It was out of character for Nhlanhla to be late. But when Jean awoke on that Saturday morning, Victor, the night guard was still on duty. Nhlanhla arrived a short time later, eyes red from crying. His four-year old boy was sick. He said it was the flu. Everything in Swaziland is the flu. Flu was the sickness that had taken his 2 year old boy from him just 2 weeks before my arrival.
Jean and Dave describe Nhlanhla as a rare Swazi father,- he loves his sons so much. He cares for them, he provides for them. And one by one he feared he was loosing them.
We all spent the day praying for Nhlanhla's little boy and spread the word to others to pray.
Before he left his shift, he'd heard by radio that his boy was recovering.
That evening we attended a birthday party with a dozen children from local missionary families. A toddler, Lacy, was tugging on her ear and fussing.
The next day, as we prepared for Easter dinner Susan got a call saying Lacy was very very sick. She'd been in and out of the clinic for 12 hours. With a fever of 105, the doctors couldn't figure out what was wrong. They suggested meningitis.
A small panic began to spread. If Lacy indeed had meningitis, then 11 other children has been exposed at the party.
again we began to pray, and befor the dinner dishes were washed and dried Susan recieved another call. A doctor had taken one last look in Lacy's little ears and had found an infection behind her ear drum. She was on the proper medication and would be fine. We all breathed a sigh of relief.
It amazing how these families, in a country where medicine and doctors are a joke, depend so heavily on prayer. For many situations, it's the only option. And God responds with favor when they turn to him. It was powerful to see in action!
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