Wednesday, January 18, 2017

An opening from behind and a God who hears the cries of our hearts.

I c a n n o t  believe that I have not written on this blog in the last 6 weeks.
Crazy.  Unacceptable.  And yet, it is totally what it is.
I don't have a reason as to why I haven't written.
To be honest, I didn't realize HOW long it had been.
And when I did.... well, I had to pause.  And wait for the moment the words would flow.
And so here, I sit.
In a tank top with a heat that dried my freshly washed floor in a matter minutes.
The air is dry and the dust is picked up and thrown around at the slightest turn of the wind.
And I can't seem to guzzle enough water.

This morning, when I was working in the clinic, I knew my fingers were going to hit the keyboard.

While I was in India, a huge container full of medical supplies came to New Hope.   Months ago, that container was packed.  Many things were requested for and yet, most things that came were surprises.

Well, surprises to us here... but NOT surprises to Him!

And that's where my heart does a big smile.

Because today I saw how God answered a prayer from my heart from months ago.

It wasn't a prayer that really fell from my lips.

It was one of those prayers that sits heavy on your heart.

Months ago, when I was completing my hours at a hospital in Kampala.  A young man was brought in by a good samaritan.  He had experienced serious electrical burns along with a serious head injury. It wasn't clear what happened to him.  Except that he was in VERY serious condition.

The clothes that he came in were removed in the hustle of providing him with care.

It wasn't possible for them to be put back on.

And the decision was made to shift him to another hospital.  That, in and of itself, is a story for another day.

And it wasn't as easy as throwing a hospital gown on him and sending him on his way.

Instead, a makeshift something was rigged and placed on him to cover him.

It wasn't a matter of honoring his dignity.  It was a matter of NOT having something proper to cover him.

And that was hard.  I remember whispering to this man that while we didn't know his name.... that God knew his name.  And as I stood near him, I prayed out loud that this man would know the presence of Jesus.

And though the words about the lack of hospital gowns didn't fall from my lips, God heard the prayers of my heart.

And today, as I went through boxes of donations.  I found myself sorting through a decent number of hospital gowns.  Gowns of all sizes.  Gowns that are nothing more than a large piece of cloth with two holes for arms and a gap in the behind.  Literally, the BEHIND.  Hey... that was a fun PUN! But a piece of material that can properly cover an individual in a very vulnerable time.

And I can't wait to deliver these gowns to a few hospitals.  And know that the individuals who will wear them will be blessed by something so simple.  Yet so dignifying.

It boggles my brain that with EVERYTHING going on in the world... that God cares not only about showing me He hears my prayers, but that He nudged someone, somewhere to donate the old hospital gowns months ago.

Amazing!

I'm blessed.  

And I'm reminded that my God HEARS my heart.

And cares about His people.