Oh Let Me Count the Ways!

We have just finished a great clinic day in Ishaka, in SW Uganda.  We held the clinic on a piece of land where Ishaka Community Church will be located.  They had set up 3 tents for us.  After a few hours of seeing patients, it got cloudy and started to rain.  Everyone scrambled to get out of the rain and then to keep the roofs from collapsing.  This was an adventure, but did slow our clinic flow a little bit. 

 

People, fairly frequently, ask me how they can specifically help Due Unto Others in the work that God is doing in Uganda.  Today, I would like to share a few of the special “That One Person” friends that we have met over the past week or so.  I will write about the others in the days to come.  See if God might speak to you about specifically helping with one of these cases.

 

Emmanuel is a 5 year old boy that lives in Bwambara.  He has a clouding and enlargement of his left eye.  This has been slowly growing over some time.  He can no longer see out of the eye.  It causes him some pain, but is not debilitating, at this point.  His underlying problem is likely an eye tumor. 

 

 

Pastor Elisha had met Emmanuel and his family when making some home visits in the village.  He invited the family to our clinic that we hosted there, earlier this week.  Emmanuel reminds me our little friend, Joseph of Mytianna, who passed away in 2012 after a bout with a facial rhabdomyosarcoma.  What is also uncanny, is that Emmanuel’s father reminds us of Joseph’s father Elya.  We have made arrangements for Emmanuel to travel to Rukungiri on Saturday for an initial evaluation.  He will likely then be referred to the regional hospital in Mbarrara.  If this can happen early enough on Saturday, we might be able to attend his appointment in Mbarrara.  We will be in town that day with a day “off”.  The estimated expense for Emmanuel is $500 (US dollars).

 

The next opportunity to change a child’s life is Pamela. 

 

She is 10 years old and also lives in Bwambara.  She has recently dropped out of school because she can no longer manage to walk to school and carry out her normal activities there.  We feel that this is related to her heart.  She has a loud murmur and needs to have it evaluated.  The Due Unto Others team, in association with the Rukungiri Community Church, has made arrangements for Pamela and her mother to travel to Mbarrara on next Tuesday (June 24) to have an appointment with the cardiologist, get an x-ray and an echocardiogram.  If she has a surgical problem with her heart, we will then need to bring her to Mulago Hospital, in Kampala, for a heart surgery.  The initial work up for Pamela will be about $100.  Any additional expenses will be determined by what her diagnosis is found to be.

 

The last “That One Person” for today is Polite. 

 

She is a 4 year old girl that fell into a pot of hot posho (think malt-o-meal that is really dry, bland and sticky).  She suffered a burn on her right hand and forearm, up to the elbow.  She has significant scarring of the right hand, to the point that she cannot close the hand.  We have seen tremendous progress with Kevin and Shakib when they were treated at CORSU hospital in Entebbe.  We are making arrangements for Polite and her mother to travel the 8 hours to Gabba, hopefully next week.  They will spend the night at Wentz Medical Center and then be taken for a consultation at CORSU the next day.  I suspect that she will need 2-3 operations to get the hand at least semi-functional again.  Polite was not even seen in our clinic in Bwambara.  As we were packing up to leave and meeting with the parents of Emmanuel, Jayne was playing with and loving on the local kids, outside of the church.  She noticed Polite’s hand and brought her in for us to see.  The trips from Bwambara to Entebbe will be a little costly, but our estimate for Polite’s care is around $800.

 

I am constantly reminded, by God, that one of the only things better than God answering your prayers is for Him to use you to answer someone else’s prayer.  If you would like to give towards one of these cases, please contact me at dueunto@gmail.com.  Even small amounts will help us to make a difference for these kids.  Please continue to pray for each of these beautiful children by name too.  This is a great opportunity for the Body of Christ to show His love.

 

This past week has been quite fruitful for us finding TOPs.  I have several more to tell you about in the next couple of days.

 

Preparing for “Due Season”,

 

Jay

Remember your testimony

What is a testimony?  The dictionary would tell us that it is “a declaration of truth or fact”.  In the church world, we might think of a testimony as a compilation of words that tells others about our faith.  It can explain why we are Christians, how we have overcome sin, and how we have been transformed by our Savior.  I think of a testimony as the story of how God has delivered us.  Those stories are varied but all exciting, in their own ways.  We might think that some people’s testimonies are “sexier” than ours, but if we have come to a saving knowledge of Jesus, we have all been rescued from the same eternal death.

This week, while we were working in Rukungiri, Jamil was asked to give his testimony to the people waiting in line to be seen by the doctors.  So he bravely stood in front of probably 50 adults, loud speaker in hand and said this:

 

There was a pastor that got my picture and gave it to those people (pointed at us inside working). When they got those pictures and they came to work at my school, and again they take my photos.  When they took my photos, in 2012, they took me to Mulago Hospital.  They operated me, and it was clearing, but after some time came some swelling.  Again in 2013 they operated me.  They then took me to radiotherapy to treat the wound.  Again the wound becomes ok, but again the tumor is coming back.  They want to take me to America maybe again to operate me.  But I thank God, because he is a healer.  He helped me.  Now I am ok.  I thank God that now I am ok and not having any pain.  That is my testimony.  God bless you.

 

We talked to Jamil, later that night.  We wanted to know how Jesus fit into his testimony.  After we each shared our salvation stories, Jamil shared his.  This was not recorded, but the best we could piece together by memory.

I remember that I prayed to ask God to save me on a Saturday.  I went to church on Sunday and the pastors, they prayed with me.  They gave me some things to read, but I could not read them, so I gave them away.  Then, I had no money.  My clothes were worn.  I had no soap, so I bathed with just water.  It was soon, Pastor Kabanda came to Kamugee, I went to the church and sat in the front.  After he was done preaching, he took my photo.

 

As God would orchestrate it, we met Jonathan Kabanda a few weeks after he had taken the photos of Jamil in Pallisa.  It is truly amazing how God has provided for Jamil.  We know that God has a big plan, including a big testimony, for him.

With more discussion, we did find out that Jamil has never been Baptized.  So, we are planning a Baptism party in the River Nile in a couple of weeks! 

 

Take some time today and think about your transformation story.  Remember what God has saved you from, and tell someone about it!

 

Preparing for “Due Season”!

 

Jay

The Rapids of Life

Early last week, we had an off day in Jinja.  It was the last off day before Anna Catherine Ortego and Mason Lang headed back to the USA.  Given the opportunity, Anna Catherine and April Berry wanted to white water raft on the Nile.  We contacted one of the 2 big rafting companies in Jinja.  They had no one scheduled, and needed at least 3 people to make a tour.  So I joined the ladies for a trip down the Nile.

 

I have rafted in Durango and at the Royal Gorge in Colorado.  I have also rafted 3 times prior on the Nile in Uganda.  My first trip down the Nile was with the men’s group from Henderson Hills Baptist Church in January of 2011.  Since that time, two hydroelectric dams have been constructed along the Nile as it starts north out of Jinja.  This has moved the rafting course downstream a few miles.  The rafting companies come up with creative names for the different rapids.  I have been through “the smelter”, “the silverback”, “50/50”, the “Nile Special” among others.

 

On this most recent rafting trip, we elected to go through the level 5 rapids. 

 

We wore helmets and life jackets. 

 

As is usually done, we put in at some calm waters and took some time to do some safety training.  We learned to paddle together, how to “get down” while going through rapids, what to do if we fell out of the boat, and what to do if the boat capsized.  Then off we went for our adventure.  After a few adrenaline pumping rapids, we came to the slow part of the trip.  We were served fresh pineapple and watermelon.  I think that the freshly cut up pineapple on the Nile is the best pineapple anywhere.  Since there were only 3 of us, we could have eaten a whole pineapple each.  I think that I was the only one that came close.  We then strapped back in for the final few rapids. 

 

With our teamwork and the excellent steering of our guide, we had navigated through all of the level 5 rapids with nothing but sheer excitement.  As we came up to the last set of two rapids, the guide got our attention to let us know what was coming.  The first of the 2 last rapids was called “the bad place”.  It was an area where the water dropped then rolled back on itself.  If our raft got caught in the circulation of water, it would be “bad”.  There was a narrow space between the bank and “the bad place” where we were to go to avoid the trouble.  As we approached “the bad place”, we focused all of our effort on avoiding it.  We made it past “the bad place” and immediately were flowing into the second level 5 rapid, “the other place”.  As we hit “the other place”, our boat got sideways then turned up on its side and flipped over. 

 

As the boat flipped, I was able to remember what to do from my previous experiences.  I was able to grab onto the rope that goes around the boat’s edge.  I went into the river, but barely under the water.  As my eyes cleared, I saw April coming up, looking a little startled, and facing away from the boat.  I was able to grab her arm and bring her hand to the boat’s rope.  I was on the opposite side of the boat from Anna, but I could hear her talking, so I knew she was above the water level.  Our guide then instructed us in flipping the boat back right side up.  We did this and then helped each other back into the boat.

 

This reminded me of some life situations.  

1.)     We can be lulled into a sense of security while navigating the rivers of life.  When we have successes, we often take for granted that future successes will come.

2.)    We often spend too much time and energy trying to avoid “the bad place” and end up wrecking in “the other place”.  Often we spend significant time and energy trying to do what is right or good, and miss out on the “best” that God has for us.

3.)    Preparing in advance and surrounding yourself with Christian friends is mandatory for safely navigating down life’s rapids.  If the waters are rough, we have to "get down" at times.  When our boat is turned upside down, we often need a friend, who has been down this rapid before, to grab us and lead us back to the rope.

 

1 Thessalonians 5:11 says “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing”.

 

As we navigate the river of life, the rapids will come.  Take advantage of the calm waters to nourish yourself and prepare yourself and your “team” for the times that you fall into the river.

 

Jay

Updating from our last several days.

Things are going quickly here in Uganda.  We are now just over a month away from our scheduled trip home.  I have a few things that I want to catch you up on.

 

On our last day in Konko, last Tuesday, we were just getting our clinic going when an older man came into the clinic.  As he was starting to check in, he passed out.  His family caught him as he started to have a little shaking.  Bystanders were quick to offer their mats and pieces of clothing to make a spot for him to lay down on the dirt floor of the little church. 

 

We noted that his blood pressure and pulse were low.  After we got him stabilized, we moved him to a house, next door, to continue his treatment.  April went with him to give him some IV fluids, while Jayne and Jake went to support in any way needed. 

 

Jake was even able to improvise an IV pole out of para-cord hanging from the rafters. 

 

While April came back to help in the clinic, Jake and Jayne were able to talk with William and get to know him.  William staggered and fell into our clinic, but walked away.

 

On the following day, we went to Lubbe.  This is a village outside of one of the Watoto children’s villages.  We were invited by our friend, from Ardmore, Lianna Schultz.  She has worked a lot at the Watoto farm in Lubbe and has gotten to know the people there.  We occupied a small clinic building and saw 200+ patients.

 

The next two days (Thursday and Friday) were spent in Buddo.  This is the home of Jonathan Kabanda, an evangelist friend of ours from years past.  Jonathan has traveled with us at times and actually introduced us to Jamil.  We hosted our clinic in Buddo Community Bible Church. 

 

This clinic, more than most of the others this year, presented us with really sick patients.  We identified a 14 year old boy that likely has hemophilia.  He was sent for blood testing and is now getting arranged with a hematology appointment.  He is a muslim, so we are praying for his heart and his blood clotting.  Showing God’s love to him is our first step.  We also met two small children with malnutrition and subsequent illness.  We wanted to take them to Mulago immediately, but due to the inability to arrange a receiving doctor, we had to delay until early this week.  Dr. Raphael will be helping to make that connection for us.  We met a lady with a large thyroid goiter and helped to get her pointed in the right direction for care.  The second day we were in Buddo, we saw multiple kids with developmental delay or mental retardation due to febrile illnesses in the past.  Most of them could not walk or talk and required constant care.  We did our best to maintain their current health and to explain their likely chronic disability.  Unfortunately, there is not much that we can do to change their long term reality. 

 

At lunch of the first day in Buddo, we got to meet the cook.  It was LOVINSA! 

 

Lovinsa was a worship leader in Buddo Community Bible Church when we met her last May.  She had a chronic, growing mass on her neck.  This was causing her great pain and affecting her ability to sing.  Due Unto Others donors helped Lovinsa to get a surgery that has completely healed her!  She was very thankful and is back to leading worship at the church.  People that helped support Lovinsa in prayer and by giving towards her care, I accepted a hug for your on Earth, but I am sure she will be looking you up in heaven!

 

We have spent the weekend working in Uganda and back to the US on trying to get things in order for Jamil to return with us for medical treatment.  We have a meeting on Monday morning with an attorney in Uganda that has experience with legal guardianship in urgent medical cases.

 

Please continue to lift our team in prayer as we prepare for Due Season!  Galatians 6:9

 

Jay

Offended by God

I blog today from the “Ministry Machine”.  I have to admit to you that I am struggling today.  I have spent the last 8 hours dealing with an unanswered prayer.  I am struggling to keep from being “offended by God”. 

 

I know people that are diligent and faithful in their walk with Christ and in their prayer life.  They might be some of the first people that I would call if I had an urgent prayer request.  Some of them have even seen great answers to their prayers while interceding for others.  Yet all the while, they see no results to prayers lifted for a loved one that is ill, their spouse that is not a believer, or their business that is struggling.  Sometimes I wonder how those people can continue on. 

 

Some of you may know, we got CT scan results back today on one of our special friends, Jamil. 

 

We met him over 2 years ago when he had a very large eye tumor.  Due Unto Others donors sponsored him to have an operation to remove the tumor.  As he went for his 1 year follow up in 2013, it was found that his tumor was back and starting to creep along the optic nerve in the optic canal (channel in the bone that allows the nerve to the eye exit the skull).  He again had an operation to remove all that could be removed and then radiation treatments to attempt to reach where the scalpel could not.  He was scheduled to have treatment for 6 weeks, but it took 10 weeks because the machine intermittently was working.

 

When we caught up with Jamil this year, he was growing, doing well in school and looked so much better.  We ordered and paid for a new CT scan to make sure that the tumor was gone and not returning.  We found out today that there still is evidence of residual tumor with bone involvement.  There is no evidence that the tumor extends to the brain.  When I read the scans and reports this am, my heart grew heavy.  We have grown to love Jamil and we have been praying that God would heal him from this tumor.  Jamil told us last week that he wanted to be a doctor and we were encouraging him to continue to excel in his school work so that he could get into the medical school in Uganda.

 

Despite all of our prayers, all the time Jamil has spent in Mulago hospital, all of the money donated and earmarked for Jamil, his tumor remains.  We have seen miracles in Uganda.  We have seen needless death in Uganda.  We sure thought this would be the former.  I am not sure what God’s plan is, but it is painful today

I have mentioned before that I am reading a book called the Circle Maker by Mark Batterson.  There is a paragraph on page 90 that I keep going back to.

Jesus is doing miracles right and left.  He is healing diseases, driving out demons, and restoring sight to the blind, but John the Baptist misses the miracle train.  It seems like Jesus is rescuing everyone but his most faithful follower, who is in prison.   And John is his cousin, nonetheless.  It seems that Jesus could have and maybe should have, organized a rescue operation and busted him out before he was beheaded.  Instead He sends a message via John’s disciples.  He tells them to tell John about all of the miracles that he is doing and then he asks them to relay this promise: “Blessed is the one that is not offended by me.”

 

That speaks right to the point.  When I went back to look at this paragraph tonight. I noticed that I had written “It is well” in the book below this. 

Job 1:21 says: “The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord!

 

Jill and I have been feeling lead that if Jamil’s tumor returned again, we should determine if there was any way to bring Jamil home to Oklahoma with us to seek out a higher level of treatment.  Even though we have hosted a busy clinic today, in Buddo,

 

we have started to make some phone calls and arrangements.  We have to have a Senior Doctor here write a letter that says that leaving the country is needed (appointment on Saturday).  We have to have a receiving specialist (probably ENT or Ophthalmology) that will write a letter agreeing to take over Jamil’s care in the US.  Then we have to figure out the matter of custody.  Jamil is an orphan, and we have built a trusting relationship with his Uncle Joseph and his grandparents.  These 3 are primary guardians now.  I think that they would sign anything that needed to be signed.  For us to have custody and sign consent for procedures in the US, we may have to have other USA legal work done.  Another option is for a male health worker from Uganda to travel with us to be his custodian. 

 

The next hurdle will be financial.  There will likely be a CT or MRI, another surgery, and follow up radiation or chemo.  This would be quite costly in the US.  So I am prayerful that God will lead us down a path to find people and facilities willing to donate the services needed.

 

I don’t want this scenario to turn into an effort to get Jamil to the USA.  I am interested in Jamil’s healing.  So I pray that God will open the right doors in the right direction for healing to occur.  I choose to not be offended by God.  I will trust in His plan and I know that His plan will ultimately be to His glory.  If you would, please join me in prayer that Jamil is healed and that God receives the glory.

 

Preparing for Due Season – Galatians 6:9

 

Jay

 

PS:  Jamil is staying with us for a few days, so he went with us to the airport tonight.  We were taking Mason Lang and Anna Catherine Ortego to fly back to the US.  This was Jamil’s first trip to Entebbe or to see an airplane on the ground.  He sat by me at dinner and among other questions, I asked him when his birthday was.  It broke my heart as he said that he did not know.  I asked if he knew which month he had been born in.  Again he did not know.  So he says that he is 12, but when does he add a year?  Has he never had a birthday party?  I think that we should come up with a birthdate for Jamil.  I think it should soon and that we should have a big celebration with ice cream and cake!

The time is DUE by David Gitta

The following addition to the blog was written by our friend David Gitta.

Interesting phenomenon coming up and growing wide these days in Uganda, especially when people have to give excuses for not being on time. Sadly to me “African time” is often used as an excuse when arriving late is becoming more and more common. “Mzungu time” is used for being on time. Interesting, isn’t it?

Now that I talk about not being on time, we made a resolution to try and be on time against all odds for all our medical missions during this season, starting with our very first medical mission to Kamuge, Pallisa here in Uganda.  As always, we loaded up our mission van with all our medical supplies and got the whole team on board.  Soon enough we hit the road. Thankfully to God, it all went well, and we made it there in the estimated two hour adventurous filled drive out of Jinja town.

It was 10 o’clock on the dot that we drove in to the compound of Arise and Shine Primary School led by our very good friend, Pastor Fred.  However we caught  him in the process of “preparation”. Usually, he’d have some of those very beautiful children lined up in two parallel lines facing each other smiling wide as they sing welcoming songs to the visiting medical team. 

 

 

 Praising the Almighty God for sending a medical mission team to their village as they hold flowers to hand to every team member. However, things were a lot different this time as we found them still getting our seats ready, harvesting fresh flowers and the performing children getting their costumes on. I remember seeing Pastor Fred from a distance as we drove in, with a kind of look anyone can easily interpret as ‘Oh no, they’re early!’  Upon arrival, his very first words were, “You’re on Mzungu time!”

 

God brought to my mind these two scriptures:

 

Ecclesiates 9:12 – moreover, no man knows when his hour will come: …

This reminds me of the fact that we all are here, but only for a while. Soon we’ll be going home. It’s only a smart thing to be ready for that since we all don’t know when its coming.

Needless to add, Our Lord Jesus is coming again to take only those that have accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior, which is the only way to secure a place in Heaven for eternity.  Matthew 24:44 states: “So you must be ready, because the Son of man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.”

 

I so much agree and I can guarantee you, there will be no chance to borrow the famous “African time” or “Mzungu time” phrases. Therefore, I call out to everyone to receive the Grace offered through the blood of Jesus so you are ready since it could be any time: next year, next week, tomorrow, now, I don’t know for sure. But from where I am standing, looks like the time is DUE if you have not accepted!

 

David Gitta

Are you closely following Jesus?

Are you still following Jesus?  Are you following close behind him?  I hope that you are, and I have to confess that I would like to be closer than I am.  I think that many of us have fallen behind in our pursuit of Jesus.  Perhaps we got distracted by being too busy.  Perhaps we were hurt by a member of the Church.  Perhaps we were even busy doing “good things” but neglected to maintain our walk with Him.  I also fear that many American “Christians” have even asked Jesus to follow them, taking advantage of their relationship with Jesus for their own benefit, not selling out to Jesus.

 

Tonight, we walked up from our hotel to a restaurant, that we enjoy, called 2 Friends.  It is about 3 blocks from our hotel, so we did not take the Ministry Machine.  On our way back, it was pitch black (there are no street lights in most of Uganda).  I think that 4 of us had flashlights.  Ten of our group were walking, so if you did not stay close to one of the people with flashlights, you were at risk of stepping in a pothole or stepping on/in something else that you would regret.  If you were a little distance back, it was even harder to see than if no one had a flashlight at all. This simple scenario reminds me of how our path is much better illuminated if we are staying close to Jesus.  He can point out the obstacles and potholes in our path and lead us in the right direction.  Also, I think it might be better to have no Jesus than to be lukewarm, trailing too far back.

Revelation 3:15-17  “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other!  So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.   You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.

 

I guess we should discuss what to do if you find that you have quit following Jesus.  Perhaps you have fallen so far behind that you are embarrassed to try to catch up.  Could He forgive you for the things that you have done that have derailed you in your walk?

Luke 2:41-52 tells the story of Jesus staying behind when his parents left Jerusalem to head home.  Mary and Joseph noticed that Jesus was not with them, but they assumed that He was walking with other family members.  They traveled for a full day before they searched around to find Jesus but he was not with the traveling party.

What did Mary and Joseph do when they realized that they were not walking with Jesus?  They headed immediately back to Jerusalem to find Him!  What a great example.  Don’t delay in returning to find Jesus.  I am convinced that when you take that first step back towards Jesus, He has already forgiven you!

We have enjoyed a great week of clinics, based from here.  We had two days of clinic in Pallisa on Thursday and Friday.  Then yesterday, we set up camp in a new location.  We headed 25 km out of Jinja.  We then left the paved road and did a bit of snaking through a sugar cane plantation up into Nat Geo land.  I love it when we are able to find our way out into the rural, Nat Geo areas.  The people are so delightful and grateful to see us.  Konko was no different. 

 

We saw 220 patients and many of them were older people that needed medications and reading glasses. 

 

 

We are looking forward to heading back to Konko on Monday.  Today, Sunday, we had a day off from our clinic routine.  We slept a little later and then attended the worship service at Pastor Henry’s church.  It started at 10:00 and ended at 2:30. 

 

I put the above picture in for 3 reasons:  1.) The girl in the picture is Joyce.  I have known Joyce since I first visited Uganda in 2011.  Her hand is with mine on the dueunto.com website.  2.) The boy (her brother Fred) is wearing an FBC Duncan t-shirt that they donated last year.  3.) The picture is blurry, because as I started to snap the picture, Fred started walking.  You can see his left leg is taking the first step to the altar, giving his life to Christ in the worship service this am!

We had planned to travel out to Wild Waters Lodge for a bit of tourism, a nice meal and some relaxation.  But not being able to leave until 2:30 derailed those plans.  Instead, we stayed around our hotel and had a chance to visit and get to know some of our new team members better.  It turned out to be a better day than I had imagined.

 

I encourage you to make right your walk with Jesus!

 

Still preparing for Due Season!  Galatians 6:9

 

Jay