Standing in the Gap–Part 1

Standing in the gap for the malnourished
Yesterday, I drove to Bundibugyo town to run some errands.  Bank. Post Office. Phone airtime. The district hospital to pick up formula for the malnourished pediatric patients at the Nyahuka Health Center IV.  F100 and F75 are intervention baby formulas used for admitted pediatric patients on the verge of dying due to malnutrition.  The previous day the health center had run out of all of its reserves of the life giving formula for the malnourished little ones.  Chrissy and Alisha - colleagues who volunteer at the Nyahuka Health center - pounded the phones that same day to locate any other formula in the district.  Patients lives were in the balance.  Formula reserves were available at the District Hospital, 12kms away.  Twelve kilometers that represented life and death. We smoozed with hospital admin. We signed guest books. We signed receiving slips. We loaded the vehicle ourselves.  We stood in the gap.

We arrived at the Nyahuka Health Center.  Mothers of malnourished immediately lined up.  Bystanders helped us unload the truck and move the boxes into the storage room in about 30 seconds.  Alisha stayed overtime to make sure that all malnourished patients on the ward had the prescribed ration. And the crisis was averted with phone calls, elbow grease, and diesel.

This post is the first of a multipart series that I am posting on my blog this week.  It is based on reflection – as the events of this week are fitting together in their puzzle.  It is based on God’s provision in the simple and complex. It involves encouragement (like today’s blog) and discouragement (blogs to come).  It is a testimony of how God this very week is bringing me to the end of myself: overwhelmed and tired; exasperated. Of Him somehow providing strength in the midst of it and of Him speaking through me when I least deserve it.