The one who said "Thank You!"

Pastor John Maloba and I first met each other at an Open Arms medical camp in Kipkaren the summer of 2013. The Lord gave us favor with the Muslim people who came through the prayer tent that year. We have had opportunity to minister together in the prayer tent at subsequent medical camps, including January 2016 in the Kambi Teso slum where Open Arms International has a feeding program for poor children.

Pastor Maloba invites me to preach at his church - Hopewell Baptist - every year. I was able to honor his request this year on February 14th. After I had preached, a woman came forward to greet the congregation because she was visiting that day. The pastor asked if I remembered her from the Kambi Teso medical camp. Yes! I certainly did remember her.

We prayed with several thousand people who passed through the prayer tent during our five days of medical camp. This woman was memorable.

I rose to tell the congregation why I remembered her. I asked the church members if they knew the story of the ten lepers that were healed. (Luke 17:12-19) They responded "Yes." I told them this woman was the one who returned to thank Jesus. She had been healed of vision and hearing problems when we prayed with her, and she was the only one to come back to the prayer tent after seeing the doctors and say “Thank you!” before she left the camp. 

She had kept in contact with Pastor John, after they met at the medical camp, so she could attend his church. I was very happy that she came on the day I was there. It was great to see her again! She brought her brother with her, and the two of them joined us for lunch at the pastor's home after the church service.

 

Maundy Thursday

Thursday, March 24, 2016

When I realized today was Maundy Thursday, I was reflecting on that day in 2005 when I had an encounter with the Lord during our evening service at McMinnville Covenant Church. I often call it my “knocked me off a donkey” experience when the voice of the Lord blindsided me with the words “You’re going to Africa!” I had to leave the sanctuary, and spent the next hour on my knees in the chapel (an emotional wreck!). I finally returned to the service in time to take communion from one of our pastors. He called me the next day to ask if I was okay, because he could see my swollen, red eyes when he served me the communion elements.

As I was reflecting on that life-altering event today, I realized that I have usually referred to it as the day the Lord called me to Africa. Then I immediately corrected myself, and thought “No. It was a command to go to Africa.” Soon after that thought, I opened my email to read a Holy week devotional I received today that stated:

Editor's Note: Today is Maundy Thursday (or Holy Thursday), the day Jesus celebrated the Passover, the Last Supper with His disciples. The derivation of the word Maundy comes from the Latin word “command” and refers to what Jesus called us to do when He washed the feet of His disciples — love and serve one another.

Coincidence? I think not! I have never seen that definition of Maundy before today.

I did a quick search on my iPad calendar to see what was the date for Maundy Thursday in 2005. It was March 24^th. Okay this is getting a bit freaky now, because TODAY is March 24^th! In fact, Maundy Thursday has not fallen on March 24^th since 2005. 

God is having a playful moment with me.

July 2014 Medical Camp

My first medical mission team with Open Arms International (OAI) was in Rwanda during the summer of 2005. That was a life-changing experience! 

At the end of those two weeks, I told the Open Arms co-founders, David and Rachel Gallagher, Lord willing, I would return to Africa with them every year. There were many obstacles along the way, but I have kept my promise to them. I have led about fifteen medical teams for OAI since July 2006.

The July 2014 medical camp was held at the Open Arms village in Mlango, Kenya. Open Arms International believes in complete health – spiritual, emotional, physical. We always open our medical clinics with a time of praise & worship and a local pastor shares a message from scripture. Those in attendance are invited to pray for Jesus Christ to become their Lord and savior. 

The flow of the clinic begins with a prayer tent where everyone receives prayer before they proceed to the medical tents. Often times, patients will be healed miraculously during prayer. They go to the triage tent after prayer to get their vital signs measured, and then see a doctor for a general health screening. The last stop is the pharmacy tent where they pick up any prescribed medications before they go home.

 

We treated more than 650 patients during our four days of the medical camp at the OA village. Twenty-one prayed for salvation. Several were healed of various ailments in the prayer tent, including a hearing impaired woman who had her hearing completely restored. PTL!

The feedback we have received from the local community has been really appreciative. Some have told us that they wished the hospitals followed our model of praying with patients before administering medical treatment.

Kenyan kogo

The elderly people of Kenya never cease to amaze me. Many I have met in the community of Mlango have exceeded the average life expectancy of 60 years. They are always quick to smile broadly when we meet. Their faces light up with gratitude for another day of life as we exchange a handshake and the common Kalenjin word of greeting – chamgei.

Our outreach team from the Open Arms village church visited an interesting 100 year old woman recently. She is the kogo (grandmother) to one of our church members. Her mind was very sharp as she told us the history of her house, which she had lived in her entire life, and family. Her parents took up residence in the small round building during the colonial times when the area was occupied by the British. The unusual roof was our first clue of the house’s age. It was made from the metal of oil drums. An addition had been built onto the main structure when the family grew. The unattached traditional kitchen was near the addition. A fresh coat of mud plaster and paint on the exterior disguised the true age of the building.

We had visited an old man (mzee) a few weeks prior in the area, and quickly learned that he was the kogo’s brother. Many of the people we visited in that neighborhood were family members. The mzee had four wives and 35 children. His first wife was still alive at the age of 104!

The old woman occupied most of her day by keeping her hands busy with a local craft of decorating gourds for storing milk. We were impressed with her ability to string the small beads and attach them to the sides of the hollowed gourds. She told us her eyesight was failing, but it was evidently keen enough to continue a craft she had learned in her youth.

The kogo freely gave advice to Paul when he accompanied me on a return visit. Paul speaks the local dialect of the Kalenjin people. He told me later that she told him to be careful when making decisions. She explained her words of advice with a personal story of selling a parcel of land to a man several years ago. The land had a very special (ritual) tree on it that was used by the local community for important gatherings. It served as the Roman Catholic church as well as the place where many disputes were settled.  One day the new owner decided to clear the land for planting crops. He did not consult anyone before cutting down the sacred tree, and was chastised heavily for removing it. When he died, the wood from that tree was used to cook food for the guests at his funeral.

I encouraged the kogo to have someone write down her stories. The history in her memory needed to be recorded. We were delighted to learn that her daughter was already compiling a book for the family.