I still have more to post from the
walk, but today I’m taking a break from those blogs to share
something more current. Physically, this part of the journey has
been difficult for me. It started with a head cold and sore throat.
I wasn’t too surprised, my immune system was low after switching
seasons, walking across a country and then being exposed to a lot of
illness at the Care Points. As that progressed my eye got infected
and one of my ears followed suit shortly there after. I was feeling
like quite a hypochondriac with my litany of prescriptions and
medications lined up by my bed.
Then the flu hit, and it hit me hard.I was joking around with some fun Gogo’s at Sieskaleni one of the
Care Points we have been spending lots of time at this week. All of
a sudden I was completely nauseous. I thought I was overreacting so
I told the Gogo’s that I would be back and went to get some water out
of the van. Before I knew what was happening I was puking up the
beans and pap that I had eaten for lunch. With out missing a beat
Elliott our driver said, “this one, she is not well.� For some
reason the obviousness of his statement made me laugh. Laughing
while throwing up is not pretty. He then told me, “you are
supposed to squat down, not stand up, so you don’t get it on your
clothing.â€� I’m sure I was quite a site, hair pulled back with one
hand, bent at the waist and laughing while puking into the dirt. I
grabbed a ride home and continued to toss my cookies every few hours.
A few days ago I wrote the following
after coming home from ministry…
after coming home from ministry…
Today we went up to Sieskaleni with the
team from the church that sponsors them. I was immediately drawn to
a small toddler who only had a tee-shirt but no pants. One of the
Gogo’s pulled a girls shirt over him like a skirt making an attempt
to keep his bottom half covered. She laughed with all the ladies at
the makeshift solution and let him keep walking on shaky legs. I
don’t know why, but I wanted to hold him despite his diaperless
state. Some of the kids there are scared of white people but he let
me pick him up. I immediately noticed that his breathing was labored
and dried snot covered the area between his nose and mouth. The last
few days my head has been all stuffed up and I’ve felt so tired
trying to fight off this cold. I’m sure this little guy was feeling
pretty miserable. He was happy for a lap to sit on and snuggled
deeper on me.
team from the church that sponsors them. I was immediately drawn to
a small toddler who only had a tee-shirt but no pants. One of the
Gogo’s pulled a girls shirt over him like a skirt making an attempt
to keep his bottom half covered. She laughed with all the ladies at
the makeshift solution and let him keep walking on shaky legs. I
don’t know why, but I wanted to hold him despite his diaperless
state. Some of the kids there are scared of white people but he let
me pick him up. I immediately noticed that his breathing was labored
and dried snot covered the area between his nose and mouth. The last
few days my head has been all stuffed up and I’ve felt so tired
trying to fight off this cold. I’m sure this little guy was feeling
pretty miserable. He was happy for a lap to sit on and snuggled
deeper on me.
We hung out for a while until it was
time to go to a home visit. I reluctantly put him down and
walked
over to the Pajero, parked like a advertisement under a lone acacia
tree. The Widow and Orphans we were going to visit were at the
clinic so we ended up quickly driving back to the Care Point. At
that point the kids were eating, it’s always good to see them getting
healthy meals. Just looking at kids in this area compared to when I
was first here five years ago, the difference is astronomical. It’s
amazing what a solid meal every day can do.
time to go to a home visit. I reluctantly put him down and
walkedover to the Pajero, parked like a advertisement under a lone acacia
tree. The Widow and Orphans we were going to visit were at the
clinic so we ended up quickly driving back to the Care Point. At
that point the kids were eating, it’s always good to see them getting
healthy meals. Just looking at kids in this area compared to when I
was first here five years ago, the difference is astronomical. It’s
amazing what a solid meal every day can do.
I immediately started looking around
for the little guy and caught sight of him behind the stone and stick
building the Gogo’s use to cook food. He was squatting, tee-shirt
pulled up around his waist. A large brown puddle had formed under
his little behind. Looked like a head cold wasn’t his only physical
struggle.
for the little guy and caught sight of him behind the stone and stick
building the Gogo’s use to cook food. He was squatting, tee-shirt
pulled up around his waist. A large brown puddle had formed under
his little behind. Looked like a head cold wasn’t his only physical
struggle.
Eventually, I headed back to the placewe are staying, grabbed a Day Quill and started to feel better. I
was reminded again today how much I take for granted, easy access to
medical care, good food, potable water, medicines. If I got really
sick I have access to transportation to get to a clinic and money for
medication. I want to live my life thankful for those things but
more than that I want to use the resources I’ve been given to help
others have that privilege.
I’m feeling better today, the flu was
only a 24 hour thing, thank God! I would love prayer for God’s
healing but more than that I would love to have people praying for
these kids who face physical sickness on a whole different level.
only a 24 hour thing, thank God! I would love prayer for God’s
healing but more than that I would love to have people praying for
these kids who face physical sickness on a whole different level.
