MOL Clinic Coming Soon?

These past few weeks have been a time of great interruptions or divine appointments, as we like to call them.  During the time we were preparing for the team and while the team was here, we had two severe instances where local people came in need of stitches.  One woman was using a pickax…when she swung it; it missed and went right into her shin.  Her mother brought her here hours later to receive stitching from Jako.  Praise God that he and Amber both have wisdom and knowledge when it comes to injuries like this, otherwise these people coming to them would most likely die from infection because they are unable to get to the clinic a ways away.  Jako graciously gave her the stitches she needed and instructed her to come back 6 days later to get them removed.  Thankfully for Jako, it was a straight cut down her leg, so it was very easy for him to sew up.  

The second incident came near the end of the teams stay here in the bush.  A man came hobbling up to camp telling us that he had an accident on his bike the night before and almost lost his second to last toe.  The chain cut from the bottom of the toe all the way to the bone.  Jako had a much tougher time sewn him up at the angle he was given.  Luckily, he had a helper (Tammy) who was very intrigued by giving stitches in the bush and wanted to give it a try herself.  She watched her teacher carefully and even got to get in and attempt a stitch of her own.  Although the man was in a lot of pain, I think they were able to save his toe.  He never came back to get them removed, so we pray that he didn’t get an infection or anything severe like that. 

Unfortunately I don’t think MOL is planning on opening a permanent clinic any time soon…hehe, but we would love for the government to put one up in Mukumba for the villages around here.  The nearest clinic right now is so far away a lot of people can’t get there because of the distance.  Charles has to take our babies there once a month and it is a long trip on the tractor.  Jako says that if the people show an interest in a clinic and make their need known to the government, they will come out here and build one and staff it, but first the community needs to show a care and an interest.  Please pray that if it is God’s will the people who are able to influence the community begin to talk about a clinic and the need for medical care closer to them.