Uganda October 2019 Day 3

“Praise the Lord!” “Amen”

We arrived at the Cure Hospital in the midst of their corporate worship service in a cozy space where the employees were singing praises to our Father, much like they had the day before at Pastor Fred’s church. The people worship the Lord for who He is and are filled with His joy. Their joy is contagious. Following the team worship time, the majority of the the employees left and we met with the hospital director and the ministry team to get to know more about one another.

Few on the team took many pictures today. Absorbing the people we were meeting and the environment we were touring seemed to be our main focus. The staff and the hospital are truly beautiful and welcoming. Daily, they take a corporate tea break at 10 and we get to fellowship and meet more of the people who work here. The staff here beams with Christ’s joy and love. We were able to tour the campus from the administration offices, waiting room, and the laboratory, which has the most dependable CT scanner of only two in all of Eastern Uganda. From there we were able to visit the operation facility and the ICU ward. After the ICU we were shown the large garden used to feed staff and patients and the chicken coop with about seventy chickens. Each mother is given one chicken for herself and one for her baby when they leave the hospital.

Following our tour we were then able to observe a live surgery. The hospital performs six or seven daily surgeries on average. Jackie and Bruce were permitted to be in the operating room to observe. When we spoke with Winnie, a ministry team member, about what they do for the mothers and the cost it created great emotion in me. For approximately $350 USD the baby is given pre-op and post-op care, 2 CT scans, porridge for the mother, clean water and soap for a year… consider what our medical care costs for a year. The surgeon, Dr. Emanuel, prayed over the operation before he began the surgery. His purpose is far greater than just performing an operation to save a life. He is saving a child’s hope for his/her future, giving them an identity and purpose in a culture that does and will reject them for their deformity with the ultimate desire being to save the soul.

At the Cure Uganda hospital they also have a corporate lunch providing the staff rice, beans and cabbage. We were blessed with coffee to help us fight the jet lag as well. Then we began the mothers devotional time. This was another opportunity for us to witness the praises of God’s people. The mothers stood singing, clapping and praising the Lord and then prayed aloud when they were encouraged to “talk to Jesus.” Today Nicole, from our team, gave her testimony of the Lord’s miracle in her life, curing her of hydrocephalus and really encouraging the mothers, despite what they may be hearing from the world around them about them and their babies. Then a pastor came and gave a small sermon.

The Cure Hospital in Uganda is so purposeful in their mission. The mothers have been told so many lies about why their baby suffers, from it being their fault to the baby being possessed by a demon, when it often comes down to the sheer need of one vaccination. The devil is relentless and unmerciful here, but the Ugandans praise the Lord all the more. Unlike America, where our Father is often treated as a quick fix vending machine when we need something, the Ugandans know and praise the Father for His sovereignty and majesty despite their circumstances. They know their very breath depends upon him. So it leaves me to ask, can I support a mother who goes through this, can I respond with more passion for my father and does He inhabit my praises?

Blessed are those who dwell in your house, ever singing your praise! Selah Psalm 84:4
Praise the Lord, all nations! Extol him, all peoples Psalm 117:1

- Angie Greene

- Angie Greene