Songs of a Hospitable Hospital

The Children's Ward at Kapsowar Hospital has about 20 beds.   20 beds that, at varying times, are filled with sweet souls dealing with anything from broken bones to severe burns to heart disease to any other form of illness.  Although the walls are painted with happy cartoon versions of Bible stories, the ward is not always the epitome of happiness.  Death happens.  Disease gains the better hand.  Despair can be found on the parent's or patient's faces.  The children in the ward are often hurting. But because of the care they are receiving, they are healing and hopeful.  Their faces might show pain at times, but when three pale face children showed up one day to bless them with gifts from America, their faces showed gratitude and joy.  Jonah, Hannah, and cousin Hudson were thrilled to deliver goodie bags to these kids one day.  

As a result of the donations from Jonah's classmates at school, church, and a few neighbors, we were able to include the following in each of the goodie bags:

toothbrush

toothpaste

bouncy ball

coloring book

crayons

notepad

bracelet

light-up bracelet

suckers

balloons

In addition to the goodie bags, we also delivered 14 Christian DVDs for the children to enjoy on their TV/DVD combo in the ward.  Since many of the kids only speak Swahili, we purchased mostly music sing-along DVDs to give to the hospital.  Songs are often easier to enjoy and understand than a story line.  Even if the kids don't understand all the words, they can still feel and see the joy of a song sung by children whose faces show the joy of the Lord.  

Jonah, Hannah, and Hudson sang a song for the children in the ward that day.  Joey spoke briefly about Jonah and the Whale. Jonah and Hannah somewhat nervously handed out our small gifts.  

Then one mama of a patient led the children and staff in a song for us.  This time, we were the ones who didn't understand the words.  But we saw their joy.  Joy in the midst of pain, sickness and death.  Joy in response to our small gifts.   Kenyan songs are often "sing and repeat" type songs.  Kenyan voices are strong and bold.  

The sorrow of the children's ward didn't cause me to cry.  The pride in my own children doing something beyond themselves didn't make me cry.  But this mama's song made me cry.  This mama is no doubt dealing with a sick child who may or may not fully recover.  I don't know her story, but I saw the joy and gratitude on her face.  I heard her voice loud and clear, as you can hear below:

We may have brought a few hundred dollars worth of DVDs and small gifts, but it was clear that this mama gave the better gift that day.  A shared joy.  A reminder that our God is a good God in the midst of sorrow and sickness.  

Join me in praying for the parents and children of the Children's Ward at Kapsowar Hospital.  May they forever know and feel the joy of our good God.