February 16, 2006

  • First Medical Outreach

    First Medical Outreach

     

    February 11, 2006

     

    It's Sunday afternoon and I'm just sitting here pondering the last few days.  The team of five from North Carolina came on Wednesday:two women; Alma and TB and three men; Pastor Billy, Greg and Jim.  Hearing Pastor Billy share the first night during a devotional time, my heart was stirred.  I just knew God had put us together for such a time as this. You see, we had felt led to have our first outreach on Saturday and this team was the one we felt led to take with us.  As I sat listening to Pastor Billy's heart for the Zambian people, I could hardly keep my heart from pounding right out of my chest.  For those of you who know me well let me just say I was wearing the crown!  The more we talked with all of them, the more excited I got anticipating the day and what God had planned.  You see, Sal and I really didn't have much time to plan out every detail (remember 963 patients in January)....and God wasn't revealing too much. However, despite not having a detailed plan, Sal and I were very much at peace.  Even the night before, we were still missing some answers.  We just trusted that God would light the stones as we needed them and we definitely wanted to leave room for God.  I just grew in anticipation when things started to heat up....Sal got conjunctivitis in his left eye Wednesday night and it spread to the other eye on Friday.  He wore a patch over his left eye all day Thursday and some of Friday in the clinic, but when both eyes became affected he had to remove the patch and just see patients with draining red eyes.  (I know, gross huh?)  Key people became sick making them unable to go like the worship leader who got malaria on Friday and one of the people we had designated as a cook.   Well despite the obstacles being thrown at us some that we just won't mention....Sal and I started to load up the lorry at 6:30am and people started showing up at 7am. This outreach was to demonstrate the love of Christ through meeting both the physical and spiritual needs of the people through the enabling of the Holy Spirit .healing through medical care and prayer, and feeding of both food and the Word. We had nine 25kg bags of mealy meal (for shema).  For the relish as they call it, we had 30 heads of cabbage, with a large bag of onions and tomatoes and a very large bag of kapinta fish (tiny whole fish with eyes and all)! We packed three Rubbermaid containers with medical supplies and medications and also took tables, chairs and 25 people in all.  We drove in three vehicles the Land Cruiser from the Hill carried two American missionaries Tim and Mary and three Zambian women Marian, Patricia and Rebecca.  The Land Rover held two Zambian women Rona (one of our staff) and Lena B, two work team members TB and Alma and of course me as the driver.  The Lorry, driven by Sal, held JoAnne, three work team members Pastor Billy, Jim and Greg and ten Zambians Enoch, Padmore, Brigadier, Doubt, another Doubt, Samson, Beauty and staff Anna, Janet and Bertha. After we had packed the vehicles, we met inside the apartment for prayer and last minute directions. Believe it or not late Friday night, the stones were lit:Sal and JoAnn would do medical, TB and Jim would be taking pictures, and prayer lines to be covered by Alma, Greg, Tim and Mary.  Enoch was to have total control of the feeding program, cooking, collecting tickets and rationing out food for everyone with Doubt helping him.  Lena, Beauty, Samson and the other Doubt were the worship team members and the rest were to be used as interpreters.  I figured I would be the floater as well as Pastor Billy.  After prayer all together with the entire ministry team and encouragement that God was up to something good we started out.  The sun was shining and the sky was clear....God answers prayer.  The tarmac that I had just driven on Friday to and from Zimba had the potholes all fixed (they were polluting the road less than 24 hours before)!!!!.....God works out stuff even when you forget to ask Him.  When we got there, instead of the tiny Pilgrim Wesleyan church, we were directed to the Basic School.  What a blessing!!...we were able to use three rooms:two for exams and one for gathering to share the Word and give order to the day's events. The church across the way was to be used for food preparation and feeding.  God had given me Matthew 9:35 awhile ago which was the ministry of Jesus.  Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness.  Pastor Billy's devotion the first night was from Matthew 9: 9-13.  So late Friday night, when I was seeking God and His direction, I decided to read all of Matthew 9.  It was all there and it became very clear to me that it was everything God wanted to say!!!   So after setting up, we gathered all the people present into the meeting room and I shared the Word.  In Matthew Chapter 9, Jesus forgives sin, the lame walk, the blind see, the dead rise, the sick are healed, the demons are cast out, the mute speak and Jesus eats with sinners saying, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick."  He goes on to say, "But go and learn what this means: I desire mercy (that is readiness to help those in trouble, Amplified Bible) and not sacrifice."  All in one chapter!!!  The Word was shared, the praise team led in worship and the people were encouraged that Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever! They were reminded that Jesus said, If you believe, you will receive what you asked for in prayer (paraphrased out of James).  They were to get prayed for and anointed with oil prior to coming for any medical treatment. They were also to register and pick up there meal ticket.  The rest of the day was just as awesome and God directed as the beginning....over 800 people were fed shema and relish, over 300 people were seen medically including two brought on those "bush ambulances," the children were played with and the singing of praise and worship was heard sporadically throughout the day.  The prayer lines continued all day with 25 new salvations reported.  Most of all His loving kindness was demonstrated to all.  The team was great, the day was wonderful and God was and is Awesome!!!  Pastor Billy had to encourage Sal to stop as darkness fell and we arrived back at the farm around 8:00pm.  After we as a ministry team joined hands to give thanks and glory to God, we all went our separate ways feeling very tired....but it was a good tired.