147 Rand =’s $21.00.
This is how much cash a January racer and I have on us on our way to the hospital with six year old Thandilie, her mother, and her baby sister. Thandi has had an open sore on her foot that has not healed since January. Our job is to take her to the hospital, and make sure she is well taken care of.
We had thought the hospital was in was 20 minutes away. Two and a half hours later we find ourselves in Sieki.
13 rand a person bus ride + 15R for a taxi+ 15R flat fee for Tandi’s consultation. We now have 78R left.
We wait for Thandi to get her temperature taken, then we get in a new line and wait for her to see the nurse. The nurse sees her, and sends us to a new line for her to see the doctor. We wait another couple hours. By now it is staring to get dark, and we start to worry about trasportation home because the bus stops running at night.
We finally get to see the doctor. The doctor says that the infection looks like it has spread to her bone. We need to go get x-rays. We go stand in line to pay for x-rays- 15R. We now have 63R. It’s also dark outside, and the doctors are talking about possibly admitting her over night. It starts to become very clear that we are going to have to find lodging. We are also all hungry; the sandwiches that we had packed for lunch are long gone.
Thandi’s mother keeps talking about wanting to go home, but “home” is one of the only English word she know. Communication is less than optimal. I’m praying constantly in my head. Help us commicate with Thandi’s mother. Help them feel loved by God. Help us find a place to stay.
About this time, we notice a South African woman who has brought in some farm workers who have been in a car accident. She ask us about the girl. We ask her about the workers. We send the January Racer over to ask her about places to stay in town. Turns out she is a believer; she is working in Swaziland as a missionary. The farm she lives on has a lodge. Her friend owns the lodge. She said that she could take us there if we needed a place to stay. We are still waiting for X-rays, and we still don’t have very much cash, so we ask about ATM’s. She said that we could figure that out later.
At some point her friend who owns the lodge comes in. She tells us that we can stay at the lodge “on the house,” and that she would help us find food.
She leaves, and takes the January racer with her to get things settled. I stay at the hospital and wait for
Thandi to get her x-rays. She finally gets them taken, we see a doctor. He prescribes medicine. The pharmacy is closed and we have to come back in the morning.
The South African woman returns and takes us to the lodge. As I walk in the lodge my heart sings praise to the Lord. There are enough beds for all of us. There is a hot shower. There is a kitchen. We had been given eggs, bacon, yogurt, apples, orange, jam, milk, and a loaf of bread. We had been given enough food to make Three meals. We will be able to eat lunch on our way back tomorrow.
The 63R left is enough to get us home.
Never before have had I wondered if I would have a safe place to sleep or food to eat. I did not know if I would be able to take care of the Swazi family we were helping. God is good and abundantly gracious.
