Good News

Our last blog post was about Gracie’s birthday party and the great time we had with our Galmi family... pretty good news in our book.  But the two prior posts did not have such cheerful stories.  Children, younger than our bright and healthy two-year old, dying in ways that would seem inconceivable at home.  It’s a different world here (read Marc Carrigan’s post from May 31st at thecarriganslife.blogspot.com to learn more about what it’s like to be a mother here in Niger). 

But how about some good news - news about people who lived.  Let’s start with THE Good News, the Best News, really.  The Son of Man (Jesus) did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many (Matthew 20:28).  This verse says so much - Jesus came to serve during His life and then to give His life, to die, as a ransom for many.  This is a good start to the Good News - Jesus taught us how to live by being an example and then He died for us.  But that’s just the start.  By His death and resurrection, He conquered death.   He gives us the chance to die with Him, so that we can truly live with Him (Romans 6:8-9).  

A few brief stories about people who lived...

It was a typical day in the Pediatric Clinic: plenty of sick kids, some not very sick at all, some with bizarre conditions unlike anything I’d seen before.  And many in between.  Dianna and I were working together, treating as many as we could and enjoying having each other for 2nd opinions.  Then Rufai walked over from across the room carrying a motionless bundle.  Inside was 10-day-old Lamsarou.  Rufai was pretty sure that she was dead, but he wanted one of us to confirm it.  With the help of a stethescope we could hear a faint and slow heartbeat - she was barely alive.  We rushed to the resuscitation area of the obstetrical ward on the opposite end of the hospital campus.  We prayed as we ran and as we watched her take an occasional agonal breath.  The tools available are quite basic by American standards - an oxygen concentrator and an bag-valve with a poorly fitting mask.  We could help a little but, as always, it was up to God whether this one would live or die.  We prayed that she would live.  

Slowly she began to come around - her pale and cold hands and feet began to regain color.  Her heartbeat quickened to a rate that was almost normal.  She began breathing more rapidly and with greater vigor.  We continued to pray, thanking God and knowing that it was only by His grace that she would live.

8 days later she left the hospital with her mother, bright-eyed, nursing well, looking as if nothing had ever gone wrong.  We praise God for preserving her life and for the chance to give Jesus the glory as we spoke with her mother and the other women in her room.

Saidou ran into a burning building in an attempt to save the lives of a young brother and sister; he was burned along with them, but not as severely as they were.  (There is a sad part to this story: the young girl died within a few days; her brother lived for about a week and a half).  He was stoic and depressed initially, and understandably so.  But his countenance began to lift during the month or so that he received care.  God spared his life while others around him died. We pray that He will come to know the one true God who has numbered His days.

Nafissa has kwashiorkor, a form of malnutrition that occurs when there is not enough protein in the diet.  Millet, a grain, is the staple food for many Nigeriens and some mothers don’t know that their children need other sources of protein.  With education and access to better foods, Nafissa is healing.  She did have a short stint in the hospital, but has spent most of her time in the malnutrition center, the CREN.  Her grandmother, who recently began caring for her in the CREN, is an inspiration to us and such a role model to other mothers and grandmothers.  We joke with her that she worries about any little change but, in truth, we are so encouraged to see her care so much.

Getting better!

This man was bitten in the face by a viper - he laid down in his home at 10:30 at night and got bitten by a viper!  I asked the nurses with a bit of scepticism if this could even be a true story.  They told me “yes, the snakes come into the house and when someone lays down in the dark they have no idea that a snake is there.  This is one of 3 viper bites in the last few weeks.  It is hard to imagine having to worry about getting bitten by a snake when you lie down in your own house, but...

This picture is as it appears - a young child with a large “dent” in his skull.  Earlier in the day he had been run over by a donkey cart.  If you had seen him from the other side, you wouldn’t have guessed that anything was wrong - he was as playful and cheerful as you would imagine a 2-year-old child to be.  His “dent” was later repaired in the operating room.

An eight-year-old boy being carried into clinic on his mother’s back - never a reassuring sight.  This young man had developed weakness from his neck down beginning several days prior.  There was not clear cause and no clear treatment.  We sent him home with a medication that we hoped MIGHT have a small beneficial effect.  More importantly, we prayed that God would restore him to health.  He returned to clinic 10 days later, able to walk on his own but not completely back to full strength.  We very bluntly told his mother that we could take no credit for his healing.  Again, it was Jesus, the One who created him, who chose to restore Him to health.  That is always the case, but instances like these are vivid reminders of the peripheral role that we play as God heals those whom He choses to heal.

We thank Him for life and for healing.  And we praise Him even when there is death, but we long for the day when “there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away (Revelation 21:4)