Thursday, October 9, 2008

Meet one of the King's Daughters...by Sarah Bethune

Here is a post from my associate and partner in crime Sarah. Sarah has a public health background and is doing a ton of organizing related to the clinic. She helps me with clinic by running our pharmacy and assisting in anything that needs to get done!

I love the title that she gave. So get ready to...

Meet One of the King’s Daughters…


This is Sindi, one of the King’s precious baby girls. Both her earthly parents have passed and she lives with her 6 year old brother, 9 year old sister, and teenage brother.

Just over a week ago, Sindi was sleeping next to the fire when her jacket caught fire. Not only did she receive 2nd and 3rd degree burns on her shoulder and right arm, her leg was also badly burned when pieces of her jacket melted and dropped onto her leg. Her siblings were able to get her to RFM (a hospital – with a definite 3rd world feel) where they were able to clean her wound. What breaks my heart is that she was sent home with an injury that would grant you a certain hospital admission in a 1st world nation. It was that next Monday that we received a call from her CarePoint teachers that she needed care.



It was such a blessing to have the River Valley Church team to love on her and sit with her until we got there. One of the girls from RVC held her the whole trip to the clinic and while she was waiting for Jessie to see her. Precious Sindi had wet herself in the meantime, so we were able to bathe her – you all, God is so faithful. After I had finished, I realized I had nothing to put her in…and started praying that God would provide something for Sindi. I found a shirt in one of our closets that I was able to cut an arm hole in to avoid it from sticking and even a fleece vest – an incredible blessing to help her regulate her body temp, which would be very difficult with her injury.

We had her drinking lots of water and eating lots of protein. Then….I just held her as she cried in my chest as Jessie dressed her wounds (for those that care: we used B.A.P., which is an antiseptic cream– wrapped in cling wrap, Ace bandages, and some tape to secure the bandages). After finishing, I totally pulled a Brittney Spears and had her sit on my lap while I drove her back to her CarePoint, then had to drop her off with her siblings and gave them instructions for her care.

I went to go check on her the next day and bring her some new clothes, thankfully, the bandages on her arm looked great and I only had to fix the one on her leg. She cried when we came close, so I was DREADING having to come in two more days to change the dressings on her arm….but – this little girl has a lot of people praying for her, and God totally showed up!

That day, I had little Sindi sit in my car when I was taking off her bandages…it was an incredibly tedious process, taking over an hour to remove the bandages – at times, cutting them thread by thread. I had prayed so hard that we wouldn’t hurt her, that she wouldn’t feel the pain, and about half way through, Jacci had to hold her head up because she was FALLING ASLEEP! Yes!!! Holy Ghost anesthesia!! An hour and a half later…she had new bandages, new clothes, lots of water and protein, and rubber glove balloons for the whole family.


I have been able to see her again since then, and she is doing wonderfully. She is more active and is finally smiling again. Pray for her, she still has a lot of healing to do. Pray for her brothers and sister, for their protection; pray for her CarePoint teachers, Treasure and Make Peggy.



Thank you for your prayers and thank you for your support that makes it possible to serve here. God is so good.

3 comments:

Unknown said...

I'm so glad that Sindi is doing so much better! By the last day that our team left she was smiling, dancing, and having a great time. If, for no other reason, we believe that God sent RVC to Murray Camp specifically to love her through this time. Please pot about her again so we can know the update.

Thank you, Julie Manthey, RVC

Anonymous said...

Praise God! Thank you for posting this story, as I know that Sindi touched so many of our lives as we were there working with Murray Camp. I will continue to pray for her healing.

Erin Holte, RVC

Anonymous said...

Hi Jessie,
Sorry I have not e-mailed you for so long...you probably think that I have forgotten about you. Thats not true...I think and pray for you often. From your blog it seems that you are one busy nurse and using you training from MMI-God Bless you! Dena Haney-MMI--Member me :) I was the one that is now going to nursing school and wants to come to Africa one day!!! denahaney@yahoo.com