Hamza's Story

Hamza and I after his 14 day stay in the hospital

This is my friend Hamza. He is  11 years old. He lives in the village where the farm and the clinic are.  I have met him many times at the clinic and seen him pass by the farm.  But now I have a stronger bond with him and his family.  Three weeks ago on a Sunday morning I was called by a friend and employee of mine from the village and told there is a boy who is in very bad shape and needs to be taken to the hospital immediately.  I have received many calls like this in the last 7 years.  Some of them have been very legitimate calls and the people have been in very bad shape, and others  have not been so legitimate......

   So I usually do not take the chance if I am here to truly show the love of Jesus how can I not care about there lives?  This is what the love of Jesus is this is what the love of Jesus looks like.  These are the chances we get to live Christ out for the people here in this place.  I quickly explained the situation to Rebekah and took off for the village.(which is around 15 miles from the hospital with more than half of the route on a rough road or what some may say is not a road but it works for us) I went at a pretty good speed to rush there to see the condition of Hamza.



I reached his hut weaving through many trees and brush to get as close to the hut as possible.  I was met by a friend and employee Hamisi who is one of the farm hands on our farm.  He took me to the place the boy was and then I saw how bad it really was.  My heart wept I wanted to breakdown into tears all the muscles in his little body were contracted, his body was contorted in unnatural and uncomfortable position, and he could not open his mouth. My first thought was tetanus/lockjaw and knowing that tetanus only has a 50 % survival rate at this stage under the best medical care only scared me more.   SO we moved quickly and carried him to the vehicle and then I told the people to hold him tightly because we were going to move like and airplane. At that stage every minute counted.  The whole way I drove faster than I ever have on those roads the vehicle was off the ground several times.  The whole way I interceded for his life.  I begged the Lord to intervene to give him another chance. I wrestled with God, I told Him this isn't fair this boy wasn't given a chance. So many things went through my head but the bottom line was I needed Jesus to help us. And I was begging Him to do something.

   We reached the hospital and I carried him into the ER where trust me no one moves fast. I grabbed a doctor (physically ) and brought him to Hamza.  They admitted him immediately into the pediatric
ward.  Where we wheeled him into the ward the care was not much better.  I asked the doctors(interns) to check him for tetanus and meningitis because those were my first two thoughts from seeing his condition.  Luckily the medicine( penicillin) is the same for treating both so they started the antibiotics immediately. I was at the hospital for the next 5 days to ensure the hospital was treating him and he was improving but finally on day 4 we saw a response to the medicine.  He was able to talk, sit up and eat.  He was having some hallucinations still which leads more to the diagnosis of meningitis. ( even though the spinal fluid didn't show meningitis)  Hamza had to stay in the hospital for 14 days getting antibiotics through and IV every six hours.  I continued to visit him during his time there and talked with h is mom and his sister about the care they were getting in the hospital.  Each time I would visit they would tell me that right after I leave all the hospital staff would ask them " why does this white man care about this boy and you people?"  "what does he get for helping you all?" SO I asked them what doe you say when they ask that?      They told me replied to them" what do we have to give him? What could he want from us?  He helps us because he is one of us. He is from our village. He is our people."  I can't tell you what joy I felt in those moments moving into this position in the community means more real opportunities to show Jesus to preach Jesus!

   At the end of Hamza's stay in the hospital the family asked if I could take him and mom back home to the village.  I also knew they would need help with the bill but I had already told the hospital I would pay the bill.  I didn't want Hamza to lack the meds or tests he would need because of monetary issues.  SO do you wanna know what a 14 day stay in G Hospital costs?  35 dollars yep that is it 35 dollars.  Adam Chesson (one of my closest friends and brothers) went we me to the hospital and to take them back home.( You can read his blog as well posted just before this one to get his perspective)   One the way there I joked with Hamza about him wanting to stay at the hospital forever.  He hated staying there he wanted out as soon as he was awake again.   I told him what a huge miracle that it was that he was walking out of that hospital today.  I told him how when I picked him up I was afraid for his life and from that moment I started praying for him to Jesus asking Jesus to heal him and save him.  I told him Jesus answered my prayers and I was so thankful for that.

    When we reached the hut where I had picked him 14 days earlier. We turned off the vehicle and got out for the normal greetings.  The rest on the family came to greet us and show their thanks for helping with Hamza's situation.  In that moment I knew I had the chance to freely share why I helped and why I was so willing to help.  I took the opportunity to preach God's love in a few sentences to Hamza and his family.  I told them that I can only do anything good because of God.  And that God called me here to work with them, and help them, but most importantly to show His real love for them.  I also told them I would continue doing that and being there as long as God tells me to.  I also shared with them how it brings me great joy to show them God's love.  These are the times that you work for in M ministry.  These are the opportunities you pray for and wait for.  These are the situations that make you an insider in the community.  These are the times you go from being  a white guy to being a villager.  I pray that this is just the beginning of something big and new that Jesus is doing here in our village.  I know that He will be known in this place and I pray that we are obedient in playing our part in that whatever that may look like.  Pray with us that  Jesus will reign in this place!