The end of this week completes the last full week of ministry here. I can hardly believe I will be leaving this place in just five more days. I don’t think I’ll understand how much I’ve grown to love my “home” here until I’m flying a mile over head. This week was such a wonderful end to a beautiful season. I feel as though I have learned so much about myself, about love, and about the Kingdom. It’s amazing how He never stops speaking to me, He never stops growing me, stretching me, loving me.
This week we spent time at the orphanage, we worked with Sudanese refugees, and were in our community. On Tuesday we went to the clinic as usual to give TB treatment to Sudanese refugees. It was enjoyable, as it always it, however it wasn’t until after the TB clinic finished that it became incredible. It was two weeks ago that some of the girls did a post-natal home visit at a house, and found the week old baby healthy and happy. The next day the mother and father brought the baby in during our TB clinic. The baby had begun to vomit and have diarrhea. It was concerning, but the doctor felt it was just a flu bug. She gave some antispasmodic drugs to stop the vomiting, as sent them home with her home phone number. Hollie and I sat with the woman as cried; trying desperately to breast feed this beautiful little baby. We prayed for them, and stroked the breathtaking face of this perfect little baby boy. The mother called the doctor that night and said that Quail had begun to vomit blood. The doctor sent them immediately over to the hospital. We had planned to visit the baby the next day, but by the time we were ready to go, we called a friend at the hospital, and she told us that he had died just a few hours before. He had a rare blood disease, not seen much in this nation. I didn’t really know how to react, or what to feel in the moment. It wasn’t until a few days later when we were having worship and someone read out Revelation 7: 9-7 that it hit me. I saw this beautiful Sudanese baby, clothed in white, sitting at the thrown of Je.sus. Every tear wiped away, never to be hungry, never to be thirsty, and never to feel the scorching of the sun. Though these people have faced great tribulation, they will one day be clothed in white, singing, “Salvation belongs to our Go.d who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”
I began to weep, at the loss of this beautiful baby, and at the picture of “restoration”. It seems strange, that my tears would be shed for two reasons, seemingly contradicting one another. But then again, it is the mystery of the universe… this King we serve. He rights the wrong, I hold on to that. His promises are true. We visited the mother of this precious baby, and by the third hug, she broke. “I just remembered what has happened…” she said in Arabic through her tears. We sat with her, shared with her the vision Hollie had of Quail, and Revelation 7. I played with her other two beautiful boys. I was thankful for the lives they still had to live. I was undone thinking about what it must be like to be a refugee; lost in a world so different from your own, away from family, friends, and the familiar. Then to experience tragedy away from those things, I wanted to be able to carry some of her burden. Then I remembered someone else was taking far more than I could. His yoke is easy, His burden is light.


I thoroughly enjoyed my last day at the antenatal clinic. I asked my staff to give all of my shots that day, so I could just enjoy my patient’s company without shaky hands. Ha. Here is just a glimpse of the beautiful women I am blessed to serve. I tell you the truth; pictures do them no justice, as their beauty is a beauty that is not easily captured. I am blessed.


Yesterday morning was spent with a group of saints. There is a man in our community that has composed a team that do home visits to the sick, elderly and handicapped. Every month, they take one week to bring the sick and elderly to church, and another to bring the handicap. Last week was the sick and elderly, this week was the handicap. I was so blessed by those I worked along side of, and those I served. We enjoyed another long, Arabic service, communion, and then a wonderful time up at the “park” playing. I was blessed to see these disabled people, so often forgotten in societies, remembered. And not only remembered, but honored. It was a wonderful day; I laughed hard, and often. I enjoy the outlook on life many of them held. We can learn a lot from those not quite as consumed by the world we live in. It’s rather restful to be lost in a world far from the one I live in. A world of happiness, simplicity, and laughter.




And now, I enter into my last week in this beautiful nation. It’s been a wild ride, one of brokenness, growth, love, and hope. As much as I will miss this place, I am so excited for India. I can hardly believe it will be my third time in two years. To a nation I didn’t think I’d return to for years. He is faithful.

I wanted to thank you for you’re encouragement. You’ll maybe never understand how much you’re words of affirmation, and love mean to me. How one little note of support from home can get me through weeks of uncertainty. Thank you. You speak more truth than you know.