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Author: Layne

Relational Ministry

A Layne Post

I apologize that this post is late this week. Kind of feels like it fits my current state of being. =) I am now 38 weeks pregnant, and the last week was a rough one for me.  Thankfully, however, the past few days have felt more ‘normal’ and energy has returned.

Most days last week I felt quite rotten and reluctantly made the decision to stay home from ministering to friends at the hospital everyday but Friday. It was difficult for me; however, I felt the need to listen to my body. When I did return to ministry at the hospital, I was greeted by concerned friends, hugs, and encouragement for the last weeks ahead of me. The women have filled me with plenty of advice for my day of labor! Ha!

How sweet it is to have a such a dear support system there among the patients. That is the beautiful thing about relational ministry, it goes both ways. Jon and I constantly pray to the Lord that we can be a blessing and support to the people at the hospital, and yet many times, we are the ones who walk away encouraged and ready to love the Lord even more.

I will continue to ask for your prayers, as our precious daughter will be arriving soon. I would love her entrance into this world to be surrounded by prayer and the presence of our Lord. I cannot wait to introduce her to you!

Lucia and Longo

A Layne Post

Meet Lucia

Lucia

Yes, she is gorgeous. This thirteen year old girl arrived at the hospital months ago, accompanied by her father. I remember the first day I met her; she was shy, yet captured my attention.  She had a bulging tummy, and honestly, I thought she could be pregnant. After a few visits, it became clear it was cancer… a HUGE tumor. Hope for recovery was small in our minds.

With time, she opened up. Her real mother had died, and currently her “second mother” took care of them, who I think might have been an Aunt. She had four sisters she missed a lot. She told me she liked to play at home. Innocent. Thankfully she was able to call home frequently.

Like any teen girl, she liked her nails painted, her earrings, her cute skirt. I remember one day realizing a skirt she was wearing was nearly identical to one I had, just shorter. I promised her I’d wear mine soon. When I did, she’d giggle as I told people we were twins.

Meet Longo

Longo

This is Lucia’s father. We called him “Pai de Lucia”  for so long before we found out his name. Longo quickly joined Jon’s Bible study, and thoroughly enjoyed his time with the men. I remember his eagerness to pray and the way he would hold his hands up to the Lord while doing so.

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Lucia struggled with Chemo. She would have five days at a time. It seems like some bodies just handle the strong medicine better. Lucia was not so fortunate, as she was unable to keep any food down, still vomiting whatever was left in her stomach. She would become so weak.

Her father was amazing. He would hold a bucket for her, fill her water, and just sit near her, cradling her head or wiping her sweat. He did more than many mothers I see. The worry and concern was evident on his face.

To our surprise, it always seemed like Lucia would bounce back in a matter of a day or two, and resume her playing outside and bright smile. How strong she was! She would always be anxious to see Anaya’s new photos and would ask how she was doing every time I visited.

Feeling Anaya move

But as we have seen frequently, it only takes one treatment and a turn for the worse. That time came for Lucia a couple weeks ago. She didn’t bounce back; the smile did not return. She could not eat, therefore, she became more and more weak. Together with her father, they decided they wanted to try and make it home, to the north of Mozambique.

We thought they had a plane arranged, but we found out Lucia did not have the identity card she would need to travel. This was devastating news. In desperation, they decided to attempt to ride bus 20 or so hours. Upon arriving at the bus station the next morning, the driver refused to allow them to make the trip. Lucia was in bad shape, already crying before the bus was moving, so they had to get off. Another devastating blow.

Our friend Alice quickly made some calls, and miraculously the Lord opened doors and provided a way for for Lucia to obtain a new ID card, which would allow her to ride the airplane. The next afternoon Jon received a phone call from Longo. He was giggling as he reported he and Lucia were sitting on the plane. Even Lucia was feeling better for the journey.

Currently they are at the hospital in the north, a 10 hour train ride from home, resting and getting final documents. They sound full of hope, as they should arrive home tomorrow. Not hope for life necessarily, but hope to be together as a family one more time.

God is good. He cares for Lucia and Longo.

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Please pray for them in the week(s) to come. Lucia’s life will likely not be long, and the last days painful away from the hospital and morphine. Pray for the presence of the Lord and His grace.

We miss them already.

If you have time you can go over to the “About Us” tab at the top of this page and see a new video we’ve posted about our lives here. We’ve a few pictures of Lucia there as well.

Struggling to See the Goodness

A Layne Post

I gotta be honest, sometimes I struggle to see the goodness of the Lord. In these moments, I exercise my faith; I make a deliberate choice to trust in Him, many times through tears. The past week or so has been like that for me.

Joanna, a 26-year-old friend at the hospital, died on Tuesday. I wish it would have been sooner. I’ve known her for about 5 or 6 months. When she came to the hospital this time, she was so thin, and her open wound from her amputated arm was bigger, more infected. She had been at home for two months; I’m not sure why she hadn’t come sooner.

There wasn’t anything anyone could do for her. I tried to ease some pain, make her comfortable in little ways such as bringing her favorite juice, or the red apples she liked to eat. (I couldn’t believe she could down the whole red apple! I would watch in amazement, happy for some satisfaction, though it was usually followed by some stomach discomfort.) She would say to me, “Amiga, estou mal,” which translates, “Friend, I am bad.” I would tell her understand, that I could see that she was bad, I could see that she was suffering. Sometimes someone just needs to be seen, to be heard.

She had this frown. It was Joanna. It was her being in pain. During her last few days, it was her frown I could recognize beneath the swollen face and mumbling words.

As it often does, it got to the point she wasn’t coherent. Every once in awhile she would make eye contact, and I would praise the Lord I was there to rub her arm. I didn’t want her to be alone… still I would leave her. I would sing songs over her, asking for the Holy Spirit to come, to fill her with joy, peace, and love. I would pray for visions of heaven, of good things, to be before her eyes. I would pray for the Lord to call her to Himself.

And then in the midst of those prayers, I would get angry and frustrated, not seeing any answers from the Lord. She still suffered. It still lasted a long time. I wasn’t with her when she passed.

Sometimes I struggle through the journey I’ve been called to walk. In the end, I love Him more… I really do, and I pray others have somehow felt His love through me.

This is a song we sang this week by an artist named Tim Hughes, and I feel like it expresses my current state well:

When the Tears Fall

I’ve had questions, without answers
I’ve known sorrow, I have known pain
But there’s one thing, that I’ll cling to
You are faithful, Jesus You’re true

When hope is lost, I’ll call You Saviour
When pain surrounds, I’ll call You healer
When silence falls, You’ll be the song within my heart

In the lone hour of my sorrow
Through the darkest night of my soul
You surround me and sustain me
My defender, forevermore

I will praise You, I will praise You
When the tears fall, still I will sing to You
I will praise You, Jesus praise You
Through the suffering still I will sing


Asking for Prayer

A Layne Post

There are lots of things I could post about this week…

We lost a little boy at the hospital that we’ve known for a year.

My friend, Joanna, is suffering through her last days.

I got a new car and started driving in Africa for the first time.

We had 2 Christmas dinners with dear friends, who generously opened their families to us.

We may get to some of those things here soon, but for now I am going to focus on asking for prayer. I sat funny the other night, Christmas Eve, and somehow my back slipped out of whack; I knew the moment it happened. I have had previous back problems, but it has been quite some time now since I’ve dealt with anything.

At 2am on Christmas morning, after vomiting multiple times from pain, I decided we needed to head to the ER, where I was only given Tylenol. It gave minimal help. Since then I have pulled out my TENS unit, which sends small  electrical currents through your back, giving the effect of a pain reliever without the chemicals. They are safe to use, even with Anaya, and honestly has been the only thing giving me the ability to cope.

Being 32 weeks pregnant makes everything more difficult. My OB is currently in Portugal celebrating Christmas with her family; however, she has made it clear I am welcome to call. I’ve wanted to give her the holiday weekend, and tomorrow I plan to call and talk with her, hopefully putting together a game plan of what our options are. Examples we’ve come up with:

Option 1: Try and find a Chiropractor trained in prenatal care in Nelspruit, South Africa, which is about 2-2.5hrs away, and drive there for treatment. If need be, stay a few days for multiple visits. (not sure if there is one available)

Option 2: Find a pain management medication that works and is totally safe for Anaya. (not sure if there is something strong enough I could take over a long period of time)

Option 3: Dealing with the pain and consider inducing at an early, but safe time for Anaya. (I feel like 4wks sounds manageable for me;  I could count down and make it through painful days. 8wks does not.)

For now I am resting and taking things slow, trying to let my back heal naturally. We are praying for supernatural intervention. We are praying for wisdom and peace. Please pray with us. One specific area to pray for is sleep. Constant pain is hard enough; constant pain without sleep is nearly unbearable.

Thanks for standing with us. We’ll keep you updated as we make decisions and take steps forward. We praise Him and desire that He receives the glory through this situation.

Christmas Party in Oncology 2010

A Layne Post

One year ago, Jon and I visited the Oncology department at Maputo Central Hospital for the very first time; it was the their Christmas party. Little did we know how the people, the place, would captivate us. Little did we know that the Lord would tell us to stay, to give our hearts and our time right there in that hospital.

Jon playing Christmas carols last year

A year ago

And yet here we are.

I am so grateful, so fulfilled, so satisfied. The Lord knows what He is doing. A year ago, I felt lost. I felt unsettled and in a temporary location, but the Lord knew otherwise. Thanks for being a part of the journey thus far. Thanks for trusting along with us and for sticking around to see the faithfulness of our God. To Him be the glory.

Christmas party in Oncology 2010

Jon and Tomé as Pai Natal

Lucia enjoyed her hat as well

Lucia feeling Miss Anaya kick

Jon playing Christmas carols, much to everyone's delight

Enjoying music... her smile is contagious

Yet even amidst the celebration, their little IV ports remain taped in place, not allowing us to forget the looming fact that we’re all together because they are in Oncology being treated for cancer.

IV ports

Tomé on treatment

There are so many to love, so many to comfort. May the Lord continue to use us.