For the past week and a half, beginning last Wednesday afternoon, some of our kids from the GEMS polio home had the opportunity to receive orthopedic operations during a medical clinic here at the GEMS hospital. Several doctors came up from southern India for a week of pro-bono operations. One of my three favorite little boys was the first to receive his operation, correcting his left foot which was turned almost 180 degrees from normal (facing backwards when he stood); he walked with a special leg brace made by the men at GEMS. This 5 year old little boy named Ritais has touched my heart in such a special way over the past few days; he has given me the opportunity to see God move.
The morning after Ritais’s surgery, I went to visit him in recovery. He was still very sedated, but the anesthesia had worn off enough during the night that the pain was becoming a harsh reality. I sat with his mother and him for a while tryng to help comfort him , but the pain meds were wearing off and his eyes were full of terror at the pain he was waking up to. The worst part was trying to get him to calm down enough to lift the cast up into a make-shift sling to keep it elevated. Every time he would squirm from the pain it would make it all so much worse.
Rumila, the first little girl who received an operation on her left leg lay in the hospital bed next to Ritais’s. At only 6 or 7 years old, her family had not yet arrived to comfort her, but she was so strong and brave. While she looked alone and scared, she winced at the pain but held back her tears. I was so thankful that my teammate Kate & I were there to be her family. For the first time in my life I felt that I was able to truly be the hands of Jesus. As I sat in her hospital bed with her, stroking her hair and rubbing her back with quiet whispers of comfort, I realized that my heart was full of true love for a child I didn’t know. I felt such compassion for this brave little girl, and I sensed the presence of the Lord so strongly that tears began to stream down my face. I whispered to Kate, “This is what it’s all about. We’re doing it. Jesus is inside of us & right now we are Jesus’s hands and feet to this little girl.” I was overwhelmed by Jesus’s love for us and the way that he allowed me to share it on that special day.
Next, I did what any proper Southern gal would do… I brought food. The pickings were slim at the GEMS canteen, but I did the best with what I had & the families were grateful to have a snack. Ritais’s mother looked absolutely exhausted—no food, no rest, and a screaming child will do that to you; on top of that, she also had her one year old little girl clinging to her leg whining, hungry and wanting to breast-feed. I tried to give the mother and baby a chance to rest, curled up on a blanket on the concrete hospital floor beside the bed, but the screams of pain wouldn’t allow it. As I sat with Ritais, holding his little cast up in the sling & holding the rest of his body down to keep him from squirming, he awoke from his drug-induced sleepiness every minute or two with pain. I’m not sure if he was experiencing muscle spasms or leg cramps, but each time he would drift off to sleep he would shoot up into a sitting position screaming and crying. This exhausting cycle took place for hours on end.
Before leaving the hospital for the day, I went to the pre-op room to pray for three of the other kids receiving surgeries. I encouraged them with smiles and thumbs-ups, followed by drawing a heart on the inside of their palms with a pen. Sometimes it’s so frustrating to not be able to communicate with words, but I’ve gotten pretty good at miming what I need to say. The simple little hearts that represented my love brought a smile to the faces of these sweet kids, and after their surgeries as I visited them in recovery it brought a smile to my face to see this symbol of love still present on their little palms. Love needs no translator.
After a few grueling days of recovery, I’m glad to report that the kiddos are doing great & x-rays show that the surgeries were a success! Despite my frustration that these children could have been spared all of this pain had they been given the opportunity to receive a simple vaccine that is required in the States, I’m so grateful that they had the opportunity to receive these operations & will soon be able to run and play with their friends more easily than before. Their courage and joy has touched my heart. The recovery room is now full of smiles!
my little buddy Ritais… his smile has finally returned!
sweet Rumila- she was in high spirits & entertaining her baby brother with dress-up
During my time at GEMS I have definitely been called to the hospital more than anywhere else, spending time comforting and praying for the patients and their families. I was so encouraged to hear that GEMS has decided to do more hospital ministry because they've received so much positive feedback from our visits. Almost all of the patients and families at the hospital are Hindu, so I was extremely uncomfortable during my first few visits. I knew God was calling me to the hospital, but I couldn't communicate with anyone & the lack of facial expression from the people was quite discouraging and unclear. I didn't know if they were offended by me asking to pray for them or if they just didn't understand at all and thought I was a crazy person. Most of them had never even seen a white person before, much less had one approach them. Some Hindu women were very protective of their children, watching me like a mother hawk with skepticism & suspicion. But God started to move and things changed. People watched as we prayed for patients and they were discharged. Hindu mothers watched us pray for children screaming in pain as they suddenly became quiet & fell asleep… they wanted this for their child as well. Now when we enter the hospital, people approach us, asking us to pray for their sick family member & also for them personally. Although they can't understand our prayers, they see them work & they hear who we are praying them to– Jesus!
Because of the interest shown in prayer & the positive feedback from patients and nurses, GEMS staff is now planning to start doing more hospital prayer ministry! It's been amazing to see God work through me to bring love and hope!
at the request of this Hindu woman, Savannah prays for her and her recovering child
