Hospital Visitation

As I walked down the hallway of the public hospital, I felt a hand take mine. It was Beej  - telling me that some parents wanted me to come and pray for their baby. I willingly agreed and went with her into the room full of patients. I don't know how I didn't gasp when I walked up to their bed...baby VinceJeo has a head the size of a balloon. He was born with meningitis and swelling on his brain has continued to enlarge the size of his head. They brought him to the hospital due to complications from asthma - he can hardly breathe. I sat down next to his mother (Erliza) and put my hand on her back - it was sweaty from the heat and strength needed to hold her baby up. I followed her gaze and looked into the eyes of her baby boy. When I looked up, I noticed the window that ran across the length of the wall behind their bed - coated in dust. The room was filthy dirty. I wanted to run down the hall and scream at the staff.

But, I just sat quietly and tried to take it all in. Erliza sits on the bed all day/night holding her baby since he can't lie down. She is fatigued, but everytime she looks at her baby you can see the love she holds for him. I told her that VinceJeo is lucky to have a mother who loves him that way. Tears start to run down her cheek and she tells me that it is so hard. I sat there, nodded my head and agreed that it is hard. But I could also share with her that God has a  plan for that baby boy and our god is just and unwavering.

I thought about Erliza the next day and then the next. I had a feeling that couldn't be shaken off that I needed to go see her, so I asked and Beej went back to the hosptial with me . (The irony, of course, is that the public hospital is the LAST place I would choose to go here). We walked into the hospital and back into the filthy room and found Erliza holding her baby.

I've learned quickly that as much as I'd love to swoop in, shake up the staff, get the facts on the surgery (when, where, how much) and take care of this problem - that it's important to just be in the moment. The only thing I had to offer her that day was a few items on hand that I threw together in a bag, an arm to rub her aching back, words from one mother to another, agreement that it is hard, and some time to pray for her. I don't know what will happen to VinceJeo (he could die without surgery) but for today, it had to be enough.

As a sidenote, Monday night is Hospital Outreach night for PDK. Basically, the kids and staff go to the public hospital to provide food and prayer for patients. The outreach starts earlier in the day because there is a hot meal to prepare (hot rice porridge) and then place into plastic bags for easy hand out. We spent several hours cooking, chopping, filling bags. The light in  the darkness of the hospital outing is that the kids here (former streetkids) are giving back. I got to witness first hand, their hard work and ability to sit and pray with others so unfortunate. It was magical.