Mbale Main Hospital

Most of life in Uganda is fairly the same as life in America, maybe just with a different backdrop or social norms. Everyone wants the most for their family, works hard for daily provisions, and seeks out a deeper meaning of life, on top of the daily things like eat, work, socialize, and sleep. But there are other things that are just so drastically different from the American standard, for example- medical care. Medical care is provided free from the government in Uganda. But this statement sounds a lot better than the actual deal. Though services are free, often you have to come with your own bedsheets, mosquito net, and medical supplies and purchase your own drugs for nurses to administer. Hospitals are not sterile, white walled environments with strict HIPA protocol, but instead often look like this:

Open air hallways from one ward to the next. Everyone must bring their own attendant (maybe a mother or sibling or auntie) that will prepare and serve you food, help you, and even sleep on a reed mat by your bed your whole hospital stay. 

Personally, the conditions are still a bit shocking whenever I visit Main Hospital. Medical personnel are stretched thin caring alone for multiple people per ward. And adding to the shock is the fact that I can just wander into the hospital and patients will share freely what their ailment is and how I can pray for them. (There was one time I was visiting an Auntie from LCH that had a minor operation and her IV had run out of fluids but we had not seen a nurse since we had arrived an hour ago. Someone finally went to find one to come help and when she arrived at the bed she looked at me, handed me a new IV fluid, and said very seriously, "Here, start this new IV." To which I responded, "Madame, I am not a medical professional. I don't know how."

I have visited Mbale Main Hospital twice recently. 

My friend Nambozo had her second baby. The last time we talked on the phone she had told me, "Natalie, expect a call from me anytime that I have produced." Sure enough, about one week later I got a call around 8:30am. I asked if she had good news for me and she proudly announced that she had delivered a healthy baby boy, James. I got to the hospital around 9am to visit her and to my surprise I found her outside in the corridor, waiting in line for the baby's first immunizations. 

Nambozo with her mom (behind her) and her neighbor who had cared for her throughout the night during labor pains

Mamas in line waiting for immunizations.

To my surprise, I learned that Nambozo had held off pushing throughout the night, though labor pains were intense, until the morning sun rose and she was able to find and sit on a boda (a motorcycle taxi) and get to the hospital. She arrived at 7am, was given a bed, and then heard the cry of her baby by 8am. Now it was 9am and she had been discharged! What?!! She explained that it had been a normal delivery and there were other people needing her bed in the ward so the doctor discharged her. 

Praise God that He is the Maker, Creator, Life Giver, Protector, and Sustainer. And praise God for baby James. What a privilege to hold him in his first hour of life and to pray the Lord's blessings over him. 

Baby James
April 28, 2016

The second visit to Main Hospital was when I was escorting one of my dear friends, Favour, to see her "auntie" that had been her care-giver and attendant last year when Favour underwent major surgery. This was my first time to meet Auntie Janet, but I wanted to thank her for caring for my friend when she was sick and return the blessing of visiting her while she was bedridden until her hip set (due to car accident she was in). Culturally, it is important to visit family and friends when they are "sick".

I am not sure why I expected this auntie to be in her own room (you can get a private room if you can pay for it), but she was not and was in a ward for people with broken legs... car accidents, falling out of a tree, getting "knocked" (hit) by a boda on the way to school.

Auntie Janet

Auntie Janet's mother who was caring for her.

Lord bless these people. My heart went out to them. Since their legs are in traction until they are set properly, they are bedridden for weeks on end. How BORING!!! And there is not even a dream of having a television in every room. So literally they just lay there or sit up all day and do almost nothing. I can't even imagine how bored I would be.

Before Favour and I left that day we prayed for Auntie Janet and the other four children in the room. We ended our visit by singing Jesus Loves Me and the children came to life. Huge smiles wrapped  across their faces and waist up - arm swaying - dance moves were seen from every bed. I knew I had to go back and I knew just the person to ask to come with me... Lilly (the Palmer's daughter). 

Lilly got busy right away packing a bag of dolls and books and other things to give to the children and do while we were there and could barely wait for the next day when we were meant to go. (She has such a heart of gold... so sweet). We went to the market and supermarket to bring some food items, fruit, soda, and cookies to share with them. We also stopped by the stationary store to buy colored pencils and an art book for everyone to have.

Expecting only Auntie Janet and the four children, we were surprised to find two additional children there (and many of their caretakers). Lilly shared that she too had fallen out of a mango tree and broken her leg, but that God is the Healer and she can now move fine.

We read a story to the children and made sure each of them could see the pictures well.

We also played pictionary (of sorts) and let each child draw and then showed it to all the rest to guess what it was. They loved drawing and could have continued for hours.

If but only for a couple of hours, I hope that we brightened the day of all who were in the ward (and maybe gave them a few ideas of how to pass the time).