Kucko May 2018

Dear friends and family, 

Happy May Day to my friends and family and all the “olders” that remember the May Day Celebrations of our youth. 

I often try to think what I can tell you in these newsletters, and what came to me this evening is that you may wonder what happens in a Rafiki Village in an emergency. There are water emergencies and bush fires and at times herds of cattle barging through the boundary fence. But I am thinking of a medical emergency. The easy ones, those that feel like an emergency to the person experiencing it, but in reality are easy to care for, are handled here, much as any mother of children there would treat a bloody nose or a stubbed toe or thumb. Those would be treated with rest, pressure, ice, and maybe Epsom Salts soaking and lots of love and watchfulness. However, there are the few occasions where more serious emergencies occur and you may wonder how those are handled.

The following is a depiction of how all hands work together through God’s Guidance and enablement. It is morning and school has been in session for maybe an hour. The phone rings in the Rafiki medical person’s office and the report of the emergency expressed by the HeadMaster. After hearing the type of problem, the instruction is given to carry the child to the clinic office. The medical person calls to her driver to go for car keys, the car, and money while she goes for the health card and medical folder on that child and other items that might be needed such as towels and blankets. The cottage mother is also alerted to meet us at the car pronto and we are off to the closest hospital all within a few minutes of the emergency being reported.

The hospital trip takes about 20-25 minutes while the mother and medical person are supporting the child. At the hospital, the car can pull right into the receiving area where help is on hand with a wheelchair or gurney and you are immediately taken to the emergency ward where the child is cared for by doctors and nurses.

There are differences though in medicine here that need to be learned. If a person is to be admitted to the hospital, you, the family, or caregiver must bring in all that would be needed by the patient, such as bed linens, night and day clothing, washing and personal care items, and dishware to eat from. The food for the patient is also brought in by family or purchased nearby. When lab work is ordered, you take the specimen to the lab and then go back for the report. When IV or other meds are ordered, you go to the pharmacy for them. If wound dressings or casting material is needed, you go to where they send you and buy it and bring it back. Also, in the case of a child, the mother usually stays with the patient but there are usually little sleeping arrangements for her—maybe a chair or bench in the hall near his room.

After the child is dismissed from the hospital and is home, a summary report is placed into a computer document so that the Home Office and the doctors in the U.S. that watch over our children can check the care that was given and add anything further they feel should be done. As you can see in this story, there are many things to give praise for: workers available to carry child, drivers adept and knowledgeable, nearby hospitals, and staff. Prayers are also needed for wisdom and guidance for all the missionaries for any given situation that may arise.

So, with this story, I want to thank you all for your prayers for this Village and myself and the other missionaries and staff here. A prayer request I have for the children is that they would begin to heed the safety warnings that are frequently given but also frequently ignored.

Thank you for the many ways of support you all give to me. I will be at the Home Office for meetings in early July and then visiting a few places but details are not yet final. Please message me if you would like me to share about Rafiki to your group of friends.