Thankful.

Welcome to Al-Shafa Hospital

Zuena and Janey

Kelsey and her boyfriend Zak

Sweet friends

Thursday after lunch, Kels and I took a boda and went to Masese to hang out with Renee and Danielle who run Serving His Children (go check out servinghischildren.org). It was such a beautiful boda ride through the countryside outside of Jinja where the land was hilly and green. We hung out with Renee and Danielle for about two hours and Renee got a call from Emily (at Ekisa) saying they had a new kid they needed to bring over for Renee to look at because he was extremely malnourished. After weighing and assessing this precious boy, we came to the conclusion that he is about 4 years old and weighs about 10 pounds. His name is Isaac (the second one in the past month!) and he is such a handsome child of God. I have never seen a child in person so severely malnourished. Isaac was then taken to a local hospital in Jinja town where they could care for his pneumonia and help him become nourished again. Kelsey and I stayed at the hospital for a few hours that afternoon and those few hours were some of the hardest most incredible hours of my life. We just layed by his side, hearing him cry tearless cries of pain and hurt. Not knowing completely the story behind how this precious child came to us, seeing the hurt in his eyes and the way someone has mistreated him was just more than my heart and mind could bear.

Isaac is so handsome. Although his skin is saggy and all of his bones are sticking out, he has so much wonder, pain, and passion in his deep, dark eyes. Emily thinks he probably has Cerebral Palsy because his legs don’t bend at all. The stiffness in his bones may very well be from severe malnutrition, but there is a strong chance he has a mental disability as well. He also has a really bad bacterial infection in his lungs which causes a horrible cough that sounds so painful. After feeding him milk supplement to help him gain weight for an hour and a half, I walked him around outside. I was singing to him and trying to help him fall asleep. But there was a moment where his heavy head leaned back, and those huge, wondrous eyes looked at me with so much pain. I told Isaac at that moment that I would never be the same. I can’t stop thinking about him and all the other malnourished kids around the world just like him. I’ve read about these things in class at Baylor, but this was the first time I’ve encountered it first hand and I don’t know how I will ever be able to go sit in a classroom and read about it. My heart feels so full: full of joy that we found him, full of pain that he has had to go through this, full of God and how much He loves his precious son, and full of hope for the future as I saw God working yesterday. My passion for malnutrition and children just like Isaac has grown more than I ever thought it would, just over night.

“We love because He first loved us.” 1 John 4:19

Sweet Jesus,

What a blessing to be able to witness your restoration and mercy toward this precious son of yours. Father, I pray for his little heart. I pray that you strengthen it, fill it with joy, and watch over it as he becomes more nourished. I pray for his mind, that he will understand and know how much his heavenly Father cares for him and LOVES him. Show Isaac that he is strong, he is courageous, and he is written in the palm of the Creator’s hands. Encourage this boy, fill this boy with your unconditional love, pour out your grace on his healthy soul and nourish his earthly body so that he may be able to proclaim your name and give you praise! Lord, show him that You are his heavenly Father and that You love him so much. You have this whole situation under control, and we just need to trust that YOU are sovereign and all-powerful and will take care of your precious child. Thank you for your grace, for your redemption, for your forgiveness, for your love.

“What does God say to us? He says: ‘I have called you by your name, you are mine; water will not drown you, fire will not burn you, I will give up nations for you, you are precious to me, I love you. Even if a father could forget his child, I will not forget you. I have carved you in the palm of my hand.’ So also, the people who come in contact with you are precious to Him. Help them to grown in holiness because holiness is not a luxury reserved for a few. It is a simple duty for you and for me and for all.”  -Mother Teresa: The Joy in Loving

“As the truth is in Jesus, put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.” Ephesians 4:21-24

“But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.”

2 Corinthians 3:16-18

Life here has been crazy lately, with new children needing loving care, new volunteers and visitors coming in and out, and the Lord teaching Kelsey and I so much each day, sometimes I just need to sit and process. Thankfully, I am blessed to be experiencing each day with my best friend who has been a constant encouragement and stronghold for me these past two months. Kelsey has the passion to love others at a level that doesn’t make since to the world. Whether she fills a room with laughter, prays and sings praises over sweet Isaac in the hospital, or hugs me when I least expect it, my sweet sister has the gift of loving others well. Seeing her love these children relentlessly is truly inspiring to everyone. Her selfless attitude and willingness to serve is such an incredible example of how Christ should be portrayed in each of our lives. We have both been learning so much about how to love God more deeply and through that, how to love others as He loves us. Even though we both realize that we can ALWAYS love others more, I have also realized how blessed I am to be sharing each day I’m here with my best friend who teaches me more how to love every moment as I see Jesus in her constantly. Thankful and blessed are two words that just don’t express fully how much I care and adore this sister of Christ I have the opportunity to love each day. Father, continue to teach me how to love Kelsey more and to learn from how she loves others through the love you have for her. Love you so much Kels, and I am beyond thankful that I am here with YOU!

-Care