August news - last one

Well here we are in our last three weeks and reeling from unimaginable scenes of suffering in the burns ward yesterday. We arrived to water and urine flooding out from the broken, mouldy toilets mixing with the smell of rotten black bandages. Carers sleeping on the floor and new acid attack victims were packed into the ward. One young man returning from buying hardware items was attacked in an alley with a full bucket of acid onto his face and upper body - never mind the motives – this is the ultimate cruelty – an irreversible life consequence of blindness and loss of upper body functions – an imprisonment not many can bear especially in a culture where you must work to survive!!! The parents were sitting by his bed in utter, speechless despair wiping the blood and pus pouring from his eyes and facial wounds. What can you say or offer in this situation of complete darkness and hopelessness? I asked Joseph our team member to speak into the parents lives about his own healing and restoration from a terrible acid attack. Joseph came back from the dead twice (we fed him a whole fish nearly every week!) for 1 year! Then we fed the young man high protein foods and finished with a cry to Jesus for healing mercy over his body. I took his black hands and swept his body with the hand of Jesus – he started crying – tears coming out of eye sockets with no eyes – this hit me hard but was also a good sign that something was living down in those eye holes. When we began worship in the middle of the suffering he sat up and raised his hands with Sharon holding one – there is nothing more moving on this planet to see some hope breathing into a person’s solitary darkness. He did not want to move from his praise – Jesus filled him and so I saw the glory of God spilled into his destruction – I tell him – “hold on mate this life is only a short, tiny journey so treasure your faith until we meet with Jesus – keep up the fight for your healing – for I have seen many healed by their sheer courage, faith and determination to see again and walk.” The woman’s section was overflowing with tragedy – Sharon fighting for a young lady with an undiagnosed, broken leg swelling to balloon size – why the fight? The family could not afford the Xray charges to have the leg examined and fixed so the nurses and doctor were refusing her treatment – unbelievable in a public hospital – signals a complete breakdown in funding. One lady endured extraordinary upper body burns so much so that because the doctors failed to put her burnt arms and hands in a cast one hand is bent backwards and the burnt skin and muscles have fixed it in place. So she can only use one hand! Do I go on and tell you about the children’s section! To horrific to even mention details – all boiling porridge, water or fire victims – a whole family there who were trapped in their burning house – the doors padlocked while the parents were out working all hours!! Most cases come from unsupervised children near cooking facilities. The burns ward is very close to our hearts – we know the presence of Jesus there like nowhere else – perhaps because Jesus prefers to be in a place where people are crying out and desperate to receive comfort from Him – they want HIM! What does this say to me personally – as high as the heavens are above the earth so great is his loving-kindness towards those that fear Him – Ps 103. Forget not all his benefits – who redeems your life from the pit, heals all your diseases, crowns you with loving-kindness and compassion - this becomes real for the extremely burned acid attack patient who hangs in there with a faith not bothered about revenge but just staying close until the end! Yes we have seen many pass into Jesus hands – some doing well then they collapsed because of secondary infections caught in the hospital – children who were too burned and weak – unable to fight – I have held there burned hands - some no hands - as they prepare to meet Jesus. Herein lies the greatest treasure – they are actually going to meet their creator – a little earlier than most!! What else is there in this short life of ours? Sharon and I are working hard to consolidate a team to take over and slowly this is happening. A long term project to renovate the hospital is underway but whether this reaches the burns ward is another story! Our five years are nearly over as our children need to incorporate back into NZ and enjoy the opportunities which are simply not available here. God has worked through our hands to bring comfort and salvation to many. Thanks to all you supporters – we gave out bibles yesterday that were absolutely treasured by the patients holding them – I cannot count the amount of bibles that have gone into lives – but those receiving them were so hungry for the comfort to their soul. I have witnessed such amazing miracles – not just in extreme suffering but inside the complexities of adoption (plus getting NZ citizenship and passports in 12 days), our physical protection here and inside relationships with the poor. NZ presents a whole new set of challenges – setting up house, education, jobs, income, fellowship groups and coping with a totally different culture – which means seeking his presence and guidance. We may have to move into temporary accommodation until the end of September which we have arranged if needed – I had forgotten I had signed a fixed term contract with our tenants!! Our tenants are trying to move out by the end of August but so far they have not found a 4 bedroom house – please pray they can - I would love to be travelling back to our own house!!! Let Raewyn Mortensen our rental manager know if you hear of a house for our current tenants. Sharon needs to complete a refresher course at Waikato Uni to regain her provisional teaching registration which lapsed last year. It is a 12 week course with two practicums costing – wait for it - $4000 – there goes our mortgage advances – but it is simply the price one has to pay to get back into teaching after being away. Sharon has developed into a fantastic teacher so prayerfully she can find an opportunity to get a job back in NZ. Our plan is that I homeschool and get a little part time work. Our kids are like 4 different classrooms and levels on there own!!! Sharon is busy with the weigh scales trying to get our baggage below 180 kgs (6 people times 30kg) – oh dear – what a task – I will be wearing my only clothes to keep weight down and these will not be OK for NZ – I have worn a warm jacket/jersey twice in 5 years! – short sleeves and shorts the rest of the time!! So I am out getting more jeans – they cost between $5 - $10 here!!