This past week we have done 2 days of hospital ministry, 1 day of street ministry, 1 day of school ministry as well as a night church service. We were able to climb Tororo mountain yesterday which was amazing, because once we arrived at the top we could see out over all the different villages we have worked in and just pray over them and see the beauty of God’s creation. We also moved villages to a remote bush village about 40 minutes outside of Tororo yesterday and are getting adjusted to our new surroundings.
The hardest part of this past week was the hospital ministry, even though it was also my favorite part. The students on my team were able to see things they have never experienced before, seeing how people in the 3rd world survive with just the very basic of medical care. It was a humbling experience for all of us. One of the students and I prayed over 1 woman in particular who was complaining of severe stomach pain and a fever. After about 10 minutes of praying over her I got a vision of cancer or a tumor of some sort but since our translator had been pulled aside to another patient we were left with no way to communicate with the woman. She began speaking to us but since we were unable to speak back we prayed quickly again and then walked to the next patient, a couple beds down. Two minutes later the previous patient’s family member came and grabbed my arm and pointed to her sister and communicated with us that she had passed away. My team member and I were in shock. We couldn’t understand how this could happen after we had just prayed for healing and when she had just been speaking with us.
The two of us prayed over two more patients before our time was up to leave for lunch. But the entire time as I was praying for the other patients I was watching the nurses care for the dead woman. As they cleaned her and wrapped her body I just broke down in tears and was so heart broken for this poor woman and her family. We finished our prayers and walked quickly to the exit of the hospital to meet the rest of the team and I just stopped and knelt down on the grass and just cried out to God asking why and how he could let this happen. It was such a shattering blow to my faith that I was declaring healing over this woman and then a few minutes later she dies.
After a few days of processing this whole event I have come to realize that this loss of life was not the result of to little faith or not bold enough of prayers made my my teammate and I. That was just a lie from the evil one trying to discourage me. This woman’s time on earth had come to and end and we happened to be blessed enough to be able to pray over her right before she went to see her Father in Heaven. Wouldn’t we all want that? To be prayed over as we pass on to heaven. I can’t think of a better way to exit this earthly world.
I am excited for life in the bush village we are in now with no electricity or communications with the outside world. I pray that my team and I are all strengthened by this new place and that we are able to bring God’s joy and love to the people we meet.
