I am somebody.

Hello from Ghana :)

Walking to Senya. Stopped under this awesome tree to snap a pic!

Today marks two weeks until we leave to come back to The States, and the day I was prophesied that Dustin and I will have twins (FS people, mark that one down!).  I cannot believe how quickly the time is going. I feel as though I want to do all I can before I leave so that I will have really soaked in this African experience. And while in two weeks, I will be leaving to go back to the care of my air conditioning, Whole Foods Market, and hot showering, I can’t help but think that for all my friends I am leaving behind, life goes on. Lord willing, they will stay well and healthy, have access to health care and food. My heart breaks though for the ones who don’t.

Today I had a mother come in with her three children. The youngest was one year of age and had an open burn on her arm. It was about three inches in length. She told me the child had burned herself one week ago. One week! And the child had just been sitting at home, in dirt no doubt, with an open, seeping wound. It looked very painful. The second of her children had scabs all over his head where he had picked his ringworms until they became infected with bacteria. I cannot imagine how long these ringworms had been there.

Although for some this dilemma seems frustrating, when you are in Africa you have to kind of adopt the African way of life. How many mangoes do you have to sell before you can come and see the doctor? If it’s 25 mangoes that may take you a couple of days to get the money to come. So, you have to acclimate yourself to things being imperfect. Maybe not as you (as an American) would have them be. Patient care is not stressed as much here, either. So, you may have to wait two hours for your patient to receive the orders you prescribed for them. And, at home these things are done immediately. So, just as in every other aspect of life, things slow down here. And everyone is ok with it. Patients don’t expect to be pain free twenty four hours a day. They know, that in between medications, they will feel the pain and that they endure it. For, pain medicine is a luxury. It’s a blessing to have it when you’re fortunate enough. Patients don’t feel as though they’re entitled to perfect care. They know that things don’t go flawlessly all the time.

As I’m trying to process all of these things, I look on the wall at the hospital and I see a quote from Lily Tomlin (which I think is hilarious, because although I love Lily Tomlin I doubt my patients even know who she is), it said,

 “I always wondered why somebody didn’t do something about that. Then I realized I was somebody.”

And I thought to myself, “yes, I am somebody.” Why am I continuing to think “why doesn’t someone fix that problem, it wouldn’t take much” if I, myself, am not willing to do it? Isn’t this, after all, a reason why Jesus came? To say, “I can do it, and so can you. Here is how it’s done, I will help you by showing you.” We as Americans have so much potential to change the world, and yet we don’t even take the first steps. Sponsor one child, sponsor two, don’t eat out for a month and spend the money towards building a well. Because even though you didn’t get to eat out, you’re helping someone have clean water. CLEAN WATER. You have it running in your taps for virutally nothing. You didn't have to fetch it in a bucket and carry it on your head. But here, that's the only way to get it. The well is only the first step. It doesn’t take much to change the world, we just have to be willing to do it. A little sure does go a long way.

Our hospital does not have an EKG machine. Imagine, trying to assess patients with chest pain and you don’t even have a 3 lead EKG. So, Savannah started praying for a way to get them an EKG. We had discussed even buying a used one and sending it over. Lo and behold, the day we started discussing this option, a group from Florida arrived with a defibrillator, that also brought a long with it, an EKG. WOW! What an answer to prayer that will be for many people who come seeking help for heart failure. Praise the Lord for his divine timing! And that we were able to bear witness to it. That small deed of kindness from someone in the states donating an old machine they weren’t even using, is going to change the way this hospital is able to operate!

Also, Sunday night Dustin preached to the kids. He spoke to them about building a home and asked them what kind of home they were building for themselves? Was it a home of love and peace? Or were they creating discord and strife within themselves. It was great. The kids loved it. In fact, some of them were on our porch tonight listening to Lecrae on Dustin’s iPad, and they asked if he would preach again Sunday because they want to hear what he has to say. During the sermon, I got tapped on the shoulder by Ruth who was sitting behind me. She asked me if I was Savannah's mother. Well, that's a first.

Dustin preaching to the kids on Sunday night.

Dustin with his boys on our porch. Having some great fellowship time.

And even yet, as I'm here and different groups come and go I am feeling the tension that we've created by evangelizing here. Yesterday after Dustin preached, he got asked by a fellow American where we went to church. When Dustin explained to him that we attend a non-denominational church in Memphis, but that we believe the people are the church, he pressed on to ask "but you are in The Church?" 

How confusing this must be for people, who struggle daily with what they'll eat and what they will drink to be fussed over and preached to regarding things that we as Western citizens have made into problems that date back to the interpretation of classical Greek. If the bible is true for all people at all times, then certainly they can read it. We don't have to bring in our denominations, and our divisions that the West has masterfully created and nurtured, creating a great divide amongst Christians. Please, just let them follow Christ. Let them know of his power, his love, and his forgiveness. Most of all, that they know about His sacrifice and the example he gave to us. Let them read for themselves, and create their own congregation of believers and fellowship together. And when we do come, let us respect the establishments of the Ghanaians here. Let us acknowledge that culturally we are different, and that we don't expect your church to mirror ours in America, we understand each lifestyle is different. It's futile for a man here, from the village to come to church is one hundred degree weather, wearing a suit with a button down collared shirt simply because that's what Westerners have come here and modeled for them. How silly! The man will sweat to death in the heat with no air conditioning while you sit in the luxury of yours wearing your suit because you told him that was the proper way to worship. Let him wear his traditional Sunday best, just as you have. God created culture, He made us different. It would be sad if we all looked the same.

 MEDICAL UPDATES- squeamish people this is where you peace out.

Update on foot guy: several of you have asked and his foot is looking much better! PTL for answered prayers on this man’s behalf. He has been coming daily for dressing changes. This is what his foot looks like now:

Update on Charles: Charles is the man I wrote about in a previous blog regarding the leg wound. He is still is a decent amount of pain. He sits in the ward all day, can’t walk, and has nothing to do. He is wasting away. Finally I went and asked him “Charles, are you bored?” He said “No, for God is my comfort, and I can talk to Him.” He didn’t even have a bible to read at bedside. So, I left him mine and he said “ I am very grateful for this gift.” Maybe now, he can occupy his mine with things other than his leg. Here is a photo of his leg after we incised and drained in two places. Don't mind the blood a pus. He's been on antibiotics for 1 week, so it could've been worse.