More than a frowning face... (Anita Hege)

 Trying to coax a little 2 year-old to drink 

Did you ever feel like you were on a tread mill--just running and running and seeming to get nowhere? 

 

Work at CTC; sleep; do a few necessary things at home; go to CTC for another shift of dumping buckets, charting, putting in yet another IV; go home for more sleep and so on. . .  Yes it can feel that way at times especially if you don't keep the end goal in mind as you do the many endless, wearying tasks.  On the other hand as I look ahead and see the difference we are making in many lives now and the differences for eternity as we touch not only physical bodies but souls, it's not just an endless task with no purpose. 

 

"The fish tank" 
People sitting in the observation tent to see if they need
admitted or can just be treated and sent home

The last while our numbers at the CTC have been rising.  When I was working the 8am-4pm shift on Friday, it felt like about all I did was admit new patients, give them meds, check on people in the observation area (the fish tank, as we call it) to see if any more needed admitted, etc.  We had the CTC pretty much filled to capacity without putting so many beds in that we couldn't even move!  We moved in a tent right next to the CTC building so that in the case that we'd need it, we could put more beds in there.  So far we've not had to use it.

 

There are so many aspects to our work at the CTC.  There are, of course, the endless tasks that are always present, but then there are also all those faces--some hurting, some sad, some so dehydrated that they're pretty much out of it, some happy.  As I go around giving drinks it's a blessing just to share a smile with a scared 12 year old who appears to have possibly been mistreated and try to reassure him or to gently approach a little 2 year old who wants to cry if the white nurse gets too close. 

Just a few of our patients. 
Notice the sad look on the ladies face. 
The little 11 year-old girl with her was very low, but
after a little work we had the life-saving IV fluid flowing into her.

 

As you think of us, do continue to pray.  Just as Moses needed his hands held up so that the battle was victorious so we need those standing beside us in prayer and holding up our hands.   

 

Thank you all so much for your support for us and love for the people here.  We certainly can't do this alone.  Something like this surely shows me my limitations, but I'm SO thankful for a faithful Heavenly Father! 

 

Just an earthen vessel for the Lord, 

 

~Anita