An Ambassador for Christ First and a Therapist Second.

As a therapist (in training) I strive to see each of my little patients through the best possible outcome. For every kiddo with a disability that comes through the door, I desire to see that same number walk out the door with a better quality of life or even with full ability and independence. I believe many other people fall into a vocation that strives for a similar end goal- bettering the lives of humans and improving the quality of their current state.

But what happens when treatments fail? When you have given all that is within your capacity to give but it is not enough? How do you respond when patients are going to die?

All of these questions have crossed through my mind a number of times since beginning to practice physiotherapy. I have felt deep loss and sadness on behalf of many little patients: When one of our patients lost her battle against leukemia. When we opened up the door of a medical van to receive a patient and found a teenager permanently curled into a tight ball with such dreadful contractures. When time and time again caretakers have brought their child with a severe disability for treatment once and have never since returned. Discouraging outcomes will occur no matter where we are in this world. It stinks. It really stinks.

When these sad events started weighing me down I began to pray every day for the Lord's hurting children that I encountered. I began praying for healing of their physical bodies. I prayed for their hearts to be full of joy despite the pain. i prayed for the children to feel loved whatever their circumstance. And then in my quiet time the Lord reminded me of the most important point I had neglected: that these children would believe in Him and be saved.  After all, what does the best quality of life on this earth have in comparison to an inheritance in heaven?

"Therefore do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away , yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary but what is unseen is eternal." - 2 Corinthians 2:16-18

I can do all the therapy in the world with a patient and potentially bring them to complete independence but if they don't know Christ and no one shares the gospel with them, they are destined for tragedy. I must not neglect my primary calling as an ambassador for Christ:

"We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God." -2 Corinthians 5:20

Let us not lose heart in this broken and hurting world. Let us cry out in prayer for His children who are hurting and lost. Let us not be timid in sharing the Gospel and praying for those who don't know Christ. Let us show the world His glory!

Overcoming - A lesson taught best by the Children of OURS!

When accessibility does not meet inability we must overcome the best we can. The children facing disabilities with whom I get to spend my days with are optimists who overcome. At OURS, children are always finding a way to move and play no matter their physical or mental "limitations". Whether they have to wrap a deformed leg around a staff, bear crawl to the wall for support, or scoot on their bums to the nearest walker (or human willing to carry), these kids always AMAZE me with the ways in which they can become capable. Most of the time it is difficult to tell that life for these kiddos takes more effort as I can't recall a single afternoon at OURS where joyous laughter and little giggles were not filling the breezeways and playroom. Praise the Lord with me for His capable and determined little children who so brilliantly eminent pure joy despite difficult circumstances. May we, like so many of these little ones, continue to maintain a solid perspective on all that we have to be grateful for as we start each new day with a joyful heart and a little laughter.  Please keep these children who are facing daily trials and cultural stigmas due to disability in your prayers with me.

Here are a few snapshots of those laughter-filled afternoons:

Oh and of course, a very Happy Valentines Day to you all!

Blessings,

Meggie

On living simply.

 When I came to Africa I carried with me less than 5% of my wardrobe, plenty of medication and first aide materials, and a few other pieces of home that I thought necessary to live for a year abroad. This seemed simple enough for me. Yet, sometimes I look around me here and I am faced with conviction for "needing" too much. Should I feel this conviction? Should I live more simply, both here in Uganda and back in the states? Does it really matter?

The answer to these questions I do not always know. But I have learned that none of this is truly the point. The point is God. If I re-shift my focus to living every moment of every day for God then the rest will follow. Living simply looks like living for God. If we seek His Kingdom first we are free from being bogged down by such concerns. Jesus allows us to be free of worry, so why do we decline and continue in anxious concern about what is to come? Remember Matthew 6:25-33.

I have been meditating on the chapters of a wonderfully encouraging book entitled "The Live Dead Journal" and I will forever recommend it to any and all of you. Please be so encouraged by the following exerpt on living simply for Christ as I have been:

"As modern Christians we live as if a tightrope were strung between 'the land flowing with milk and honey' and 'sell everything you have and give to the poor.' We are greedy for more but need to assuage our guilt over what we have. We try to maintain a balance and call it simplicity. We risk falling into the net of idolatry either by embracing materialism and serving possesions, or by renouncing possessions and embracing legalism and ascenticism. But true simplicity emanates from medatating on the words of Jesus and then following His commands and His example. Jesus says, 'Fall into freedom; trust me, and stop worrying about what you do or don't have!' "

Fall into Freedom! It brings such beautiful imagery. Join me in beginning and ending each day in silence before God and seeking His will. Let us not be anxious and full of worry for what is to come in the next hour or in the next year. Let us live simply for our God in this chaotic world.