T.I.A……

T.I.A. . . .This is Africa . . .and more than any day of the trip so far, today really felt like we were in a place that most of us have only seen in TV and movies (the T.I.A. thing was from Blood Diamond BTW)). First of all, today was the first day that really felt “Africa hot.” Our third clinic site of the week was at the diocese of Reverend Francis, a great man who has helped tremendously as a translator at other sites. Where other clinic locations had lots of shade trees, this site was an open field that left little areas for patients and providers to escape the oppressive African sun. As hot as it was, our setting was gorgeous as always as the sky seemed especially sprawling and expansive, as one would imagine a typical African sky would be. The mountains on the horizon, the storm clouds in the distance rolling across the plain, and the colors the sun devised to bathe the evening sky were all blessings returned from the country we had come to serve. I spent my day in the clinic, but I occasionally would glance out the window to see a new addition to the evangelism tent – a worship and prayer group from the local church playing traditional African music on stringed “lute-like” instruments and drums. The clinic day was set to an incredible soundtrack of children clapping, singing, and dancing . . . it felt like a scene from The Lion King.

But with some of our positive conceptions about Africa coming to fruition, today saw some of the negatives become realities as well. We knew that Uganda would be a country with great needs and great suffering, but today we were all forced to come to terms with this as we had to turn away almost as many patients as we were able to see. We were able to triage some of the patients with immediately apparent needs, but a large group of people would not be seen by our group since we are not returning to this site next week. There were so many other sad sights, like a baby brought into our clinic room that was born with HIV and more cases of protein and general malnutrition than we could count. This all hung heavy over the team today and was a topic of conversation at many small group sessions tonight. We must all come to terms with suffering in this world, and ultimately we must trust in a sovereign God with a perfect plan that we ay not always be able to understand. Our evangelism team was able to pray over many of the people who were not able to be seen, and we would appreciate all of your prayers for people at today’s clinic that were turned away. Even with this, we were truly blessed by the Lord today to bring physical and spiritual healing to many Ugandans and leave this place better than when we came. Today, I worked with Dr. Rick Bolt, and it was a joy to learn so much from such as patient, effective teacher and compassionate physician. Dr. Bolt is in family medicine and was a resource for everyone at the clinic with his knowledge in so many areas. Today in clinic, I saw a perforated eardrum, heard the rare egophony sign associated with consolidated pneumonia, witnessed a dermatologic surgery, listened to a baby’s heartbeat through its pregnant mother’s belly, and saw that same baby wave at me through a portable ultrasound machine. At one point, we sat down with our translator and a new female patient. As we were talking to this new patient, we realized that she happened to be the mother of our translator. Later on in the visit, we had the joy of letting the translator know that he would be getting a new baby sibling and the mother a new son or daughter! We diagnosed cases of malaria numbering well into the double digits and were able to provide medicines that would save so many young lives. I was also encouraged by the opportunity to ask all of our patients’ permission to pray for them and the affirmative responses from everyone we asked. In all, our clinic was able to see and provide medications for well over 200 people and translators. The team worked so well, so unselfishly together to provide a source of hope in lives that might otherwise have none. It was a physically and emotionally taxing day, but what a joy to be used by the Lord to show his love to others through all of our unique gifts and talents! Once we returned to our incredible hotel accommodations, which now seem so excessive in light of what we just witnessed, we all were treated to an incredible buffet on “Indian food night.” For those of you who know me, you know that I take food way too seriously to dole out empty praise for a meal. Let me just say, tonight’s food was legit! Over the meal, as is our custom, stories from the day were shared from anyone who wanted to stand and speak. This was when I heard what might have been the greatest triumph at the clinic that day. An older gentleman had been brought to the clinic that had suffered a right middle cerebral artery stroke with complete paralysis on the left half of his body. For two years he had been left to lie down on his side all day, only being lifted up a few times a day to eat. While almost no help could be offered on our medical side of things, the physical therapists, occupational therapists (a.k.a. “McGuyver therapists” after watching them make so many things out of water bottles, duct tape, and ace bandages this week), and students really shined through. By the end of their short time working with this man, he could dress himself and unbelievably walked almost 20 steps! What a testament to God’s love as demonstrated through these incredible gifted therapists! Well, as I sit in the courtyard of this beautiful hotel/resort we are disproportionately blessed to stay in, I am happy to be listening to a Bela Fleck album – Tales from the Acoustic Planet Volume III: Throw Down Your Heart. This latest offering from the incredible virtuoso’s quest to trace the roots of the banjo throughout Africa has been inspiring me with a perfectly fitting musical accompaniment to my surroundings (he even enlists the help of a few Ugandan musicians.) Tomorrow (specifically in 4 and a half hours . . . yikes!) we will be arising early to take our safari and Nile river cruise to Murchison Falls, where we will be sure to see some of the incredible flora and fauna that are unique to this amazing country in which we were all called to serve. Please pray for a fun and restful weekend that will energize us to finish strong in our last week of clinics. Today was filled with sickness and healing, joy and sorrow, devastation and beauty, tears and laughter, struggles and encouragements, but this is to be expected . . . after all, T.I.A.