Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Revisit

Today was another good day at the clinic. We were back at Elevare, and for the first time that I can remember in four years of doing these clinics, we came to the end of the line! Praise God!

Robert helped bandage the leg of a boy who had an abscess on Sunday. He came back yesterday and found Robert to check it for him, and was back again today... Supposedly for a wound check, but it turns out he's a pretty good lacrosse player! ;-).

We had a Ugandan lady named Agatha Christie (for real), who I met on the street in Jinja while shopping last week, who turned out to be a lifelong friend of Agnes' (small, small world!), come visit the clinic because we had told her we'd be there. It was great to see her again. She stopped by the hotel yesterday because Agnes was going to be there to meet with me, so I've attached a picture of the three of us!

At the end of our day, Robert came to find me because he was so excited. There was man we met last year at this same clinic who none of us will ever forget. He has elephantitis in his feet, and a fungus that is literally eating away his feet. Last year, the Soles for the Savior guys, in the truest act of servanthood I've seen, lovingly washed, bandaged, and prayed over his feet, then gave him a pair of shoes. He heard we were going to be there today, and he walked back to the clinic to see us and get his feet cleaned again. What a wonderful thing to feel like we are establishing relationships.

Robert got to go up to the orphanage homes at the site today. They are so nice, and while he was there, he was grateful to get to see the place where Baby Moses is buried on the property.

Today some of our leadership went to visit Renee from Serving His Children. She is the girl who took in Baby Moses last year, and she was excited to have them return to ask how we could help them.

Tonight two of our doctors and one of our Ugandan nurse friends went to the hospital to see Ojuko and check on him and his family.

I spent the day deworming children and adults, and Robert had some good Cradling for Christ time with the kids waiting to see the doctor. By mid-afternoon, he was showing some of them how to guard and fight for the ball, and they had a blast playing together.

God showed me several years ago that He is all about relationships. That's how He ministers to us, and that's how He desires us to minister to each other. Mzungus (white people) have a bad name in many parts of Africa because they come and take pictures and leave, offering no follow up. By returning to the same places and seeing some of the same people year after year, we are proving to be different than the stereotype. We are showing that we are interested in more than a photo op, and that we care in the way God cares. You may remember that this village has a strong Muslim population, and is the place where last year Robert got bitten by ants that were planted by the village witch doctor. We have seen several people this week who believe that many of their problems are the result of a curse by the witch doctor. We have prayed with many people this week, and have had several decisions for Christ. We are connecting these people with the local pastor and church so that they can be discipled.

Relationship. Working alongside our neighbors. Follow up. Revisiting. It's how we say, "Jesus sees you and loves you."



1 comment:

  1. Love seeing the pictures of RJ playing with the kids - how powerful!!

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