Atotwe

On Sundays after church, we usually meet for pancake lunch. This particular Sunday I was running a few minutes late. As I stood in my kitchen peeling and slicing bananas to take along, I heard crying coming from my backyard. I ran outside and found a little boy standing in the middle of my lettuce patch. He was all alone and was obviously very scared. I scooped him up, ran inside to put on shoes and grab my keys. Then he and I set out in search of his mother. He didn’t speak any English, and I sadly don’t even speak Kaonde well enough to converse with a four year-old. Just enough to learn that his name was Atotwe.

We went to the Kilata – the area behind the hospital where family members of patients stay. I walked up and down the rows of hostels, asking if anyone was Baina Atotwe – mother of Atotwe. With open palms raised toward the sky to demonstrate empty hands, the only reply I got was, “Kafwaako.” No one here.  As we walked along, I chattered away cheerfully at him in English, telling him about my family and my cats and how I hoped we'd find his mother soon.  He didn't say much in reply, but just clinged to my arm while we continued our search. We went to the house where pancake lunch was being held to see if anyone there knew who his parents might be. Kafwaako. I found some folks whose Kaonde was much better than mine to see if we could get any more information.

“Atotwe, jizhina Bainanji?”  Atotwe, what is your mother’s name?”

“Bamama.” Mama.

“Bagipi?” Where is she?

“Ku nzubo.” At home.

“Mwikala pi?” Where do you live? 

“Ku nzubo.”

We went to the hospital and walked through the wards to see if anyone recognized him. Kafwaako.  “Nasaka kuya ku nzubo.” “I want to go home.” I wanted him to be able to go home too!  After walking around for over an hour, the poor little guy was exhausted and fell asleep in my arms. I was exhausted too and feeling a tad discouraged. We headed toward a few of the hospital staff houses next to the hospital to see if anyone knew him, and we decided that if we still couldn’t find his mama, we’d take a break for some pancakes and water and then regroup.

As we walked up the road away from the hospital, a frantic looking woman saw us and came running and crying in our direction. Baina Atotwe! Not far behind her was Atotwe’s Nkambo – his grandmother – in an equal state of duress. Apparently Atotwe had wandered away from junior church and had traveled over a kilometer down the road all by himself before he ended up crying in the middle of my lettuce patch.  Atotwe was passed over to his mother as many joyful tears were shed and hugs were shared. A happy ending to my mid-day adventure.

Healing Rains

Be glad, people of Zion,
rejoice in the Lord your God,
for he has given you the autumn rain
because he is faithful.
He sends you abundant showers,
both autumn and spring rains, as before.
~Joel 2:23

Last month I made a quick trip home for Grammy’s wedding. I spent two wonderful weeks with dear family and friends both in Indianapolis and in Charlotte. The Lord used my time at home to refresh and encourage me – as if each encounter with friends and loved ones was like God pouring into my soul from a pitcher.

Pretty much as soon as I returned to Mukinge, the rainy season started, and we have had heavy rain most days! The corn in my garden was only knee-high when I left. It is now taller than I am and ready for picking! The rains seem to have refreshed the ground, the plants, and the people alike. Everything around me mirrors how I feel inside after such a great time at home in the States. Thank you to all of you who helped make my time there so wonderful. And for all those who I missed while I was home, I look forward to seeing you the next time!

Sweet corn in my garden

For my Zambian friends and neighbors, the rains have softened the ground and made it ready for planting. Zambian farmers are busy cultivating their fields and gardens, planting the seeds that will produce the crops they depend on for their survival. Please pray that the Lord will continue to send the rain needed to make these plants grow in order to provide the food and income that will sustain each family in the coming year.

Watching the rains on the porch with Lloyd and Ned

Lloyd working hard to stay dry during the torrential rains!

Wedding Bells!

In case you hadn’t heard the news, Grammy got married! Yes, it’s true – my dear, sweet Grammy and her “gentleman friend” Jack tied the knot last weekend. I was able to make the long journey home to stand beside her as her maid of honor. What a great time of celebration with Grammy and Jack! I am so grateful for the opportunity to be at home with my family for this exciting day!

!Man & Wife

 !Cousins

My beautiful mama

The Lantz family

Paul

First attempt at wearing the prosthetic arm

This is Paul. Nearly two months ago, Paul and his father were in a terrible car accident. Paul’s dad had just a few minor cuts and bruises, but’s Paul’s injuries were much more severe. He had multiple cuts on his face and scalp, an open fracture of his right ankle (broken bones and joints were exposed, skin and muscle shredded over the fracture), and a rather gruesome traumatic amputation of his left arm just below his elbow. When Paul arrived at Mukinge in the middle of the night, he was immediately taken to the operating room (theatre) where we worked to place IV’s, assessed him for injuries to his internal organs, sewed up the cuts on his face and scalp, washed the dirt and grass from the open wounds on his leg and arm, and completed the amputation of his left arm. Since that time, Paul has been a patient on our pediatric ward.  He has made multiple trips to the operating room to have his ankle cleaned out and placed in a stabilizing device called an external fixator, to have a skin graft placed over the open wound on his ankle, and to have the external fixator removed and a plaster cast placed.

Proper prostheses are available only in the capital city of Lusaka. The cost of accommodations and travel to and from Lusaka, not to mention the cost of the prosthesis makes it all but impossible for most of our patients to go there.  We aren’t even sure if there’s anyone there who makes arm prostheses – especially for children!  One of our physiotherapists has been working with Paul to make a prosthetic arm using materials that have all been purchased locally. What he has come up with is pretty incredible! Over the past week, Paul has been working on strengthening his shoulder and learning to use his brand new arm! Only a few more modifications are left to be made, and then Paul will be ready to be discharged home.

Paul trying on his cosmetic hand

A double hook attachment that enables Paul to grab and hold!

Paul and his parents

Paul’s parents have remained faithfully by his side. The three of them have remained joyful and enthusiastic throughout his stay. Paul is a bright kid who has taken a special interest not only in his own care, but also in the care of the many children who have come and gone from the ward since his arrival. He has worked hard to learn how to get around using one crutch and his one good leg. He sings with the nursing staff in the mornings before rounds and plays with the other kids on the ward. In September, we helped Paul celebrate his 9^th birthday.

Seeing Paul is my favorite part of each day. He is a remarkable kid. The other day I asked Paul what he thought he might want to be when he grows up – a teacher, a businessman, a doctor? He’s not sure yet, but there’s no doubt that he could probably be just about anything he chooses.

We know that we treat, but Jesus is the one who heals.  We are so grateful to God for sparing Paul’s life, for healing his body, and for allowing all of us to get to know his family through this ordeal. Thank you for praying for us here at Mukinge and for patients like Paul.

Shepherdless

Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.  

~Matthew 9:35-36

Not long ago I admitted a child to our pediatric ward. Although she was nearly a year and a half old, she weighed only 5.1 kg (11.2 pounds). She was horribly malnourished and was close to death. As I examined the baby and got the history from her mother, my heart felt so conflicted. Part of me was grieved by the sight of this little girl, by the disease that wracked her body, by her helpless, listless frame. Another part of me was upset, almost angry at the child’s mother. Why did she wait so long? How could she not realize how sick her baby was? Didn’t she see that her little girl was dying?

As Jesus encountered the throngs of people – the lost, the hurting, the broken, the sick -- he saw that they were like sheep without a shepherd.  A shepherdless sheep is a sheep in serious trouble – vulnerable to predators and the elements, lost, and hopeless. The bible does not say that Jesus felt cynical toward them or that he was angry and bitter at the depth of their depravity, but rather that when he saw them, he had compassion on them. The Greek word used here for compassion is splanchonai. The splanchnic nerve is the nerve that innervates the gut and causes the intestines to move.  When Jesus saw the crowds and saw that they were like sheep without a shepherd, he felt literal gut-wrenching love and compassion toward them.

A few days after she was admitted with malnutrition, vomiting, and diarrhea, the little girl died. As we grieved with her family, the Lord did some work on my heart. Instead of seeing the child’s mother as incompetent and uncaring, God helped me to see her as He has seen her – harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. I was reminded that in the same way, Jesus has seen me as a shepherdless sheep.  He is deeply moved with compassion for a lost world. I have received his love and compassion, demonstrated most fully in his death on the cross to pay the penalty for my sins. He loves each of my patients and their families with the same gut-wrenching compassion shown to me, and he has called me to show this love in return.

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.  ~Hebrews 12:2-3

Moonbow

One of the many perks of living in Africa is that there is an abundance of awesome vacation destinations.  This past week I took a trip to Livingstone in the southern-most part of Zambia. Livingstone is the site of Mosi-oa-Tunya ("water that thunders"), also known as Victoria Falls, one of the seven wonders of the natural world. [For more information about Victoria Falls, click here.]

While in Livingstone, I had the privilege of witnessing a moonbow (sometimes called a lunar rainbow), seen by the light of the full moon off the spray of the Falls. What an awesome display of God's beauty in nature!

Double Moonbow!

Introducing Ned & Lloyd

As if life around here weren’t interesting enough, I’ve decided to spice things up even more by bringing two little kittens into my house. Ned and Lloyd are 8 weeks old and have recently come to live with me. They are enjoying exploring a new house with new sounds and smells, and they are trying to remember all the instructions I have given them on where NOT to go to the bathroom J   They are excited about the opportunity to chase spiders and cockroaches and maybe even the occasional mouse or snake.  I am enjoying these sweet little balls of fluff along with challenges of learning to make cat food (actually not as hard as I thought!) and of keeping these little ones from getting into too much mischief.

Ned

Lloyd

Hiding behind the door