Looking After The Sick

Matthew 25:36 and 40 says: “I was sick and you looked after me . . . I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.”

Less than 1 week back at Masana and already I’m spending hours doing just that….looking after the sick.

Tuesday morning, one the street boys, Fabiao, was hit by a car. A couple of the boys told me about it when they arrived at Masana. So off I went to the hospital in search of Fabiao. Now, in case you’ve missed my past stories about the central hospital here in Maputo, let me refresh your memory: everything at the hospital is still done on paper…not computers. There wasn’t any record of him at the front desk where all patients to the ER are supposed to check in. The police at the hospital also had no record of the accident. So a very kind worker took me from department to department looking for Fabiao. Finally we found a nurse who remembered treating a boy who lived on the street.

Praise the Lord, Fabiao’s injuries were not severe. He just had a couple of scrapes and cuts. The doctor wanted to discharge him but since he lives on the street, decided it was better for him to stay overnight at the hospital. The whole thing actually worked out quite well for Fabiao! He got a bed to sleep in for a night and lots of food - from the hospital, me, and the person who was driving the car that hit him. And today when the doctor released him from the hospital, the driver of the car bought Fabiao new clothes and sandals because the clothes he had on when the accident happened were thrown away. I hope other street kids don’t catch onto this and start stepping out in front of cars!!!

Another one of our boys, Samera, is also in the hospital. He is 17 years old. He has diabetes and when he’s on the streets it’s nearly impossible to control. One of his friends took him to the hospital last week and he has not been discharged yet. He has told me that he’d like to go live with his grandfather when he gets out of the hospital. Please pray for Samera. Pray he will realize the danger he puts himself in by living on the streets and that he will stick to this plan to return home.

Although the past couple of days have been full of walking to and from the hospital many times (my car is still not repaired), I’ve enjoyed every minute of it. It’s these times of caring for one of the boys when they are sick or injured that I really bond with them. God promises that in all things He works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purposes. Though I hate to see my boys sick or injured, I love that the Lord uses it to lavish His love on them through me!!!