Trusting in the little and large things

Our first visitors-the Negrini family (minus JF)....we need to show hospitality. It is in our DNA!

This week was unexpectedly quiet in some ways. Both surgeons were out of town so that meant that the ward was empty and the operating room was in cleaning mode.  Does that mean that we did nothing last week? Not at all. There are always many children and a few adults (special cases) who were having wound care. The consultations and follow up clinics continued as well.
I spent some time preparing the equipment for the SIR (Soin Immediate Reanimation). Actually it took a lot of time. The materials had been packed away in the container for some time so everything needed dusting, washing and reorganizing for our first class November 26th. Hint: when planning a task or project here, one must take into consideration, cuts in electricity, water, lack of supplies and unavailable assistance for whatever you want to do. Paul and I are learning that we must be interdependent within the community at home and the hospital. We need one another to do our work!
Paul spent a lot of time organizing for the arrival of his first University of Kentucky Anesthesia Resident to arrive.

• We needed help to confirm Dr. Margo Short's flight. 
• We needed help to confirm the driver to take us to meet her at the airport
• We needed help to make up the room at the guest house for Margo
• We needed a lot of help when she arrived without her luggage!!!
• We needed someone to help Dr. Margo buy a few supplies
• We needed another driver to go to the airport a couple of days later to find the luggage
• Paul needed help to make arrangements for Dr. Margo and him to visit the university hospital

I think you get the idea! We cannot do many things because we lack the knowledge of the many local languages. Although we can get by with our French most of the time, we lack Hausa and the many other languages spoken.  We also lack knowledge of directions to find places etc.  Most streets are not named although Google Maps have been awesome! They even show the unpaved, dirt roads we have to drive on to go many places.

This week I too needed help in translating my story to a group of about 27-30 mothers/grandmothers of long stay patients.

• I needed help to translate my presentation into the several language groups that were represented
• I needed help to understand the questions the women were asking me
• I needed help to join in the dancing and singing when invited to do so by these caregivers!

In many ways we are helpless without the assistance of the hospital staff who go to the bank to exchange our money, who show us how things work and who carry equipment and so on for us.
There are so many things that we need!!

What a great privilege to worship a God who knows our needs and wants! He knows our failings and frailties. He understands our Western thinking of accomplishing things by the list rather than through prayer and relationships.  We are learning and loving being here!  We are seeing that our God is all wise, all knowing, all powerful, ever faithful, everlasting and GOOD!!!

We need friends and fellowship outside our hospital work.

Dear Children who stay a long time for treatment at the hospital need encouragement and activities...and they get plenty!

Mothers and grandmothers need to be encouraged too!

And little ones need to giggle! This giggle was in response to a funny face that I made.

We need a lot of help with shopping at the market!

We need friends and fellowhip....we are all here together. Pure joy!

 This hymn has been going through my mind......

Trust Him when thy are many;

Trust Him when thy friends are few;

And the time of swift temptation 

Is the time to trust Him too!

Trust Him for the grace to conquer--

He is "able to subdue";

Trust Him for the power  for service;

Trust Him for the blessing too.

Trust Him when dark doubts assail thee,

Trust Him when thy strength is small,

Trust Him when to simply trust Him

Seems the hardest thing of all.

Trust Him! He is ever faithful;

Trust Him--for His will is best;

Trust Him--for the heart of Jesus

Is the only place of rest.

Lucy A. Bennett (1850-1927)

Public Domain

We have been so blessed this week as we have laid our needs before the Lord in prayer. He has faithfully provided all that we have needed and more! Thank you for being a part of this journey with us! Thank you for praying! We are enjoying "learning to lean on Jesus"!