Yesterday was somewhat terrifying!
I took Mcolisi to see his mother for a few hours while I was at the Carepoint. After picking him back up (Pelile is happy to see he is getting healthier), Jeanette and I were dropped off at the clinic. He has had a persistent cough that shakes his whole body. The nurses were so touched by our willingness to look after him, given the state of the mother, that they didn’t charge us the clinic fee or for the four medications he was given-for malnutrition and respiratory infection-incredible since we had very little cash on us.
It was such a hot day (in the high 90’s) that when we got back to camp, I jumped in the shower. When I got out, Megan was there and told me that Mcolisi was acting very strange. His eyes kept rolling back in his head and his whole body was completely limp. Jeanette and Emily put him in a cool bath, and then Jeanette and I left for a different clinic that was supposed to be better equipped, but also further.
During our ride on the kumbi (a public van transport) Mcolisi continued to worsen. His tongue was turning grey, and he was nearly lifeless. At points we had to check to make sure he was still breathing. I held him while Jea put water on his face and chest to try to cool him off. The man next to me was watching the whole time and started to speak to us. “He doesn’t look so good. I don’t think he’s going to make it. He’s going to die.” After the initial shock of his statement wore off, I gentle touched him but with boldness said, “Don’t say that! Speak LIFE into him! He WILL make it!!!”
Jea and I continued to pray over him, but it wasn’t looking good. I began to imagine conversations with the mother, explaining that we tried to get to the doctor as fast as we could, but he was just too unhealthy to fight it.
Finally, we arrived in Matata-a city about 15-20 minutes away, and quickly called Pastor Gift. He was going to meet us there and take us to the clinic. He was nearly there, but we didn’t know what to do in the moments we stood there waiting. I bought an icy drink they sell here (basically a frozen bag of watered-down juice) and would touch it to Mcolisi’s feet, chest, and forehead to try to shock a response out of him. It worked a bit, but we were still extremely concerned.
Pastor Gift arrived and we quickly walked to the clinic. Once there, we sat and prayed over him again. It seemed like as soon as Pastor Gift prayed, Mcolisi started to come back to us. When we got him into the room, the nurse was able to give him some electrolytes to re-hydrate him. He was severely dehydrated because he has not had milk for a long time and is still getting used to taking formula from a bottle. Praise God, he is okay now!
We spent some time grocery shopping as an excuse to stay in A.C., and then we headed home. A couple minutes into the drive, the man behind us began to speak to us. “Bless you for what you are doing. You are both very good to do this for him.” We thanked him for that but paid little more attention until he said, “I was the one. I rode with you on the way here, and I did not believe he would make it.” “Wait…you were the one sitting next to me saying he was going to die?” I asked. “Yes! That was me. I didn’t believe it. Sheesh! I am so happy now! I think I could fly! Bless you both! Sheesh!” He continued to share his excitement for seeing how well Mcolisi was doing now. We told him the credit belonged to God. What an amazing testimony of God’s love that was!
Besides a lot of coughing through the night, Mcolisi is doing great. He has taken his medicine with little complaining, and we are all happy to see him lively and even crying.
***Written a few days ago***
