongside the road baboons appeared and disappeared from the thick jungle. At one point, as the trees separated somewhat, an elephant began walking towards our car. Our driver instantly turned the car off as the elephant came closer (within approx 10-15ft of the jeep). My heart was racing, and not a word was spoken from the jeep. Our mouths were literally below the car floor. The elephant strolled passed our car, across the road, and down to a nearby stream. He began casually playing with the water and blowing it through his trunk. It was absolutely amazing. Our God is an amazing God.
I realized, His fingerprints are everywhere, but for me, they're so evident here. As we made our way along the road the canopy of trees broke away, leaving one of the most beautiful landscapes I've ever experienced. It was like candy for my eyes. Beautiful yellow/green plains...mountain peaks beyond the plains...and acacia trees scattered throughout the herds of wildebeest, buffalo, gazelle, and giraffes. Situated in the middle of the landscape was a small pond filled with grunting hippos. There was a spot at which cars could park (and with a safe distance) we took pictures of the beautiful landscape and wildlife. Your heart is truly at a loss for words. I kept having to literally repeat to myself where I was, in attempts to let the beauty saturate my heart and mind. From there, our group made our way up to a lunch spot overlooking Lake Manyara, a beautiful and massive lake. You could see a faint pink rim lining the lake, which we later realized were flamingos. It was a day I pray I never forget.
After lunch, our team left the park and pressed onward to Ngorongoro Crater, which is nestled up in the mountains. This crater is the largest unflooded volcanic caldera in the world, stretching over 102 miles in diameter and over 2,000 feet deep. The crater was formed after a giant volcano collapsed on itself some 2-3 million years ago. The crater is well renown for having some of the most lush and beautiful African landscape and some of the most diverse animal species, on the entire continent. Needless to say, our team was pretty excited to make it there ;). As we pulled up to Sopa Lodge (our hotel for the evening), the cool crisp 60 degree wind made for the perfect sunset watching environment. We were all greeted with a warm towel for our faces and a glass of fresh mango juice (which I happily took :) ). The outside porch of Sopa Lodge overlooked the entire Ngorongoro Crater, which was simply breathtaking. We watched the sun slowly fall behind the rim of the crater, and I was in awe of my Creator.
We had a lovely dinner with our team at the lodge, and were so eager and ready for safari day 2, down in the crater.
Currently Playing: Oh Heavenly Day - Patty Griffin
June 14: So blessed are we, in loving Thee
We slept in this morning (until 8:00)! Needless to say, I was pretty excited. Everyone took their time waking up, and we had time for private devotionals. I sat outside on the front porch of Vernon & Mary's home, which overlooks their beautiful garden. I had a beautiful and humbling devotional, as I read and prayed through Isaiah 48:8-10:
But you O Israel, my servant Jacob, whom I have chosen, you are descendants of Abraham, my friend. I took you from the ends of the earth, from the farthest corners I called you. I said, "You are my servant." I have chosen you and not rejected you. So do not fear, for I am with you, do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. -Isaiah 48:8-10
He is with His people, here. How beautiful to read and be reminded of this reality.
Our group loaded into the land cruisers, and we headed off to Sunday church at Bible Baptist.
It was truly amazing to worship with the local Tanzanian community at church. In a simple cement room with tall ceilings, people of all nations worshipped our Savior and Redeemer. We worshipped in English, and we worshipped (or attempted to ;) ) in Swahili. Nonetheless, it was a beautiful and powerful morning; truly indescribable to experience the Holy Spirit unite a people in this way. James Waagstaff, the Pastor from North Metro Church in Denver, Co., gave the morning sermon. While he preached in English, Vernon stood alongside him and translated in Swahili, so all members understood James's words. What a beautiful sight and example of how the gospel is spread. My heart leapt when myself and a local Tanzanian I was sitting next to, simultaneously gave a soft "Amen" after a certain point in the sermon. Two different languages, but the Lord's truth resonated just the same in all of us.
After church, our group headed off to eat lunch at a local restaurant. It was a great time to ask Vernon/Mary more questions, and hear of the various stories related to the Tanzanian healthcare (or lack thereof) system. It honestly broke my heart, with the numerous stories they shared about the corrupt/disorganized healthcare system. In response to their stories, my heart just exclaimed, "There's got to be a better way to do this."
Overall, it was a beautiful and restful day. There was a 5:00pm church service as well. In the afternoon before the evening service, our group played outside with the children. I've gotten pretty good at various patty cake games ;). It was a beautiful evening, spent worshipping Christ.
Tomorrow we're up early, to begin our two day safari! I can hardly believe it. His goodness has no limit.
Currently Playing: In the Hours - Emily Deloach
But you O Israel, my servant Jacob, whom I have chosen, you are descendants of Abraham, my friend. I took you from the ends of the earth, from the farthest corners I called you. I said, "You are my servant." I have chosen you and not rejected you. So do not fear, for I am with you, do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. -Isaiah 48:8-10
He is with His people, here. How beautiful to read and be reminded of this reality.
Our group loaded into the land cruisers, and we headed off to Sunday church at Bible Baptist.
It was truly amazing to worship with the local Tanzanian community at church. In a simple cement room with tall ceilings, people of all nations worshipped our Savior and Redeemer. We worshipped in English, and we worshipped (or attempted to ;) ) in Swahili. Nonetheless, it was a beautiful and powerful morning; truly indescribable to experience the Holy Spirit unite a people in this way. James Waagstaff, the Pastor from North Metro Church in Denver, Co., gave the morning sermon. While he preached in English, Vernon stood alongside him and translated in Swahili, so all members understood James's words. What a beautiful sight and example of how the gospel is spread. My heart leapt when myself and a local Tanzanian I was sitting next to, simultaneously gave a soft "Amen" after a certain point in the sermon. Two different languages, but the Lord's truth resonated just the same in all of us.
After church, our group headed off to eat lunch at a local restaurant. It was a great time to ask Vernon/Mary more questions, and hear of the various stories related to the Tanzanian healthcare (or lack thereof) system. It honestly broke my heart, with the numerous stories they shared about the corrupt/disorganized healthcare system. In response to their stories, my heart just exclaimed, "There's got to be a better way to do this."
Overall, it was a beautiful and restful day. There was a 5:00pm church service as well. In the afternoon before the evening service, our group played outside with the children. I've gotten pretty good at various patty cake games ;). It was a beautiful evening, spent worshipping Christ.
Tomorrow we're up early, to begin our two day safari! I can hardly believe it. His goodness has no limit.
Currently Playing: In the Hours - Emily Deloach
June 13: You've gotta go down, if you want to go up.
We awoke at 6:00, and began preparing for our first day in the Olorien Medical Clinic. Our group piled into several Land Cruisers, and made our way to the Olorien neighborhood. Our car turned off the main paved road, and made our way onto a narrow,dirt, and pothole filled road. The car was instantly surrounded by mud/wooden framed homes with rusted tin roofs. The front doors were tattered curtains which hung in open doorways. My heart melted as children began running alongside the car: screaming, waving, laughing...barefoot and all. Their joy is not defined by their circumstances, and it's beautiful and humbling to witness.
Today was the first day the clinic had ever opened, and thus Dr. Byemba requested that all medical care be free. We saw approximately 200 patients our first day. My heart was overwhelmed with God's sovereignty, faithfulness, and love. I am learning so much more from these people and their love for Christ, than I ever fathomed.
Halfway through the day, Dr. VanFleet ushered in a baby to me that was now term, but had been born 7 months premature. My heart instantly melted at the sight of this baby. The mother began explaining (via translator) that he had been born 2 months early and sent home immediately (NICU's are lacking in Africa ;) ). I began my assessment, and his lungs sounded clear, and I could not hear a heart murmur. Other than a slightly runny nose, this child was now a healthy full term baby. My mind could not grasp the fact that a 7 month premature infant could survive in Africa without any medical intervention, and was now healthy. I have seen so many 7 month old infants in America, with top medical care, struggle to survive...and here was this one child who had beaten the odds. I could feel my nose grow pink and my eyes fill with tears at the sight of this beautiful baby. What a beautiful picture of God's sovereignty, strength, and might over His people. I gave the Mother newborn infant tips/education, and she emphatically thanked me for the tips. I told her, "No no, thank you" for bringing him. To see the Lord work in this way with this child, truly blessed my heart. What a beautiful and mighty God we serve.
Lindsey another RN, and I worked with various patients throughout the day complaining of specific symptoms characteristic of STD's, which are very prevalent here. We also assessed and loved on so many children. It was a beautiful thing to simply hold the children, as you were assessing them. My heart was truly overflowing.
After working in the clinic straight from 9-5, our group walked across the road to eat dinner at the Bible Baptist School. Mama Glory (aka the best cook I know!) cooked fresh goat and potatoes. I have to say, it was absolutely, positively, delicious!
After a full day of assessments/prescriptions my body was tired, but my heart was full. It is such a joy to use my giftings for His glory. I'm attempting to uncover the tip of the iceberg in the meaning:
But it is not that way with you, but the one who is greatest among you must become like the youngest, and the leader like the servant. For who is greater, the one who reclines at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at the table? But I am among you as the one who serves. -Luke 22:25-27
I'm in love with a King who became a slave
I'm in love with a God who is humble.
You gotta go down if you want to go up.
And you've got to go lower if you want to go higher.
You've got to hide and do it in secret if you want to be seen by God.
Because it's the inside outside upside down Kingdom,
Where you lose to gain and you die to live.
Currently Playing: Servant of All - Misty Edwards
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