death
As I sit praying and holding cold rags to the bottom of my 102 (F) son's feet I can't help but feel the pain of many of the African mothers. So many African mothers have found themselves in similar to very worse situations. Many of the local Arua families are used to going to children's funerals almost every week.
In the U.S. if a child has a fever of 105 or over (F) you go straight to the ER. Yet being in the hospitals to pray for other children has not given me comfort or any desire to ever bring either of my children into a hospital for any reason.
Then there is the issue of cost. We have health insurance and support yet many of the African families have nothing to be able to pay these bills.
One mother I've become friends with owes money for her sons' doctor bills. She had been in prostitution and last year was radically saved. As a follower of Christ she knows she does not ever want to return to the prostitution life style yet I know the pull of "easy money" is strong especially when your own child's health is a stake.
Another mother I've gotten to know took her four year old daughter into the hospital a few days ago to find out her daughter has ammonia. They inserted an IV in her hand and sent her home with instructions to return every day for the next three days for medicine. What if she didn't have the money to get to the hospital every day for the next three days? What happens if she pulls out her IV wrong? What if it gets infected. Awh the questions. . .
IVs in children's hands seem to be the norm. If they have any kind of sickness (many have HIV or TB) they stick an IV in and are expected to come back for regular injections.
In the Sudanees refugee camp our team went to this last week (we did not feel it was a good place to go with our small children) good water is extinct. The majority of the people they prayed for had blood shot eyes and complained of similar aches and pains. They felt it was probably due to the taminated water.
Next time any of us from a first world nation goes to complain we need to remember how blessed we are with so many modern technologies. With incredible health care, medical resources and clean water. We also need to ask ourselves "What are we supposed to do to help those in third world nations?" "How am I to be a part of the solution?"
God is challenging us every day to listen to His small voice and to be obedient to His leading. Listen to His voice, give when He asks you to give and be willing to be stretched to help others.
On a side note Gryphin is doing amazing. I wrote this three days ago :) but our internet connection is not strong.
