Author: Layne

Joyful Farewell

Recently at the hospital it seems there have not been as many patients. I think there is currently a shortage on medication, so people are being sent home to wait until it arrives. Still, there are the few, the few that are worth our time and worth our energy.

Amigos

It isn’t often we see friends who have been in the hospital a long time go home with hope for a healthy life. This Wednesday, however, Sobú, a man from Jon’s Bible study will be released. He has lost 11months with his wife and children and his right eye to the hospital, but he has not lost his life… or his smile. Today we talked and rejoiced together with him about the fact that God has not abandoned him. How faithful is our God. While healing and health is not the only way the Lord reveals His faithfulness, it is a breath of fresh air.

We also talked about the sweet upcoming reunion with his family, the impatient waiting until Wednesday, the first meal he wants to eat, etc. While we will miss his presence at the hospital, our hearts are full of joy and hope for his future. We want to send him home covered in prayer. Will you pray with us?

Pray that the tumor will not return to Sobú’s eye, or anywhere else.
Pray the the current wound where his eye has been removed will heal completely and without infection.
Pray that his left eye would properly adjust, as he is currently having some trouble seeing properly, especially when reading.

We'll miss him!

Thank you for your involvement in our ministry, your involvement in Sobú’s life. Thanks for making it possible for Jon and I to be here; it is such a privilege.

The following a song we’ve recently been singing from the Passion: Awakening album. It is our heart, our mission.

King of Heaven (Isaiah 61)

Oh, Oh, Oh, Oh
King of heaven come down

We’ll sing the gospel to the poor
We’ll go to comfort those who mourn
You’ll put together what’s been torn
King of Heaven

We come together in the wave of God
We stand together in Your great compassion
Pouring out our hearts and lives
Fill us up with an expectation

We’ll sing the news of all Your grace
We’ll help the broken-hearted praise
You’ll put Your glory on display
King of Heaven

You help the broken cities rise
Out of the wreckage You’ll bring life

October 11, 2010

Layne

Hospital Ministry

5 comments

What Happened to Winter?

A Layne Post

As the United States transitions into Autumn and Winter, here in Mozambique the days are turning from Spring to Summer all too quickly. Did we have winter? No, no we did not. With some days already nearing 100 degrees, this pregnant woman fears December. I think we’ll plan baby #2 for the winter! Our Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays are/will be spent sweating in our house trying to keep cool in any way possible.

My sister mentioned to me that maybe Anaya will just be used to it, since she is going to be raised here. I hope so. Our friends at the hospital, however, seem to complain about the heat as much as we do!

A few ways you can tell summer has come to Maptuo:

You no longer can use covers while sleeping at night. If you use a sheet, it is only to block the mosquitoes.
There are more mosquitoes. Hard to believe, but true. And somehow one always sneaks into the protective net.
If you have an air conditioning unit, you begin to think about skimping in areas financially to be able to pay for the electricity to run it every night and making deals with yourself, “If you make it until 7, then you can go get in bed and turn on the air.”
The beaches are busy on a daily basis, as kids flock to the cooler water after school in the afternoons, and weekends are packed full with people of all ages ready to party in their Mozambican way.
Due to the busy beaches, traffic and driving on the weekends, especially Sundays, are just nuts.

Along the same lines, I feel as though I am slowly transitioning out of a sort of winter of the soul. Maybe I am alone, though I don’t really think so, but I feel like my walk with the Lord comes in and out of seasons. Sometimes I feel warmer than other times. Sometimes reading the Word is exciting and fresh, while at other times it feels more like a discipline. Sometimes the Lord feels near, while at other times you must hold on to the faith that He promises to stay near.

My mom used to always say she wanted to live somewhere with 4 seasons. It seems ideal, doesn’t it? Each season makes us appreciate the next. While I may not be appreciating the heat of summer here in Maputo, I am enjoying basking in the warmth and the presence of the Lord.

September 27, 2010

Layne

Mozambique

4 comments

Meet My Friend

A Layne Post

I’d like to introduce you to Carlotta.

Carlotta is a friend of mine, an albino woman in the Oncology ward. I’ve visited with her for months, giving her a special place in my heart. She currently has a tumor coming out of her eye, which causes a lot of pain all day, every day. She is a young mom to a precious little girl, Bernacia, her pride and joy. Because Carlotta comes from the north, the time she spends in the hospital is time away from her quickly growing daughter.

Last month she was able to make a quick trip home between treatments, which was such a blessing. She didn’t have a cell phone, so it was her first contact with Bernacia in months. Being so young, Bernacia didn’t understand the large bandage on her mommy’s eye and continued to ask her to remove it. Now Carlotta has a phone, so she may get to check on her daughter every once and a while.

I always wonder if mommies will come back to finish their treatment after returning home. How hard it must be to leave, not only once, but twice, this time knowing how horrific the hospital is.

Carlotta returned last week.

She seems weaker. Thinner. Oh, she is so thin. Her pain seems stronger now… like it is spreading into the left side of her brain. Her body twitches from the knife like pain every few minutes. All I know to do is sit next to her and pray.

Carlotta had some money to buy juice, but she explained that she cannot walk to the store to get it. That was something I could do. I could walk just fine. Marcelino, a dear boy from Oncology, who was currently not on treatment, walked with me and showed me where I could get the juice. (I would have been so lost without him!)

Arriving back at the hospital, Carlotta was so grateful and quickly wanted to sip on her cold orange juice. I think I would have chugged it, but she drank a little and had to stop. A few minutes later I helped her as she vomited in her hospital alloted bucket.

If you can remember, pray for Carlotta this week; she seems to be struggling more.

September 11, 2010

Layne

Hospital Ministry, Mozambique

10 comments

A Special Time of Life

We had the exciting opportunity of being able to see our little one again with an ultrasound. Perhaps I shouldn’t have eaten candy before going, because the little booger was full of energy, bouncing all around in every direction. And while it was fun to watch, we could hardly hear the heartbeat or get a great picture. I left the doctor’s office giggling with the biggest grin. This little life is such a miracle.

Baby Heller!

Our other little, or not so little, one (Gasher) has become such a handful. In honesty, he is a great puppy; however, lately he has developed a few irrational puppy fears. As of yesterday, he is afraid of the grass. This is just dandy for potty time. Ha! He demands lots of attention and has begun to train us in the area of “lack of sleep”. We keep telling ourselves it is good preparation for baby as laziness is ripped out.

In other news, which is very exciting news, the Oncology department is close to moving into the new ward! Hopefully early this week the move will be complete. The new ward is said to have cold and hot water, which is such an added blessing. Technically I believe there are only supposed to be five patients per room, instead of the current situation of all the women in one room, all the men in another room, and all the children and moms in another. Certain things I will believe as I see them, though the new building will, without a doubt, be a huge improvement to where they have been living.

To marry the topics here…

I had the fun opportunity to take my new ultrasound pictures up to the hospital to share with our friends. Many women never get an ultrasound, and most of the children have never seen one. It was so special to share our excitement and even a little education for the kids. Some of the women did not know I was pregnant, making it a fun surprise for them. As my tummy grows, they are just overjoyed. We laugh and say that this baby will be Mozambican. One little boy insists it isn’t possible because it will be white. =)

This is such a special time of life; I want to soak it all up.

We love you. Thanks for your constant love and support. Your presence is felt here with us.

August 29, 2010

Layne

Hospital Ministry, Mozambique, Personal

2 comments

A Light-hearted Look Into Our Lives

A Layne Post

I decided this week to give you guys a little look at some of our favorite ‘spots’ near the house.

: At the end of our street

At the end of our street there is this little striped trailer. I love it. Without it, we would have missed our street a hundred times. I told Jon, “They can never move it!” In the mornings, when we can, we like to walk along the beach, admire God’s creation, observe some of the Mozambican life, hold hands, and talk about life and the future. There is a grocery store with a great bakery down the beach where they make fabulous cheap bread. We grab some fresh bread and walk along the beach back to the house.

: Waiting for a hot dog

At ‘Game’, a store a few minutes from our house that is like a Wal-mart, they have a hot dog stand outside. We were here a couple months, and every time we went there we would see and smell the hot dogs cooking and Jon would say, “Someday I want to try one of those!” One day we did, and they are good! Now it is a nice cheap little treat.

: Jon and Hot-dog man

Go ahead… you can laugh. I felt like a tourist taking this pic, but we love Hot-dog man!

: Take Out Pizza

This is a restaurant a couple minutes down the road, which has changed names a couple of times, but the food has remained the same. I noticed a sign across the street that advertised ‘take away pizza’. Turns out they have decent little pizzas! I especially like the Hawaiian. These days I can eat a whole one by myself! Ha!

: Date Night

And I thought I’d leave you with a recent picture of us.

We went on a date a week or so ago to a little restaurant called ‘Spicy Thai’. Yum! It was probably the fanciest we’ve dressed up since we’ve been in Africa, which was fun! We were definitely the nicest dressed at the restaurant, but I didn’t mind. It was a special night just for us.

Anyways, I hope you enjoyed a little light-hearted look into our lives and our town.

We love you!

August 8, 2010

Layne

Mozambique, Personal

6 comments