Patience Pays

The "maternity ward" at the clinic here consists of one room with one bed, a curtain, and cement walls and floors. The one decorative thing in the room is a sign that says "Patience Pays." The nurse and I were sitting in the room with a woman who had been fully dilated for about 3 hours but hadn't felt like it was time to push. As we waited through each contraction, getting more and more antsy, the nurse looked up and laughed. "Patience pains! But yes, patience really will pay in the end!"

I left to go to the carepoint for the kids' lunch but came back an hour and a half later. Still no baby... I went back to the mission, ate lunch, read, and rested. When I got back to the clinic, the nurse had just finished cleaning up the mom and baby. I was sad to have missed the delivery but YES! The baby finally came! It seemed like such a long time of waiting - 6 hours - an eternity to the laboring mom. But in the end, she had a precious, healthy baby boy. Her endurance and patience paid off.

My first few days in the village were really hard. Adjusting to no power at the mission, missing all of you so much, finding Bruno getting over malaria, not seeing my friends from last trip for a few days - it was rough. I'm not the type of girl to tap out first, but if one of you had called me and said, "We miss you too much! We just need you to come home..." I wouldn't have rejected your request. "Well, ok fine... I suppose if you really need me..." I would have said leaving everything behind to jump on the first truck back to Soroti.

Nate told me that the first week would be really hard but that I would adjust. He was telling me that I needed to be patient and I didn't want to be. Now the power's still not back and I miss you all just as much, but Bruno is healthy and precious, I've gotten to spend more time with Angela, Bosco's back from school, and I'm busy with the work I'm doing here. I'm actually enjoying my time here! I can't say I was the perfect picture of patient waiting, but I didn't pack up and head home and it has paid.

I remember how I felt after I got home from the first trip to the village. I felt so helpless. I need to do something! What can I do now? What if the rain doesn't come? And what if more people die? What if they think we're just another group of white people who came to visit but won't come back to help? What can we do when there's so many people who need so much help?! It didn't happen overnight but a year and a half later, things are really happening here. There's a distinct change since that first visit.

We've built a beautiful carepoint where a couple hundred kids get fed every day. There's a well that we built right near there so that the children have water for drinking and cleaning their dishes after eating. They all recently had medical exams and those in need were sent for further treatment. If any of them have malaria or another common problem, they can be treated at the local clinic without worrying about the cost. There are also way fewer kids with the patchy fungal infections on their heads and the reddish hair from malnutrition.

But my favorite change - on our first trip, you would hold up your camera to try to get a smiling picture from these precious kids and they'd stare at you straight faced like you were crazy. They'd play with you and they'd want to be around you, but a smile was not eaasy to come by. Now this time is certainly different. There are still a few of the little kids who aren't quite sure what to think of a white person, but nearly every smile I get is returned. When I pull out my camera, they know exactly what to do. We still have plenty of work to do here, but our precious children are quick to smile - a sure sign that our patience has paid off.

Romans 8 says that all of creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now as we wait eagerly for our adoption and redemption. I've seen only a glimpse of the pain and suffering in this world and it has been more than enough to make me groan. Please Jesus! I'm ready for You to come back, for You to wipe away every tear, for all things to be made new, for no more death, mourning, crying, or pain. And yet, Romans 8 also says that the sufferings of now are not worth comparing to the glory that is going to come. I know He is drawing more hearts towards Himself, calling more people to come to Him, and that it will happen in His perfect timing. But if you're the one He's waiting on, please hurry up and give your life to Jesus! And if you've already done that, give me a call and we'll wait patiently together. Because I know in the end, our patience will pay :)

Headed to the village with dearest Kati (who's recently been given the Ateso name - Amulen :), no more internet for a while...

Love and miss you all!
Caitin and Kati