Since I have been in Swaziland I have seen so many different situations and outcomes in the ministry at the Manzini hospital. My friends Elvina and Dena were healed recently and sent home; Praise God! Dena showed up at the hospital on Tuesday to visit us because she knew we would be there visiting other patients. How cool is that?!?! It was so great seeing her there, healthy and happy. She asked us that we pray she finds a job now. She has no way of making money yet so pray that it will happen soon.
I have made a new relationship in the past 2 weeks with a lady named Beauty. She has 2 daughters, Colile and Thandi, and 1 son named Mcolise. Beauty’s husband passed away a few years ago and Mcolise is the only one who works in the family. Beauty is suffering of Meningitis and has progressively gotten worse. My first encounter with her she was crying and lying on the floor. I ran over to her bed to help her get back in bed and calm her down. She got confused, fell off her bed and was really scared. It was really sad because none of the nurses were helping her back up. Allie and I prayed with her for a while and that is the day we met her daughters.
The past 3 times I’ve visited the hospital Thandi has been there. She spends each night sleeping on the nasty, concrete floor next to her mother’s bed. Last week I was able to talk to Thandi for a while about the Lord and what he means to her in her own life. I’m not sure if she is a Christian because every Swazi will always say “yes” to everything you ask. She’s opening up to me a lot more now. On Tuesday she came up to me with a huge smile on her face and gave me a big hug. It was encouraging to see her so happy to see me. I walked over to visit her mom but she is much worse than last week. She is no longer eating, talking, walking and will not take her pills. Basically, all she does is sleep in her bed and they don’t even have an IV hooked up to her. The doctors aren’t doing anything for her. I can’t even explain how bad healthcare is here. The doctors have been avoiding the family and they never give them any answers.
Wednesday, the doctor was finally going to take a look at her so today I will find out more of what’s going on. I know it’s frustrating to the family. Can you imagine not hearing from any doctors for almost a week? I talked with one nurse about the situation and she told me most patients that come in don’t get over Meningitis. She will probably continue to get worse and then die. At the Manzini hospital 8 out of every 10 patients that are admitted, die there! I know there is hope in this hospital though because God is the ultimate Healer. I’m going to continue to pray for healing for Beauty and I’m asking you to do the same. Pray that the nurses and doctors will be honest and give information to the families. At the beginning of this week my prayer was that I would feel God’s emotions for his people as he feels them. Also, that I would be so close to him that I could feel his heartbeat, and the burdens for his people. On Tuesday I have never been so broken about the patients there. God really did give me a glimpse of how he hurts when we hurt, rejoice when we rejoice, etc. It was one of the most amazing experiences of my life! I’m praying that I will be able to minister to Thandi as I continue going to visit her mother. Please pray for Beauty’s healing and salvation, the family, and particularly Thandi as I continue to minister to her.
“It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means; I desire mercy, not sacrifice. For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” Matthew 9:12-13
