"Be with us thoughout this month as we help hundreds of kids. Help us to be a light in these kid's darkness. We ask that you would help us to show your love wherever we go. Amen." The head doctor ended the prayer after breakfast and the team walked out to begin helping that day's group of children.
The crew helped an average of thirty children daily. The amount of children in need had been appalling at the beginning, and there were still many more to be helped in the remaining villages. "Here you go little guy, drink this." Jamie handed a little boy a carton of juice and a straw. Even though it was difficult for the children eat and drink after surgery, the nurses still had to make sure the children weren't dehydrated.
He took the carton gratefully and sipped contentedly at his juice. Jamie heaved a sigh of relief and continued passing out juice boxes to the other children. They had been in the village for nearly three weeks, and that meant three weeks since seeing Abeni. Jamie tried to call the orphanage daily, even sacrificing her time to talk with Mark sometimes.
Nine times out of ten, the orphanage didn't pick up, and when they did, they didn't have any news. From what Jamie could understand of the translator's rough english, Abeni was doing well and was being taken care of, but there ws still some lingering doubt in Jamie's mind. Jamie and Amy still prayed together over Abeni, and Jamie hoped she was ok.
"Jamie, it's your turn to use the phone." One of the nurses took over Jamie's distribution job and Jamie ran to the makeshift telephone booth. First, she called Mark, telling him about the different animals she'd seen and how excited she was to show him all of her pictures. "So Jamie, any word on Abeni?" Mark inquired. "I was just about to call the orphanage after we hung up. I hope I can get through this time."
"Why don't we pray together really quick." Mark suggested. Jamie agreed and the two said a quick prayer before parting. "I love you Jamie. Good luck!" Jamie said good-bye and immediately dialed the orphanage's number. Please pick up, please pick up, she thought.
Ring.... Ring.... Ring.... Ring.... Jamie was about to hang up when she heard the phone being picked up. "Hello?" On the other line she could hear the translators rough english. "Hello! This is Jamie Hughes, I was one of the nurses who came to your village last month. I'm hear to ask about Abeni." Jamie bit her lip in anticipation. "Abeni?" The translator asked. There was silence on the other end of the line.
Jamie panicked. "What's wrong? Is she ok? What's going on?!" Jamie's mind was reeling. The silence continued and Jamie closed her eyes and balled her fists, fearing the worst. Seconds later, the translator came back to the phone. "I sorry. I had to ask other workers about child. Abeni sick, very sick. She and two other children caught terrible virus. Maybe she not survive. I sorry."
It was Jamie's turn to be silent. Her brain was spinning. She's very sick, but she's not dead, so that's good. But she's sick! The man said she could die... Why isn's she being treated? Wait, maybe he mixed her up with another child... "Sir, are you sure it's Abeni who's sick?" Jamie could hear footsteps running away from the phone and returning. "Yes, I sure. She sick. I have to go." The man hung up and Jamie stood motionless.
"Jamie are you done yet?" Another nurse called from outside the booth. Without answering, Jamie bolted out of the booth and ran towards her tent. When she was concealed from the outside world, she let the tears flow freely. "God, why?! I pray every day over her and now she's dying! They said she was doing so well, how could you let this happen?" Jamie threw her pillow around the tent. Her rage was interrupted by a voice from the outside. "Jamie? It's Amy, can I come in?"
Jamie crawled to the entrance of the tent and let Amy in. She told Amy everything that had happened and they both cried together. Amy suggested that they pray, and Jamie reluctantly agreed. "Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for watching over and protecting little Abeni. Please be with her as she is fighting this sickness, and if it is your will we ask that you would heal her completely. Help us to trust you and remain strong in the weeks to come. Amen."
YOU ARE READING
Finally
Romance❝ғaιтн in God includes ғaιтн in his тιмιng❞ Jamie Hughes has recently graduated college and has moved with her best friend and her family to Smithsville, South Carolina. She spends her days working at The Nook, a local coffee shop, and preparing to...
