When our team started this blog way back when, we anticipated that this would be a record of our mission trip to Uganda and a way to keep people connected to what we were doing while we were there. That part, from all reports, was successful. I felt like I wanted to put a big "period" at the end of the blog at some point and wrap it up. But there is more going on that just needs to be told and as I was looking at the name of the blog - CCC-Uganda-2012 - I realized that it wasn't CCC-Uganda-February-2012, it was much more than that.
God has much bigger plans that I do, and I seem to be continually reminded of that. The work that He has for us goes well beyond the 2 week trip that we took to Uganda. It happened after we returned and we saw all of the children we had needing sponsorship get sponsored - and more are coming.
It happened when we learned that God has placed it on somebody's heart to provide the money to purchase the ground-nut husking machine for the village of Kachungwa. There are more, but let me get to the point...
Back in June or July of last year when we very first started planning for the mission trip, we were dreaming about all of what God may be doing in Kachungwa. We discussed the possibility of helping build a medical clinic there. As we struggled to raise money for the trip, the thought that we could raise $50,000 - $100,000 to build a medical clinic seemed out of reach.
When we were in Kachungwa and saw the tremendous need for a medical clinic and talked with Dr. Martin, the ARM leadership and the medical team from Oklahoma, it became obvious to all that God is involving us in His plan to do just that. All of the sudden, when the Creator of the universe gets involved, those numbers don't seem so big and we are confident that He will make it happen through His body (the church).
Here is a comment from the Oklahoma medical team's blog regarding their arrival at Kachungwa and later a medical facility in Mubende where they took the sick child who died of malaria:
There is not a medical facility close to this village. The last time that Africa Renewal Ministries operated a clinic in [Kachungwa], they took 14 doctors and 20 nurses and saw 700+ people in one day. We had some worries as we thought that after it was announced that a medical team was coming, that they would anticipate the same big team, and we did not have near that many. When we finally bumped our way across the dirt roads to reach Kachungwa, there was a line of people waiting on us, as expected.
Our driver, David, obtained info from the father that she had been sick for 2 weeks and had not gone for care because of lack of money and no way for transportation. After a long day of clinic and seeing around 475 people, we headed back to Mubende and our hotel. We stopped by the regional hospital to check on the little girl, on our way home.
The “ward” in this regional hospital reminded me of barns that we showed pigs in when I was in high school. Not the fancy ones like the one in Duncan, but the cruddy ones like in smaller towns. There were probably 50 kids stacked in beds closer together than bunks at Falls Creek cabins. All of these kids with IVs, and looking quite ill. That shocked me. Honestly, this is now my 6th week (total) in Uganda in the past 13 months, and I was not ready for it. This whole scene was not OK with me!
To explain what we experienced at the hospital, I would like you to take your thoughts about what a hospital looks like and throw it away. This hospital was one floor, and had many wings with courtyards in the middle. The buildings were not well maintained and it was common to see ants, cockroaches, and other crawly things in the buildings. What surprised me immediately was the amount of people who were "camping" out in the dirt and grass of the hospital. What we learned was that many of these people came from long distances and going home each day was not an option. The other sad fact was that the hospital provided no food, lodging, or basic supplies to the families OR the patients. So basically if you brought your sick child to the hospital, it was still your responsibility to feed them, bath them, and take care of them. The reality was that the hospital was over extended beyond imagine. We estimated that the hospital had 3 times the amount of patients that it could handle. This meant sick children were outside, on the concrete floor, laying in feces and many dying before our eyes. Let me tell you about a couple instances.Our first stop at the hospital was in the area where malnourished children were. Of the 40 mothers who held their sick babies, roughly 15 were found outside, sitting in the heat. As we met with them and explained why we were there, my eyes could not budge from a mother who held in her arms a baby, skin and bones on the verge of death. The mom's face told me everything. The child had a bilateral cleft lip, which made it impossible for the baby latch and nurse. The reality was that this baby needed sever and immediate medical attention, most likely a feeding tube and then surgery. But none of these things were offered or available. I pray that God would take care of that child, but I fear that in time it will die. This is life in Uganda, and it is a hard reality.
After visiting the malnourished children, we moved to a section of the building where children were sick or suffering from a variety of problems. Malaria, sickle cell, impoverishment, worms, and other serious problems. As we walk toward the 30ftx30ft room which has about 25 beds in it, I am overwhelmed by the mass of parents and sick children who poured into the room from the outside courtyard. We waited a few minutes to allow them to make it into the room before our team would head in. We go in without medicine, medical knowledge, food or answers. What we did have in materials was small. About 20 quilts and willing hearts. The room was between 90-100 degrees and the humidity was unbelievably heavy. Although there were only 25 beds, there were easily 75 children along with their parents piled in. On the floor. Along the wall. Wherever there was room. We shared the gospel message of hope and salvation, and then proceeded to go and pray with each family member. I realized quickly that I was going to need a deep faith to meet with these people because I had no food or medicine or solutions, but what I did have was the power of Christ in me. But believe me, although I KNEW this I still felt terrible coming with empty hands. So I prayed for healing, for salvation, and for hope when all things look so hopeless. If someone was going to help, it was going to have to be God. What a humbling experience. While we were there, one child died even as we prayed. Our time at the hospital shook us all pretty deeply. The ride home was a very quiet one.
"So I prayed for healing, for salvation, and for hope when all things look so hopeless."
I believe that God is answering this prayer and is using us in His work to heal the sick, bring salvation and offer hope to the hopeless! We have the chance to be part of a great work of God to bring a medical clinic to Kachungwa. It was, and is, still shocking to me that people in Uganda still turn to witch doctors for healing. Let's be part of winning many away from the darkness and into the Light!
My natural tendency is to jump right in, [try to] raise a bunch of money and get this thing going! But, those are my plans and not God's. Our pastor Ken is working with the ARM leadership on timing, needs and we will be hearing more from him on the future plans for the clinic in Kachungwa.
It is in the name of Jesus that we pray and believe that He will answer our prayers,
Dave
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