Steve and Casey Cretsinger Experiencing Tribal Missions in Guinea, W. Africa
Taking Moustapha to the hospital to be examined
I sat at the local hospital the other day thinking to myself, “how would I begin to describe this to people at home?” Then I sat there thinking about how amazingly blessed we as Americans are for the health care we have at our disposal. Calling and make an appointment, or even better yet, to be able to rush to an emergency room when someone is dying; to have a waiting room with seats, away from the flies and scorching sun; to have medicines and medical equipment – these are all privileges that don’t exist here in our part of Guinea. I know it could sound like I’m just trying to make people feel guilty in light of all the complaints about health care in the States. Okay, maybe I am, a little. I get that there is a lot of issues involved – issues that admittedly, I am not keeping up on over here. But, I would venture a guess that if most Americans could come and experience health care here just one time – the complaints would stop. I sat and watched a little boy moan for hours and no one help them. I saw two little ones nearly in a coma they were so sick with malaria and still they sit and wait for hours for someone to see them. Sometimes I feel so overwhelmed with the “unfairness” of life here. I want things to be so different from what they are. Health care that we wouldn’t ever think is good enough for our kids, is a luxury to the people here. Most of the people here are farmers, making just enough to barely survive, and that doesn’t leave money left over for sickness. My thoughts are just jumbled, so many things I think about, but there are never really any answers. Life in Africa is just complicated and thinking about how to fix the problems seems only more complicated.
The only way to deal with it for me is to just do what I can – one simple little thing at a time. I can’t fix the problems of an entire village, but I can give some money to a family in need. I can’t fix the hospital system, but I can go with my friend, sit with her, smile at the people around me, and get to know the doctors and nurses. I pray that by getting to know these men and women that I will be able to develop a relationship with them and use that to help the medical needs of the people in the village. I can drive people to the hospital which saves them precious money for the medicines. I need to remind myself that these little things are a demonstration of God’s love too. It’s easy to be overwhelmed by what we can’t fix, but it’s good to remember to first be faithful in the things we can.
The line waiting to see the doctor
Tags: relationships
