Each day as we live here on the Hill, I am constantly amazed at God’s provision and presence in such a tangible way – through good and bad. And at His spontaneity. My plans are definitely not His. I can’t believe how many times He has dropped something in our path and our plans change completely for the day.
Last week, after lunch we received a call from a very good friend of ours, Pastor Elijah. He was married about a year ago and his wife, Phyllis, is 6 months pregnant with their first child. They are super inspiring people. They both have a joy that just exudes from them and they are constantly looking to serve God in any way possible.
A few months after they were married, in a sacrificial decision, they decided to leave their comfortable house in town move to ‘the Bush’ to serve among the Maasai people. They are the first Kenyan Missionaries we have met! When we went to their installation service, there were 2 adult church members in the congregation – yes only 2! The eight of us who came to install them increased the attendance at church by 400%.
Today, six months later, the church is at 40 adults and over 80 children! They started a reading class for the Maasai men and women in the community who never learned to read and want to begin reading their Bibles! Even though they live in a tiny 10X10 room house, they are so joyful at God’s movement among the Maasai people.
One of the stories they have told us is of a Maasai couple they asked to come to church. The couple told them they would come to church but they didn’t want to become members or have to be spiritual. Last week, the same couple approached them and said that now that they have come for a few months they have changed their minds and want to know Jesus!
So as I was saying, I got a call from Elijah and he was in distress. Phyllis had fainted in the morning and it was three hours later and he still couldn’t rouse her. In fact, he informed me, that she had been fainting off and on for about 3 weeks now and it was getting progressively worse. He wanted to know if we could come out and pick them up and take her to a hospital.
Now, I thought twice about this for good reason. They live deep in the bush, accessible by the worst road in Kenya, about a 2 1/2 hour drive away. I asked if there was another vehicle or taxi coming by that could come bring her so I could meet them at the hospital. He said he had already waited for 3 hours for a taxi and none were coming.
So Rick and I and our clinician Moses went to them. And that’s the first miracle – the fact that we have a car that can even access the Bush. And the second is that we had our dear friend Nate here visiting. AKA ‘Mrs. McGillicuddy’, Nate stepped in without batting an eye and took over the management of the Smithereen children.
On the way, I called my dad, who being accessible was also, a small miracle. He helped walk me through the possibilities of her condition, so I felt prepared to properly assess Phyllis.
By the time we arrived, she had finally ‘come to’ and was sitting up. She was tearful and we all surrounded her to pray. After thoroughly assessing the situation we determined it would be best to get her to Tenwek Hospital. We were suspicious that she may have had preeclampsia and knew she and the baby needed really good care.
Now, I have never been to Tenwek, and had no idea what we were getting into. I called one of our friends who is a doctor at Kijabe and asked if he knew any doctors at Tenwek. He said, “I only know one doctor at Tenwek, an OB.” God is so good – of course he only knew an OB. He called this doctor and she had the ER staff ready for us to arrive and to page her as soon as we got there. Another miracle…
OH, and it is the rainy season and it hasn’t rained a drop for two weeks straight – which would have made our 2 hour drive to the Bush and 3 hour drive out of the Bush impossible. The roads are so bad there that they are literally impassible when it rains – so of course, God held the rain off for us…
She was able to stay at Tenwek during this last week and was cared for well by the amazing doctors there. Her situation is still tenuous but miraculously she has been able to keep her baby and come home this week. Please pray that things progress normally for her so she can carry this baby to full term.
