Lately, when we go to the hospital we have been visiting the pediatric wing. The children are very receptive to us, depending on how sick they are of course. But their parents are even more welcoming. As soon as they learn that we are missionaries they ask us to pray for their children! It seems as though it is easier for them to ask for prayer, or to see that there is a need for prayer when it is their children that are in pain rather than themselves.
Everyday before we walk into the hospital we pray. One of the things that we pray for is that God would give us direction, showing us who to speak with and what to say. Last Wednesday we went to the pediatric wing and a nurse stopped us. She told us to go to rooms 4, 5, and 6. (Room four has six patients in it.) We went into room four first and began talking to the families. The nurse came in and pointed out a woman and told us we needed to speak with her.
This woman was talking to a doctor at first and then she fell asleep. We continued talking to other people while waiting to other patients, while waiting for an opportunity to talk with her. The nurse came in again and told us that we should talk with her. Finally and opportunity arose and I went to speak with her. She was with her one month old son, who was having digestive problems. Here is where it gets tricky because I did not understand what she was saying to me. The facts that I do know are that she is 19 years old, married, but her husband is working in the United States. This is her third baby, but the other two have passed away. This woman was broken and very afraid of letting the doctors perform surgery on her child. While we were there, three times, doctors came in to talk to her. Once the doctor asked us to leave the room and I could hear that they got into a heated argument. When we returned to the room she was crying. I sat there a long time just praying and waiting for her to open up. It was very difficult, I did not know what to do, and I feel so limited in the language anyway. I kept asking for God’s direction. We prayed for her and her son. That a peace would fall on her and that she would look to Christ through all of this. When we finished praying she seemed much calmer and was able to talk to us more relaxed. Our time at the hospital ended and she was not there when we went again on Friday.
I did not realize it at the time, but even though it was difficult communicating with her, God definitely answered a prayer. He showed us exactly who to talk to.
