Last week our son Jackson developed high fever and a headache. The fever and headache persisted; he became very lethargic and took very little liquid and no food for almost 3 days. We gathered our family together and asked God to touch him and heal him. We then asked a few of our friends to pray for him as well. What happened then was quite overwhelming. Immediately Dr. Russ arranged for him to have blood work. Our friend Vincent and David (both work in the theatre here at Tenwek) arranged for him to have a spinal tap if necessary. Dr. Steve (one of the long term missionaries here) offered to take care of Jackson for us and took the time out of his already busy schedule to come by our house twice a day to check on his little patient. My friend Dr. Andre went to the trouble to bring IV fluids down to our house and offered to start an IV for Jackson. Dr. Carol and Dr. Zach stop by to have a special time of prayer for Jack. Barbara (long term missionary friend and an instructor in the nursing school) stopped by every evening with little gifts to lift Jack’s spirit. Jenny and her son Isaac (long term missionaries) brought a basket of Popsicle trays and videos and children’s Tylenol and ibuprofen. And EVERYWHERE I went—all through the hospital, all around the mission compound—person after person asked me how Jack was doing and let me know they were praying for him. After 3 days of treatment for malaria, our little boy’s fever went down, his appetite and strength began to return and now he is totally healed and well.
As I thought about all the people that were so concerned about my child, about his health and his well-being and how they went out of their way to do what they could for him—this father’s heart was overwhelmed with gratitude. As I passed through the hospital, as I do every day and I saw all the patients lined up in their beds in the male and females wards, in the ICU, in the nursery and pediatrics, as they waited in the crowded casualty and lined the corridors under the awnings of the outpatient clinics, it was as if God gently reminded me that these are all His children. And if they are sick, He is as concerned about them as I was about my Jackson. And that He is equally grateful to all the people of this mission hospital who are doing what they can to care for His children.
