As I briefly mentioned in my last blog, I spent additional time in bed and out of ministry during my last month in Africa (Kenya #2). During the second and first half of the third week in Nakuru, I had ridiculous, constant headaches that never lessened. I missed a week and a half of ministry and pretty much didn’t get out of bed unless I had to shower or use the bathroom. So all in all for Africa, I missed most of ministry in Month 6 (Tanzania), a week in Month 7 (Kenya #1), and then a week and a half in Month 8 (Kenya #2).
The Kayo's nanny, Joyce, giving me some love!
While I was lying in bed with these headaches, I kept telling God that this was not helping me to like Africa. At the time, my grace for Africa and the culture was diminishing and my patience for mundane manual labor ministry was waning. Even though I was frustrated and struggled off and on with feelings of defeat, I had a gut feeling that my headaches would go away before the end of the month. It is all I could do to not completely “lose it.” I told God, “There is no way you aren’t going to heal me before I leave this continent.” I started begging God to make my last week in Nakuru look completely different from what the last two months were like in regards to ministry. The majority of the two months in Kenya was comprised of manual labor in the form of cleaning schools, orphanages, or the church. I told God, “Please do not make me go organize clothes or clean floors and dishes for the whole day in these last couple days of ministry. I don’t know if I can I handle that right now.”
Cleaning the children's classroom at church
Amanda and I cleaning the walls of an orphanage
Oh my goodness, did He come through. My headaches finally dissipated after about a week and a half, and there were still four days of ministry left. And to top it off, that evening, Rose announced to our two teams that she had met a guy named Joseph who lived on the streets, and God told her to do everything she could to help him. Rose exclaimed excitedly in the dining room, “Wahoooo! I get to take Joseph to the clinic tomorrow and get his broken arm fixed!!! Oh wait, I need one of you to come with me, since I can’t go alone.” I just so happened to be standing right in front of her, and my eyes lit up while I exclaimed, “I will totally go with you!” This was God’s answer to my prayer. I got to step back into my nurse shoes and help Rose with the numerous medical needs that Joseph required for his broken arm. Yeah! God, once again, blew my mind on The Race!!!
Joseph's broken arm and resulting bone and skin infections
Instead of re-explaining everything that Rose and I did within the last four days of Month 8, I will direct you to her blogs found at rosehuber.theworldrace.org. The following four blogs give a detailed description of the hospital visits, long lines, financial needs, doctor appointments, physical therapy sessions, dressing changes, medications needed, and the coordination of care required to set Joseph up for success before we left the continent for Month 9 in Asia.
The story of Joseph "God will increase" (Part 1)
URGENT $90 NEED!!
The story of Joseph Part 2: First hospital visit
The story of Joseph (Part 3) A renewal of arm and spirit
Joseph waiting for an x-ray of his right arm
Part of his physical therapy session
Finallly! A dressing!
Hangin' out at the hospital
Although navigating the system of a public, government African hospital was by no means easy, it rekindled the passion I have for sick people and the gift God gave me to care for the ill effectively. Even though I have been able to provide medical advice and care for my squadmates throughout The Race due to malaria, bacterial GI infections, parasite infections, typhoid fever, and a slew of other randomness, it doesn’t quite compare to my previous role as an oncology and stem cell transplant nurse. Throughout The Race I have had withdrawal feelings from not having the responsibilities and authority I had as a hospital nurse. I don’t even know if words can articulate the feelings I had as I was able to be Joseph’s personal nurse and make sure he got everything he needed. Although God stripped me of my identity as a nurse at the beginning of The Race, He gives little bits of it back to me along this journey.
Heading off for Day 3 of hospital visits for Joseph
The "Filter Clinic" (the main part of the hospital)
I also want to give props to Rose Huber, whose passion for helping this young man gave me energy and strength to finish out Africa well. Her heart broke for him, and I was blessed to be able to come alongside her and assist in whatever way possible. I would never have guessed God would bring His A-game like he did in those last few days. Kenya was redeemed in more ways than one.
Rose and Joseph
