Dominga

Yesterday for the first time, I did not want to be here. It was a hot saturday evening I was craving some hang out time with friends. I decided to put away the many projects and relax. I was at a loss for how to relax in Africa. The children kept coming to the gate and begging for Jon and I to play with them. I wished so badly that I was home, on my couch with some popcorn, a good movie and friends. Reluctantly I started supper, potatoes and beans. We had just sat down when Mario came and asked us to come see his sister who was very ill.

This was the first weekend that both Beryl and Andrew were gone. So Jon and I gathered supplies Upon arrival at kasa de Mario, I was momentarily stunned at the conditions.  The room was dimly lit and I could barely make out dominga lying on mat on the dirt floor. Dominga was barely conscious, assessment showed a fever of 105.2, blood pressure at 58/35. I quickly called for some water to be drawn, started her on several medications including Tylenol. We sat her up and began to try to hydrate her with a recipe Jon had mixed up earlier.  Mario, Jon and I began to pray fervently that God would heal Dominga. The water soon arrived and we began stripping away the many layers she was covered with…. Several blankets and jackets…. then began to bathe her with cool water. The long night began. It was a struggle to be able to get her to eat/drink anything. Her mouth was ridden with painful blisters all the way down her throat. Because of these, and severe abdominal pain, she had not eaten or drank anything in three days. Jon retrieved my one bottle of chloraseptic spray (I had randomly packed this in case I had a sore throat) With this spray, she was able to eat and drink.

How I longed to pick her up and take her to my previous job on 7 East at University of Kentucky Hospital. The lack of resources and primitive conditions nearly got the best of me. At times my mind would wander…. Page the primary team, 2 liter bolus of normal saline, draw two sets of blood cultures, stat IV antibiotics… is there a unit bed available?

Within 2 hours of constant spooning bananas and hydration mix into her and continual bathing with cool water, her blood pressure was up to 65/50 and her temp was down to 102. With careful instructions to Mario, we headed back to the mission for a rest. Within five minutes after we sat down, four men appeared at the gate, one with blood pouring from a 3-4 inch gash in his head. Unfortunately no one spoke English. With many hand gestures and our broken Kiriol, we discovered that 30 minutes ago he had been trying to break up a fight and was smacked on the head with a large stick. My stomach turned and my vision blurred when I examined the wound and was able to see a large portion of his skull. Jon boiled water and I cleaned the wound, created as best of a sterile filed as I could, gritted my teeth and started stitching him up. Thankfully I had 1 bottle of lidocaine and several insulin syringes. By 12 am we finished cleaning up, 8 stitches successfully in place; we headed back to check on Dominga.

By 2 am her fever broke. With the sunrise, Dominga was sitting up and talking some. She and her family, along with Jon and I praise and thank God for her recovery. We continued to check on her every four hours. Her blood pressure is up to 85/60 with no fever. Praise God. Today Dominga’s father stated “God has healed Dominga.”

I am so humbled by this experience. Here I was, exhausted, wishing to be home and comfortable. It is clearer to me now than ever. God passionately loves his people in Catel. I am so privileged to be his hand and feet, to be his expression of love to Dominga and her family. Understanding Gods heart for the people of Guinea Bissau and relying on his strength is what has carried me through another night in Africa.

Life is sweeter with a renewed realization of Gods calling on my life. I challenge you. Who is God loving through you? Galations 6:9 “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do what is right.”

Isaiah 40:31: “but those who wait upon the Lord will renew their strength, they will soar on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not be faint.”  I recently learned that the original Greek word for “wait” means “to wait upon, to serve”. The renewed strength isn’t for those who sit around doing nothing… it’s for the workers, those who get up every day with the purpose of showing God to the nations. What an incredible promise! I thank God for making this promise true in my life.

To all you weary workers, be encouraged. My prayer for you today is the promise that God has given. That you would run and not grow weary, that you would walk and not be faint; that your strength may be renewed.
Here is a link to our pictures: https://picasaweb.google.com/100217601093466491231/ThirdImpressions?authkey=Gv1sRgCN-pnqzhhNjIFQ#