Sunday in Koutiala

A bicyclist almost upends in front of me, a donkey backs up barely missing the truck guard, children bounding down the road next to the window as the dirt and dust blow in the wind.
Chickens squawk, sheep bleat, a dog scuttles away and a horn beeps.
The air-conditioner is trying to keep up with the heat and humidity but I roll down my window in order to take in the sights, sounds, and feelings. "Will I ever come to find this irritating instead of a quiet, settling, feeling?". To see life going on around me, flowing with the traffic of vehicles, animals, and people?
I am constantly reminded of "life" here. Especially while driving.

As I backed out this morning, the little boy who is barely over a year toddles out of the adjacent courtyard and directly into my path. Once again I'm grateful for Carol's warning to watch out for the "little one who likes the white people".
I climb out to close the gate behind me and he has already latched onto my leg :-) I take his hand and together we walk back to his compound where is older brother is coming to greet me. A common moment, but only because it is full of life. The dirt stained with early morning washings and the sound of goats scrambling by in the dust. Then I climbed into the Land Cruiser to head for church.

Craig and Marilyn invited the Whistlers and me to join them in going to an outlying village for church today. It felt good to be back in a village again. Not quite the same as Niger, but very similar. Mud houses, mud walls surround mud courtyards. Open wells dropping maybe 15 feet to brackish water. And the millet growing all around. Chickens scratching. Children coming and going. Beautiful.

After church they brought us a meal because we were the honored guests. Macaroni and Goat - by hand. I don't get that every day in the US :) These people are so kind.

The Whistlers are a family who are here to help with the construction and maintenance at the hospital. They are their three children are learning the language(s) and life here in Mali for several months before officially starting their work. I say "officially" since Matt has already unofficially been helping out on projects. He is a builder by trade - but gave up living and working in the US to bring their family to the desert in order to give people the opportunity to come to know Jesus. He and Amy told me it wasn't their first choice, but God made it clear it was the best. And they are living it fully!

Tomorrow I return to the hospital to take-down and ostomy (re-connect bowel), and open another lady to see why she is leaking stool through an old incision which is most likely from TB. The sort of cases that are kept for a general surgeon if one is coming here. Turns out the one that is leaking came at an opportune time. Thanks to the gifts of others, I found equipment in the storage depot on Friday that should come in handy for reconnecting the bowel on both ladies. We'll put it in the sterilizer in the morning in preparation for the afternoon cases.

The little gal pictured below is a good example of the wound care here:
She was struck by a vehicle a few weeks ago and lost the thumb on her right hand. She was just recovering well when she burned her other hand. Now she comes daily for dressing changes. No anesthesia on most days, just Jake's gentle talking to her and assurance as the skin is debrided and new dressings applied.

Mary and Jake, nurses here, are running the wound care center and doing a marvelous job. I'm impressed with the care the patients receive, and how meticulous the Malian nurses and assistants are to taking care of these women and children. It is a level of care I've seen rarely, even in the US.
I would like to show you the skin grafts they have done on another 3 y/o child - legs, buttocks, belly...but it is too disturbing to post. The little guy gets all his dressings done while listening to songs on a phone clutched tightly in his hand. He just zones in on the music and turns the rest of the world off for a bit as the dressings are removed. The methods for handling hardship, pain, distress...they are learned early in this land.

Yet, whatever technique a person finds to dull life's pain, divert attention, or avoid the reality of suffering, there is never enough to fill the void in the heart. And that is where knowing Jesus - the real Jesus - comes into the story. I am quite sick of the God I hear touted in most parts of the world, the "Jesus" that is sung about so glibly and without thought. I'm not pointing fingers - been there myself. But there truly is an Awesome God who can, will, does, talk and walk with us. I'm not a theologian, but I do know reality. Come walk with me through a few births, c-sections, perforated bowels, broken bones, and burned children. I'll show you reality. And there really is a God who knows how - and does - heal, restore, and fill the hearts of those who turn to Him. Not a religious God. Not a God of "belief". But a true, living, being who can enter deeper into the deepest parts of your soul and restore the broken and messed up parts. And He makes beauty even more beautiful, songs more colorful, and feeling more full than you thought imaginable.
He is the Creator God. The only One who offers full life without asking you to work for it, prove it, or believe it strong enough to make it real. He just gives it freely to those willing to receive it. Simple.
No technique, religion, or skill necessary.
It simply means relinquishing your hold on all aspects of your life - acknowledging the rebellion that you held onto in order to hang on to your life, and accepting His forgiveness. And with that forgiveness, His life.

That's why I'm here. To give each one the opportunity to come to know the Author of LIFE. The TRUE God - not a religion, experience, or belief. Reality.
And tomorrow I plan to cut open two abdomens in order to address the physical suffering - and pray they will open their hearts to accept the Christ who can heal ALL suffering. That is a privilege that makes me wonder at a God who would allow me to be here with these people. To serve with men and women who have given everything to serve Him. To be here but for a moment while they are here as witnesses of this God every day. These are the ones I think of when I think of people who serve our awesome God.