Good News

  After my last post, you may be wondering if anything good happens here.  (I know I was!)  This week has been a blessing in that area.


   Last Friday, I was able to travel with an outreach team to a small clinic about an hour drive from the hospital (only 30 minutes if the river is low enough to drive across).  The district health vehicle was unavailable so we were loaned a truck from a nearby clinic.  I was given the honor of sitting in the front seat with only the driver and one other person and I got the window seat.  For reference the door had no handle and was tied mostly shut with a cord knotted around the empty seatbelt shoulder harness. It was a beautiful drive and I spent it thanking God for bringing me to Zimbabwe.  I truly am glad to be here even with so many difficult things.  We arrived at the small clinic to find about 200 people gathered who all sang and clapped when we arrived.  The hospital representative in charge actually did a silly dance to the singing.  Made me smile.  The people who were gathered were all those in the local area with HIV.  They come every two months to be checked on and get medicine refills.  There were many who seemed to be doing very well.  I was asked to see about 20-25 patients who were thought to be ready to start antiretroviral medicines, or who had particular additional health issues.  It was a pleasure to see them and pray for several of them and try to help them stay healthy in spite of HIV.  And then we had a beautiful drive back with the sun setting and the stars appearing.

  We helped a 17 year old last week.  He had a massive bone cancer (osteosarcoma) involving his left arm, shoulder blade and collar bone.  It was my new "largest tumor in real life."  He had been to the capitol several times trying to schedule surgery and they were continually postponing it, so he came here.  By God's grace we were able to remove the tumor completely (involved a blood transfusion during surgery and some really intense moments in the OR.)  He is now doing very well and even able to smile at being without his arm because the tumor caused him so much pain and disability.

This week I saw several patients who have advanced heart failure or liver disease.  One is a beautiful young woman of 28 years.  I have seen her several times over the past few months.  She has HIV and TB and severe ascites (fluid collecting in the abdomen).  This week her kidneys began to fail. I told the patient that we were reaching the end of things we could do medically and asked if I could pray for her.  Then I asked the chaplains to talk with her.  The next day, I found a note in the chart that she had accepted Christ.  We talked about it a bit and I told her I would see her there someday.  While I mourn the too soon loss of her life here, I rejoice that she has found life that will not fade or grow sick or weary.

  Today I saw two sisters with seizures.  They have both had them for about 2 years and the seizures have been daily since last Sunday.  I had been told that the spiritual history is important, but I often don't get to it.  But I felt a steady prompting that I needed to ask about spiritual things.  So I asked and the nurse translating for me told me they attend church, but it is a cult.  I asked if the children have ever been offered to spirits or been possessed.  (I felt weird asking that question)  The mom said yes, they had both been possessed and spoken with other peoples voices.  I called the chaplain and we prayed for these 2 children used as spirit mediums to be set free.  Please continue to pray for Tina and Tisha.  I know the only one that can protect them is Jesus.

  Back when I first arrived at Karanda and was rounding on the pediatric ward, there was a young man with meningitis.  He was only about 3 or 4 years old, HIV positive and was weak, sleepy, and confused.  We had tried many antibiotics without being able to make his fevers go away or him get any better.  I wanted to try treating him for cryptococcal (fungal) meningitis, but the medicine (fluconazole) isn't available at the hospital.  Finally i discharged him home fully expecting him to die within a couple weeks.  I told his parents to try and find the fluconazole if they could and try it.  Today the father returned to the hospital with a little boy i'd never seen before.  He was an adorable smart, inquisitive, giggling child.  I am so glad I got to meet him.  He said hello back to me and brought smiles to everyone in the room (even the seriously ill) with his infectious laughter and chatter.  Praise God for bringing this little boy back from the dead.  I asked him if he wanted to listen to his heart with my stethoscope and he did.  He even made little heartbeat noises.  I think he should be a doctor when he grows up.  Pray for this little man to continue to grow stronger and healthier.  He is now on HIV medicines as well as the fluconazole for life, or until there is a cure.

These are some of the plumeria flowers that God scatters on the ground for me to walk through everyday.