Zimbabwe #7

How can it be Friday already?  We have spent five wonderful, long, tender, spirit-filled, exhausting but deeply rewarding days at CURE Children's Hospital, Zimbabwe. When we started on Monday, there was s a lot of flexibility and praying to figure out how the day was going to go and how to bless the children and staff. By today, we had a rhythm, a loose schedule, and a knowledge of a "plan".....even when you had to be flexible at the last minute. Interwoven throughout, however, was a deeper love and relationship developing among our team and the children, parents, and staff at the hospital. I was blessed to be able to sing with the hospital worship team that began this morning with their chapel service. The music was pure, beautiful and so filled with the love of Jesus. 

All week I have been growing attached to a girl named Annabel. She had surgery for a kneecap dislocation, but was staying at CURE for physical therapy (or Physio as they call it here). Every day this week we knew when Annabel was in therapy....her painful cries were heard throughout as the therapist worked on trying to bend her leg into a 90 degree angle.  How hard it is to see a child hurt so much, knowing it is necessary for her to gain complete function of her leg again. Her mother was so comforting to her, yet allowed the therapist to do the work because it was necessary to become whole. I reflected that God often has to do that with us. We cry, scream at pain/discipline but sometimes it is necessary to heal. At one point, four year old Annabel stopped her crying and looked at the therapist and said "hurry up"!!!! It was a moment of lightness to the session. 

As we wrapped up the day, we all mentioned that a "piece of our heart" will be left here.....the children (patients) have captured our hearts, the doctors truly love these kids and want the best for them by offering life-changing surgeries, the parents trust the care because it gives them hope for their child and a chance for a bright future. Encompassing it all, though, is a love of Jesus and a heart to be ambassadors for Him....whether it's being a surgeon, or mopping the floors. The humility of the people and the servants' hearts that were evident in all who work for CURE will be remembered long after we have returned to Colorado.

- Connie W for the team