Let's just put it out there right now...I'm not that person. I see the pictures and get the emails about kids suffering in 3rd world countries. I've experienced poverty first hand in Haiti and Nicaragua. Those I have met personally have affected me in some big ways, but its a much bigger struggle for me to have deep seated feelings for those who I have never met. Do I feel compassion for them?? YES!! But I tend to be a realist and know that I can't save the world. I don't spend nights wondering how some kid in Uganda I've never met is doing, or where his next meal is coming from. I give to organizations that help these children/families, but I can't say I lose any sleep over it. I know it sounds horrible to say, but I'm not that person! Well that is until about 3 weeks ago. It was a Saturday afternoon and I was trying to get caught up on my emails after a busy week. The subject line of one particular email read "10 yr old Nathan from the Democratic Republic of the Congo - help and prayer." It was from a friend of mine I met while working with Samaritan's Purse in Haiti earlier this year. Because it was from her, was probably the only reason I even gave it a second glance. The gist of the email was - there is this 10 year old boy in DRC who
has had this tumorous growth on his neck that is continuing to get worse. So much so, that this poor child is in significant pain every day of his life and no longer wants to live. I can't explain why, but this ripped my heart out...and then I saw the pictures. This boys tumor is probably 2/3 the size of his head and is a raw, open wound. The rest of the email was asking for prayers for this boy, but also looking for any medical professionals who might have contacts in Africa for a surgeon. The email came to me by way of 3 other people. SP has a new medical director who I guess is originally from DRC. She had sent the word out through a nurse practitioner I worked with in April who had moved back to Haiti for a few months after being gone, who then forwarded it along to my friend, LB, in Indianapolis. Now I have never been to Africa, and not sure I will ever make it there, but immediately my mind started racing. Through volunteer work I do for Nehemiah Vision Ministries, I had become acquainted with a great organization called Mercy Ships. If you have never heard about them, you should check out their website www.mercyships.org and see the great work they are doing around the world. I had just started conversing with a great lady by the name of Sylvia, but have to say I knew nothing about her except a few conversations we have had to prepare their team for Haiti. It's funny how sometimes you just get a feel for a person after just a small amount of time and that's the feeling I had about Sylvia. I knew that Mercy Ships does a lot of work in Africa - specifically Sierra Leone and Togo. I wasn't sure I wanted to use this new found connection since it was a new partnership with us through NVM, but just couldn't stop thinking about little Nathan. So later that night, I broke down and decided to email Sylvia.
I've told a few friends (and Sylvia after the fact) that I don't think I've ever prayed over an email...but I did that night! Monday I kept checking my phone all day to see if I had gotten a reply. It didn't take long...I must have been the first email she answered that day! Sylvia and her husband were more than willing to see what could be done and started making contact with the doctors on Mercy Ship Africa right away. We sent emails back and forth as we sought more information regarding his past treatments and current condition. I don't know how this is all going to end - it might be too late to do anything other than palliative treatment for this brave young guy, but I know God has it all under his control. Expectantly waiting to see how God works this all out. But so now I'm the one asking, if you would say a prayer for comfort for this boy and his family as well that the pieces might fall into place for us to get him some help. There is a little more to the story of how God used this in my life, but I'll save that for another time because this already longer than I wanted. I'll update my blog as I found out more information...
has had this tumorous growth on his neck that is continuing to get worse. So much so, that this poor child is in significant pain every day of his life and no longer wants to live. I can't explain why, but this ripped my heart out...and then I saw the pictures. This boys tumor is probably 2/3 the size of his head and is a raw, open wound. The rest of the email was asking for prayers for this boy, but also looking for any medical professionals who might have contacts in Africa for a surgeon. The email came to me by way of 3 other people. SP has a new medical director who I guess is originally from DRC. She had sent the word out through a nurse practitioner I worked with in April who had moved back to Haiti for a few months after being gone, who then forwarded it along to my friend, LB, in Indianapolis. Now I have never been to Africa, and not sure I will ever make it there, but immediately my mind started racing. Through volunteer work I do for Nehemiah Vision Ministries, I had become acquainted with a great organization called Mercy Ships. If you have never heard about them, you should check out their website www.mercyships.org and see the great work they are doing around the world. I had just started conversing with a great lady by the name of Sylvia, but have to say I knew nothing about her except a few conversations we have had to prepare their team for Haiti. It's funny how sometimes you just get a feel for a person after just a small amount of time and that's the feeling I had about Sylvia. I knew that Mercy Ships does a lot of work in Africa - specifically Sierra Leone and Togo. I wasn't sure I wanted to use this new found connection since it was a new partnership with us through NVM, but just couldn't stop thinking about little Nathan. So later that night, I broke down and decided to email Sylvia. 
I've told a few friends (and Sylvia after the fact) that I don't think I've ever prayed over an email...but I did that night! Monday I kept checking my phone all day to see if I had gotten a reply. It didn't take long...I must have been the first email she answered that day! Sylvia and her husband were more than willing to see what could be done and started making contact with the doctors on Mercy Ship Africa right away. We sent emails back and forth as we sought more information regarding his past treatments and current condition. I don't know how this is all going to end - it might be too late to do anything other than palliative treatment for this brave young guy, but I know God has it all under his control. Expectantly waiting to see how God works this all out. But so now I'm the one asking, if you would say a prayer for comfort for this boy and his family as well that the pieces might fall into place for us to get him some help. There is a little more to the story of how God used this in my life, but I'll save that for another time because this already longer than I wanted. I'll update my blog as I found out more information...
