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| Waiting room at the clinic. |
Blog post 6/9/15
If you hold a medical clinic, they will come.
Today was the first day of ministry during our time in Jinja. We went to His Mercy School for Orphans and Vulnerable Children in the district of Mayuge in the village of Kikubo. I love this place!
If you hold a medical clinic, they will come.
Today was the first day of ministry during our time in Jinja. We went to His Mercy School for Orphans and Vulnerable Children in the district of Mayuge in the village of Kikubo. I love this place!
What started as a dream and vision from the Lord to Pastor Edward many years
ago is a reality today and it continues to grow and develop. The school has
around 250 children from Primary 1 to Primary 7 (basically elementary through
middle school). It has classrooms, a farm to feed the children, a kitchen,
teachers sleeping quarters, a bordering house for a small group of kids, soccer
field, clean water pump, chickens, library, a secure gate around the campus,
and a playground. It is incredible!
The school has had the highest grade in the district of any school for the P7 Leaving Exam the last two years. Uganda has a national exam you have to pass to progress from Primary to Secondary (high school) and the highest grade for this exam in the entire Mayuge district has been from His Mercy. This is huge for this little school! I am so proud of the teachers and all the children!
The school has had the highest grade in the district of any school for the P7 Leaving Exam the last two years. Uganda has a national exam you have to pass to progress from Primary to Secondary (high school) and the highest grade for this exam in the entire Mayuge district has been from His Mercy. This is huge for this little school! I am so proud of the teachers and all the children!
I can still remember the first time we visited this school with dirt floors, thatched roofs and so small. Now God has done good work and the village is providing a strong education for the children!
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| Pharmacy |
Today was not school it was a medical clinic. And when you have a medical clinic in Africa-
people will come! Thankfully, the gate at the school, Edward and the staff
helped make sure we cared for the children and their families.
We arrived hearing shouts from the children with waves from many familiar smiling faces! Our arrival is always an event! I love to drive up and see children with their mamas I know from the past! Tons of smiles and laughs! And of course dancing and singing! The children began singing and dancing a welcome song and to entertain people waiting.
The team had their various roles and went right to work. We knew the flow of the clinic from last year and went about setting things up. Greg and I ran the security and triage. Melissa ran the pharmacy with Sarah. Katie was chief wound care physician. Matt helped the eye doctor and Katherine was in the dental clinic. Each team member was unbelievable. Giving of themselves and always ready to do more. I love this team! So proud to serve with them.
Dr Moses was our lead doctor. He is such a great man. He was our driver on the first trip in 2007 (during our time in Gulu) while still in medical school. Now he is a doctor in Jinja. An amazing man of faith with a beautiful heart for Christ. As soon as I saw him, he greeted me with our customary greeting "Munu, give me a sweet!" followed by a huge hug. (Great story to share sometime.)
We got the clinic set up and ready to go, when a common distraction happened that still threw us off. The local leaders with some teachers grabbed the cards we use to get names, age, issue, etc. for each patient. (These cards are necessary to see the doctor.) They began passing them out to everyone. Order got lost. A clinic is chaos anyway, but this was over the top. It was a little rough trying to get things back organized, but I stopped, prayed and took charge. We ended up with things running smoothly. Tomorrow we have a new plan to get cards handed out. Edward is on board to help us. I’ve recruited, Mondi, my awesome brother to help. Mondi and I did this last year. We agreed that between Mondi, Chris, and God- we’ve got this!
As the clinic progressed, we went to work caring and loving on people, hoping to help with physical pain and ailments. It went well. We did have some tough cases. Always hard. One was a young girl with a broken arm from a month ago. We paid for her to go to the hospital and schedule a surgery with Dr. Moses. Another hard case was an elderly man who was in pain but we didn’t have the medicine to help him. He will have to wait for a later time with Dr. Moses to get what he needs. Breaks my heart when we cannot help, but we are limited in what we can do. Our clinic is a basic. We can help with pain management, wounds, and basic dental work. To see some of the illnesses and issues people have lived with for years crushes me. I want them to experience relief. They are a strong people. Much stronger than I am.
We arrived hearing shouts from the children with waves from many familiar smiling faces! Our arrival is always an event! I love to drive up and see children with their mamas I know from the past! Tons of smiles and laughs! And of course dancing and singing! The children began singing and dancing a welcome song and to entertain people waiting.
The team had their various roles and went right to work. We knew the flow of the clinic from last year and went about setting things up. Greg and I ran the security and triage. Melissa ran the pharmacy with Sarah. Katie was chief wound care physician. Matt helped the eye doctor and Katherine was in the dental clinic. Each team member was unbelievable. Giving of themselves and always ready to do more. I love this team! So proud to serve with them.
Dr Moses was our lead doctor. He is such a great man. He was our driver on the first trip in 2007 (during our time in Gulu) while still in medical school. Now he is a doctor in Jinja. An amazing man of faith with a beautiful heart for Christ. As soon as I saw him, he greeted me with our customary greeting "Munu, give me a sweet!" followed by a huge hug. (Great story to share sometime.)
We got the clinic set up and ready to go, when a common distraction happened that still threw us off. The local leaders with some teachers grabbed the cards we use to get names, age, issue, etc. for each patient. (These cards are necessary to see the doctor.) They began passing them out to everyone. Order got lost. A clinic is chaos anyway, but this was over the top. It was a little rough trying to get things back organized, but I stopped, prayed and took charge. We ended up with things running smoothly. Tomorrow we have a new plan to get cards handed out. Edward is on board to help us. I’ve recruited, Mondi, my awesome brother to help. Mondi and I did this last year. We agreed that between Mondi, Chris, and God- we’ve got this!
As the clinic progressed, we went to work caring and loving on people, hoping to help with physical pain and ailments. It went well. We did have some tough cases. Always hard. One was a young girl with a broken arm from a month ago. We paid for her to go to the hospital and schedule a surgery with Dr. Moses. Another hard case was an elderly man who was in pain but we didn’t have the medicine to help him. He will have to wait for a later time with Dr. Moses to get what he needs. Breaks my heart when we cannot help, but we are limited in what we can do. Our clinic is a basic. We can help with pain management, wounds, and basic dental work. To see some of the illnesses and issues people have lived with for years crushes me. I want them to experience relief. They are a strong people. Much stronger than I am.
All went well until... the local chairman of the village brought up some people and wanted them to see the doctor without a card. All cards had already been distributed for the day. This happens each year; I try not to get frustrated, but God has to help me through it. The local leaders want to get friends and family through right when they bring them. They want to cut in line. It is a misuse of power that makes me mad. I want the local leader to be a servant. I want the local leader to think of all the people they are in charge of and not just their special circle of friends. I want the local leader to see the injustice of cutting in front of those who have been waiting all day. But that isn't reality and does not happen. We ourselves have to step into the role of politician and negotiate. Of course, we want to help them and their families. We are appreciative of their support of the clinic in their area. But we try to manage the flow. Working them in cut 10 people in line. I always know it is coming, but it always frustrates me. The clinic is something this area does not have access to on a regular basis. It is important to people. But my heart is to help as many as we can and not just the privileged group. I never knew I would get into politics. Crazy to think that God led me to it. Edward and I are getting better at it!
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| Katie with students |
Needless to say, we managed through the first day treating over 300 people! We
have cards for another 300 people who will be seen tomorrow. Our plan to start
things off better tomorrow is already in motion. The team is all on board. I love the teamwork!
Our doctors and helpers are fantastic, as well. Dr. Moses has put together a team of
interpreters and medical staff that is top notch. Great people with big hearts.
Tomorrow will be a great day! Especially
with you praying for us!
On a side note.. I got to see Viola, Reagan, Mercy and Mama Jessica! Sweet family I love so much. Our extended adopted family! Viola and Reagan followed me around the clinic. I loved it! Mama Jessica hugged me, laughed telling everyone around she was Mama and I was her American son! I cannot wait to spend more time with them tomorrow!
That was day one of the medical clinic. The team is back at the hotel, showered, fed, and ready for bed.
Oh yeah! Another first happened today. An awesome thing! Never had this on a prior trip. Seems Matt and Katherine are planning on spending a long time together. Matt proposed to Katherine at the school! The team loved being a part of the surprise. I will let Matt and Katherine tell you the details, but it was a joyous occasion and one I am honored to have been a part of!
On a side note.. I got to see Viola, Reagan, Mercy and Mama Jessica! Sweet family I love so much. Our extended adopted family! Viola and Reagan followed me around the clinic. I loved it! Mama Jessica hugged me, laughed telling everyone around she was Mama and I was her American son! I cannot wait to spend more time with them tomorrow!
That was day one of the medical clinic. The team is back at the hotel, showered, fed, and ready for bed.
Oh yeah! Another first happened today. An awesome thing! Never had this on a prior trip. Seems Matt and Katherine are planning on spending a long time together. Matt proposed to Katherine at the school! The team loved being a part of the surprise. I will let Matt and Katherine tell you the details, but it was a joyous occasion and one I am honored to have been a part of!
Please pray for our friends Tim Newberry. He lives in Jinja with his family. They work with Help One Now (helponenow.org), the organization that works with the sponsorship program for His Mercy School. They are a huge help to us! Tim is battling malaria. I hate that he is not feeling well. Prayers are appreciated.
I need sleep. Good night and talk to you all tomorrow!
God bless
Chris
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