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
No comments:
Post a Comment