Today I’m in Lubango, Angola. If you look at a map of Africa, Angola is a nation in the southwest corner. I lived here for two years, working at a mission hospital and also doing mobile clinics. During these weeks I’m covering for Steve Foster, the Canadian doctor who runs the Evangelical Medical Center of Lubango – a brand new 40-bed hospital built with generous support from Samaritan’s Purse.
The trip here took three days, including two long flights at night. But the only real damage was a nasty sunburn I acquired on the drive across the Kalahari Desert. Today is my first full day on the job – and what an undertaking! Scores of people suffering from all forms of tuberculosis, malaria, typhoid fever, fractures. I just examined a lady with TB of the spine… That’s right, tuberculosis of her spine, causing the vertebra to collapse and making her back bent forward at a 90 degree angle. I started her on TB medications, but can do nothing to fix the curvature of her back.
Another lady has malaria of the brain and is convulsing. I’m treating the infection and giving medication for control of her seizures. But humanly speaking, her chance of survival is low. All this along with the ‘normal’ run of motorcycle injuries and asthma attacks and heart failure. Dr. Foster will be leaving tomorrow for a much deserved vacation, and I’ll be the only full-time doc here. Honestly, I’m pretty apprehensive. All communication is done in Portuguese, and my Portuguese skills are rusty, and the diseases and treatment are radically different from the US.
I’m dwelling on Philippians 4:4-8 “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”If you think of me during these days please pray that I can keep this attitude and that I’ll be filled with all the energy and insight I’ll need to, at least in some small way, be Jesus to the people of Angola.