Care and Compassion

Greetings from Kisumu, Kenya

To the church of God in Carmichael, together with all the saints, family and friends following our journey.

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.


The God of All Comfort

So begins the second letter of Paul to the Corinthians.

It is Friday here in the Yellow House on Ring Road. Lots of activity after a wonderful time of praise, worship and prayer. Teams going out for ministry, people preparing the needed supplies for the patients that will be visited, anticipation for bringing Robert here to live in Desmond's cottage, housekeeping chores, and a quiet moment and an open block of time to share my heart with all of you!

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of Compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort that we ourselves have received from God."


These words have always been precious to me. After the last three days they have become more alive, more vibrant, stunning and very, very sweet. I would like to tell you all of the details. However, I realize that you are very busy and as you check in here I want to share just a few stories. I pray that they whet your appetite to hear more when I see you face to face.

I have been blessed to be assigned to go out the last three days to participate in the Care and Compassion ministry of Christ's Hope. I will tell you three stories.

Tuesday Desmond, a new volunteer named George and I, went to Nyahera up in the hills above Kisumu. There are several patients that Desmond visits every Tuesday. He also checks on new contacts to see about their medical needs.

So this particular day Desmond had two "newbies" with him! Can you imagine! Well, the Lord is gracious and has been preparing George and myself all of our lives to meet each other and to partner with Desmond and Christ.

A patient named Joseph was our first contact of the day. He had been paralyzed from a stroke and was very "down" (sick). He lives with his mama Millicent and a sister. When we walked up to his home he was walking with assistance from his "stick" (three-pronged cane) and is doing very well! We sat outside his home with mama under a huge avocado tree in the cooling shade. We visited and talked about his family and how far he has come. I was privileged to read Scripture and George translated. Desmond prayed and we were off to find the next patient. Not finding her close by we walked back by Joseph's home and he gifted us with two of the biggest avocados I have ever seen! George told me that was a very unusual thing. Remind me to tell you about George someday. Besides being a wonderful man of God and very articulate he is also a farmer! We talked and talked and talked of God's creation and provision and blessing.

Wednesday brought us again to the hospital in Maseno. We had been there the previous day dropping off new patients and checking on others. I want to tell you about a patient named R. I cannot give you her full name as you will see her picture in this posting.

R. is in the hospice room of the hospital. She was all alone Tuesday evening. Her family has abandoned her. This particular morning, Wednesday, Marieke and I were assigned to the Maseno Hospital to care for patients. I will tell you about the care of R.

When we arrived in R's room she looked much better than she had the previous evening. R needed a bath, wound care and help with medicine and her meal. Three hours after beginning that process, R was resting quietly on clean bedding, with a catheter installed and clean dressings for her wound. I will spare you the details as I am still amazed how God worked during that time. I will tell you that time stood still.
And God is good and He is faithful!

Yesterday was another day of C and C ministry. Desmond, another George, Laura and I went in another direction out of Kisumu to check on patients. We were also trying to locate R's husband, Juma. Family has the responsibility of burial when someone dies here. Usually the body is buried somewhere near the home on family land. As Juma and the rest of the family has abandoned R I would ask you to pray that God changes Juma's heart and that Juma would do the right thing for his wife. A miracle is  needed!

2 Corinthians 1:5-11 talks about what I am experiencing here as I come along side the patients in Care and Compassion. I want you to know that I know that God ordained this time long before I was born. He knew who I would meet. He knows each of us intimately and He longs for us to know Him.

I would encourage each of you to look for your own "divine appointments" as you live and work and breathe. You don't have to come to Africa. Just keep the eyes of your heart open and ask Him to give you ears to hear and the words to say.

God is good. God is faithful.

"May the Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace." Numbers 6:24-26

I love you all dearly!

Pat