This may or may not be a very healthy post! It is coming from a very, very raw place. However, I think it needs to be posted.

Early this morning, Eric left to bring a woman to the hospital. The pastor who we partner with here in Nsoko asked if Eric would accompany him and his mother to a hospital in South Africa. This woman was diagnosed with ovarian cancer seven years ago. In the past few months she has experienced bleeding, bloating,  severe pain and discomfort. She has been examined by doctors and given pain medication. (it seems everything in Swaziland is "cured" with pain medication)   In May, she was told to come back to the hospital in October for treatment. She holds a medical card which allows her to receive free medical treatment in South Africa. It would seem this is a good thing, right!? Don't be fooled!

After driving over two hours, crossing a border, waiting eleven hours with a woman in excruciating pain...they were told there is nothing that could be done! That's right! NOTHING was done for this woman. A mother. A grandmother. A child of the KING.  Suffering. Dying. Diagnosed with cancer. Nothing was done! No pain meds. No referral for chemo or radiation. Nothing!

There is some kind of system here that needs to be navigated with cancer patients...

Apparantly this woman didn't qualify...

MAYBE...if they were to drive back across the border tomorrow and wait for another eleven hours...MAYBE then they would be bumped into the right category...maybe not...

 

The look on my husband's face when he returned home tonight was nothing short of flabbergasted (is that a word?)

 

He couldn't believe that in 2011, a grandmother with advanced stage cancer, in severe pain, holding an "insurance" card...could be turned away; told to go home; maybe come back tomorrow...

 

What is going on?

 

Is this even possible?

 

Yes...sadly, this is not an unusual story here...

 

We have seen too many babies die...too many women and men given pain meds to treat symptoms from a disease that really requires extensive intervention. A band aid put on a gaping wound...

 

So...tonight I ask you to pray. Obviously the medical community in Africa is not going to come through on this one. Thankfully, we know the Healer. The great Physician. The One who raised the dead to life! The One who, when His garment is touched, releases healing and wholeness!

 

Won't you call upon that SOURCE and stand in the gap for this woman? Ask HIM to send down healing, wholeness and life to this woman. Pray for peace, comfort and grace to rain down over her body.

 

These prayers may truly be this woman's ONLY hope!

 

Let's storm heaven...together...