September 21, 2009

Dear Friends,
There is always so much to write about sometimes it is hard to choose what should be the topic of the week. I would like to share a little bit about our health situation because we need prayer warriors. Then I will move on to what I believe God taught me this week.
First of all Cory got malaria last week. It started on Monday September 7th the moment Jamie walked out the door to go to NDJ 6 hours away. Cory started on the malaria pills then he couldn't keep them down so he was admitted into the hospital and started on an IV. He was suppose to have three bags of medicine within 24 hours but he was only able to get through 1 1/2 bags due to swelling in his wrist. The nurses were unable to start another IV so he was sent home with a shot and several other medications. One of the medications were suppose to help with his nausea. After three doses of the nausea medication, we figured out that he was having bad side affects from that medicine. This was something that got a little worse after every dose. But by the time Jamie got home Thursday night, Cory was hallucinating, talking none stop, changing subjects at a blink of an eye and on top of all that getting out of bed walking into walls and flushing the toilet for no reason. At this point I was exhausted and scared. The sicknesses are different here and so are the medicines. I cannot talk to anyone at the hospital to be able to get a straight answer. I hated seeing him like that. We finally decided he needed rest so I went over to the hospital and got one of the nurses to come to the house and give Cory an injection (which we had to sit on him to give) of Valium. One hour later he fell asleep and so did I at
3 in the morning.
Now it is Tuesday night at 11:00 p.m. I once again find myself at the hospital. One of the missionary nurses, Michelle, is here with malaria. She started with malaria on Sunday and she has been staying with us ever since. She tried her best to do everything possible that was right to keep herself from coming to the hospital but it was inevitable. She is hooked up to an IV with the medication to fight this malaria that seems to take control of so many lives here. I am sitting in the dark with bugs all over my computer screen. I am covered in clothing from head to toe to keep from getting bit by a mosquito. Believe it or not but I am actually wearing a hoody. It seems like everyone has a horror story to tell about there first time with malaria and Michelle has been no exception. I am determined not to get bit and I would rather be covered and burning up then go through what I have seen. I am the only person now on campus that has not gotten malaria. I praise God everyday.
One day as I was going about my daily duties I saw a woman sitting outside my door. She had been sitting there for about an hour. I asked my Naomi if she would go to her and ask for me what it is she is here for. As we went out together the closer we got I realized the bundle she had in her lap was twins a boy and girl. The twins were only about a month old and very tiny. As the young girl sat on the ground looking up her answer was that she was hungry and so she decided to come and find a "Nasara" (white person). This young girls husband died and so she married his brother who is paralyzed and cannot walk. After listening to her story I came in the house and asked Naomi and the cook Sashae "what do I do"? We decided together that I would put together a bag of food and gave her 500 franks which is about one American dollar but a days work here. I told her she could come back and I would give her jobs to do to help her provide for her family. Since then we have built trust between us. One day after she worked I asked her, as well as my French would allow, how her babies were. Somehow God allowed a conversation to take place between us with my English and broken French and she spoke some local language. I figured out that she felt as though something was wrong with the baby boy. I wasn't sure what so I called over one of the American nurses (Carson) and he checked the baby out. Also unsure of the situation he called over one of the senior nurses. This nurse advised the mother to get the baby tested for malaria. Now it is a Friday afternoon and the lab closes down early so we knew we had to move fast.
Have I mentioned before that nothing here really moves fast? Well after getting others involved with this and insisting she be taken care of the job got done. One of the nurses Michelle can be as stubborn as I can and she was not going to take no for an answer from any of the lab guys no matter what they said to her. The baby was tested and the test was positive. Praise God it was caught in time to do something about it. With a child that small it very easily could have taken the child's life if we waited. I was going to pay for her medical bills because I knew she would not be able to pay. But because others got involved I found out that one of the young volunteers that was here two months ago (Megan) had left money for situations just like this.
It was so exciting to be used like that and just realizing how important it is to really listen to others. I feel like that is what this is all about. PEOPLE! I believe all the volunteers have been sent here to play a part in reaching others. Touching their lives that show them we care and that something is different with us. I believe God has given us all gifts. Gifts that come naturally. Gifts that when we put them all together the job gets done.
I have questioned before why it is that I am here. Someone sent me an e-mail and said just be patient and God will probably bring it to your front door. I believe He has not just with this situation but many others that come daily. Maybe it is not going to be a big bang. Maybe I am here to play my part with my sensitive heart for others. I unfortunately feel like I have to choose everyday who I will help for there are so many. It just kills me to see children starving. The children suffer. They seem to be on their own at such a young age. I see three year olds taking care of their baby sister or brother. How is it that they can do this. Oh how I just can't see God taking too much longer to save His innocent people from all their suffering.
Food for thought!
With Love, Tammy
The Parkers
Jamie, Cory and Brichelle