Tuesday, July 18, 2006

Zambia trip: part three

The baby needed 300,000 Kwacha to live.

The family had been told when the twins were born that this is what they had to do, but they didn’t even have enough money to transport the mother and child the six hours to where the surgery could be preformed.

300,000 Kwacha is less than one hundred dollars.

One hundred dollars to save a child’s life. There was no way we could say no. We quickly made arrangements to have the mother and child sent to Lusaka. The family was gathered together and prayed with and ministered to. They left with smiled on their faces and plans to leave Sunday morning. They promised to let us know how the surgery went when they return home later in the month.

This situation was one of the things that really struck me. I spoke with several of the Christians about how so many die because they can’t afford to go to the doctor. And if they can pay for the doctor’s visit, then they can’t afford the treatment. Even the hospital doesn’t have the necessary resources it needs to treat the people. While the clinic we held was only a small ripple in all that is needed, it was exciting to see the smile on people’s faces. To see them being prayed for and see a bit of hope in their future.

By Friday night we were still waiting anxiously for news on the medicines coming from Lusaka. Again, we had stepped out in faith and told everyone to return Saturday at two o’clock to receive their medicine. Joseph, one of our evangelists, was in the capital doing everything he could to get the medicine released, but every time we thought we were done with the process they would inform us about one more missing piece of paper.

We finally received the good news late that afternoon that the medicine had been released! Now it was just a matter to get it to Mongu in time. Six hours plus by bus.

On Saturday, we treated the Christians. The church was holding a conference, and people had come from all over Zambia, many walking for two days. Throughout the morning, I watched the clock, knowing that in a few short hours people were expecting the clinic to turn into a dispensary. At one o’clock, a shout of job erupted as Joseph arrived with the boxes of medicines from Holland!

Quickly, we worked with the doctor to unpack and sort through the medicines, knowing that people would start arriving by two. And that they did. I thought it was funny, because time is pretty irrelevant in the African culture, but at two o’clock I looked up and there were about fifty people literally swarming our pharmacy.

God’s timing is always perfect. I was amazed at the week progressed at how things rarely went the way I had planned, dozens of things went wrong, but through it all, God was faithful. On Sunday, we witnessed ten baptisms and enjoyed a five hour service full of praise and joy. Only He knows how many seeds were planted and how many lives were touched. To Him be the glory!

I want to extend a big thank you to Dr. Prem for all his hard work for the people of Zambia!

And to the others who came on the team from the States--THANK YOU!

Next. . .a bit of R and R on the way home, including a spectacular view from the air of one of the seven natural wonders of the world. Can you guess which one?

Lisa

2 comments:

  1. How wonderful!! So glad the family got the help they needed. Having twins myself, I can't imagine knowing one is likely to die without medical treatment.

    Thanks for sharing all this, Lisa. It keeps things real.

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  2. And to think of how easy it is to waste $100 here in the U.S. Very sobering thought.

    Did you fly over the Sahara desert?? :)

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