This was purpose!

Thanks for the notes, I miss you guys.











Well, today was a great day. I'll tell you why... This AM we played musical chairs in clinic, I had been sharing an office with another physician and today we all rotated around, so I was in the same room with Dr. Dunn. We each see our own patients and we share a translator who goes back and forth between us when we are ready. I keep seeing patients who come in with things that I may never get to see again in the U.S. or at least it is so rare to see at this stage in the disease process. So, I'm taking pictures. However, I had a couple come in and bring something completely wrapped up in colorful African cloth. It was their baby! Usually, people hold their babies or have them wrapped around their backs. They revealed their baby to me and bless it's heart. The baby was literally deformed with her legs coming out at a ninety degree angle to her body off to the right. She was only 8 days old. She also had other features suggesting a genetic disorder. Mind you, Dr. Dunn is sitting with his patient and they are having their own conversation. My patient's parents told me that they had been to another city's hospital that told them something could be done for the legs, but just not by them. They suggested that they come to us for us to fix the legs. I knew nothing could be done here, and I confirmed it with the missionary doctor here. So, I went back to the family and gently addressed how they should not be ashamed of their baby, for she was a gift from God. I mentioned that they are not at fault either. I shared how it was a genetic problem and neurologically not correctable here.


I asked them if they were Christians, they said they were Muslims. We prayed over them. I asked them if today they wanted to know Jesus who would walk with them through this hard time for them and help them in ways they've never known before. I explained that I know how they work hard as Muslims to make things right with God, but by believing Jesus, He worked hard for us to make things right since we are unable to do that fully. As I mentioned this to the Mom, she had tears coming down her face. I shared with them some other fears I thought they might have as being Muslims as well and how God may choose to restore a family after one is disowned. The dad smiled in appreciation for all we had tried to do. They then went to talk to the chaplains and I pray this woman's heart is still contemplating believing. I will never know here, but that was purpose for me today. To top it off, Dr. Dunn's patient with AIDS was talking to my patient's mom the whole time interjecting thoughts. We found out she was telling her that she had also had a baby with the same thing (who later died). What are the earthly chances that my lady and Dr. Dunn's lady had gone through the same thing? None here, but completely a divine thing. Wow. God is so completely in control.

Dr. Dunn and I were saying that it is just so obvious how temporary medicine is and how much more fulfilling it is to be a part of something greater like eternal work. He shared with me how he was glad we were uniting medicine and spirituality at this age, but how he didn't do it until later and was living two parallel lives with spirituality one way and medicine another way, but they weren't uniting. He then got worried one day when his medicine knowledge was getting to be advanced beyond his spiritual, then he had a wake up call to do something about it. He took night classes in seminary as a physician and let me tell you he has definitely made up for it. He is completely devoted to the cause of Christ in our world. It was a great day!