Sadness and Suffering

Yesterday morning after breakfast Kerry, Wayne and Simon departed for Nasir to to work on the radio tower there. That leaves me here on the In Deed and Truth compound. Here's the link if you would like to learn more about the wonderful work they are doing. www.indeedandtruth.org

After the morning prayer time the clinic staff goes to work at 9 am. The patients are always lined up inside the gates and on the benches in front of the clinic. I helped out wi

th dressing wounds until about 11:30 and then went to the pharmacy to see if I could count pills. I don't actually dispense pills as that is the job of the pharmacist, Pritty, or his assistant Isaac.

Thousands of pills have to be counted, put in bags and labeled so that they are ready to hand out as the doctors prescribe.

I was sitting there counting when I heard my name called and I was asked if I could start an IV on a child. All my 35 years of experience has been primarily with adults so I don't like messing with those tender little ones. As I walked to the room I prayed that God would give me the needed skills and guide my hands. He did just that and I was successful on the first attempt. The child, a little girl named Ajoup, was burning hot to touch, she was barley conscious and her breathing was harsh and labored.

Her history per her father at the bedside was that she had had about 4 seizures the day before. They didn't bring her to the clinic as they thought she would get better. She continued to seize and finally they to drove 6 hours to bring her. She had malaria and the seizures are a complication of her high fever.

During her seizures she inhaled secretions that went to her lungs, giving her aspiration pneumonia. I was feeling so burdened by her condition. I visited her several times during the afternoon and prayed over her twice. I took my battery fan and placed it next to her body to try and help cool her. This morning I heard she died at around midnight. My heart breaks for the needless suffering. I don't understand God's ways but I trust Him, even when it hurts.