Wake-Up Call

Yesterday started off like any day. We made plans for the day but left room for God to change them if need be. We were getting ready to head out to go to La Post (the market) and do some well work. A friend came and asked if we could take a burned man to the hospital. Sam went and picked him up. His house had caught on fire last night or this morning and he was burned all over his body. It was pretty awful. He had apparently been drunk but we don't know how exactly it happened. It turns out that his sister is Pierre's wife. Pierre is one of our new Christians in Doko who stole the leader's cow and has since quit coming to our class mostly because he is ashamed. So that is the background info.

We had the man sitting on the floor in the back of the jeep. Two of the guys sat behind him and tried to support his back with one some of the few spots that weren't burned. His sister and I sat on either side of him and each supported an arm. His hands and forearms were bad but the top of his arms weren't. I asked if I could pray for him and I did out loud in Creole. I said that God created him and knew his body and his heart and knew how much sufferting he was in. I asked God to comfort him and not allow him to die until he had accepted Jesus because I wanted to see him in heaven one day. And I asked for knowledge and compassion from the doctors who would be working with him and comfort for his family.

When you go to the hospital you have to take sheets, water, food- everything you need. And you have to pay upfront. They had nothing except one sheet. We gave them some rehydration fluid, a little food, a pillow and some money. Can you imagine having an emergency and having to think about all that and finding money? They don't even have bathrooms at the hospital just really, really gross outhouses. It is pretty sad.

But anyway, Pierre had gone with us but road up top. When we got to hospital I told him it had been too long and that wasn't a good reason to finally get to see him. Then I took him out of the room to talk with him. I told him that he was a Christian and it was going to be his responsibility to talk to his brother-in-law about Christ. Pierre has apparently made a lot of poor choices but I think he has a really good heart and knows what he needs to do. Pray for him that this would wake him up to the importance of sharing Christ with his family and getting right in his relationship with Christ. There was a tap-tap wreck this week where 5 people were killed. If this man had been in there he would have died immediately. We don't know if he will make it but he at least was given another chance accept Christ. Pray for those involved for comfort and strength but also that this will draw them to the Lord whatever the outcome may be.