I knew it would happen eventually. Practicing medicine in a developing country inevitably involves death. The overall condition of people's lives is much poorer than in the USA for example. There are many more diseases that are still present, like rheumatic heart disease, typhoid, and TB. You may recall from my last post about a boy I was treating for complications of rheumatic heart disease and something more. We decided that he likely had extra-pulmonary TB (TB outside of the lungs) and started him on treatment. It was touch and go Friday and Saturday. He died early this morning, 1AM our time Sunday.
I learned of his death when Sally and Kelly and I went to the ward after the church service. We were met by his mom. She told me he had died. I was shocked. I was sure he was going to get better, but he was really sick. He is the first of my patients here at Kigoma Baptist Hospital to die. I know he will not be the last. I remember vividly to this day the first patient who died when I first began treating hospital patients in Mbarara. In one week in Mbarara, I had more patients die than I had in 8 years of practice before. Of course I had been practicing Preventive Medicine Aerospace, but even so, it was shocking. By the way, it wasn't that I wasn't a good doctor, it was that the diseases back in 1996 were so severe and the patient's conditions were so bad to begin with. I recall coming back to the ward the day after losing 2 patients and stopping at the door way. I prayed "Lord God, please I ask you to help me not to become accustomed to death, not to become hardened to the pain and suffering, but also, Lord, I need help!" God has been faithful to help me over the years to remain with compassion for the sick and their families.
After learning that her son had died, we prayed for her and then we returned home. I called up Pastor Jackson and asked him what we as a part of Azamio Baptist Church could do. He asked that I pick him up and we would go to the hospital. The challenge was this mother had come from the village, 35 kilometers (21 miles) with just her sick son, and had forgotten her cell phone. Her husband was on a journey to a town several hours away. We decided that with the help of some of the church members and another pastor we would take her and her son's body back to the village. After he died, his body was washed and wrapped in a sheet. Then he was wrapped in another piece of cloth. Four men sat in the middle seat with his body across their laps. 4 women sat in the back of the truck on the bench seats. Pastor Jackson sat up front with me. We stopped just outside of town at a market so a special white sheet could be bought to be used to wrap his body prior to being buried. The church members contributed to pay for it. We made the 1hr 15 min drive to the village of Kaseke. 20 km on paved, then 11 km on reasonable dirt road, and the last 4 km on a single track path to the village.
We went as far as we could with the truck and then the men carried his body to the family home, about 200 yards further. Fortunately someone had been able to reach some family members and there were about 30 people waiting (not sure who all were but some were family and others were people from the village). His body was placed in the house where it will lay until tomorrow morning when he will be buried. His father will be back tomorrow morning. The rest of today and tonight, people will offer their 'poleni' (like condolences) to the family and some will remain and sing throughout the night. The pastor from Darajani Baptist Church in Ujiji stayed and will help to conduct the service tomorrow and then his body will be buried. Gadson's mom, father, and 7 remaining brothers and sisters will be comforted by family and friends from the village.
Before we left the family and the village of Kaseke, Pastor Jackson shared some words of encouragement. You see, just over a week ago, when he went to visit Gadson and his mom at his bedside on the ward, they both made a decision to receive Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. The grace and mercy of God are so amazing. I didn't know until today, on the drive to the hospital, that last Sunday, Gadson and his mom had gone to Azamio Baptist Church to give testimony of their decision before the church. (We had gone to a different Baptist church last week). Pastor Jackson told me how that both Gadson and his mom shared that they were happy to know that had received salvation through believing in Jesus Christ. As a part of that church service, the members took up a special offering to help them as they had come from so far. Twenty one miles to us Americans is nothing at all. We might go that far just to go out to eat. But for this family, it was incredibly costly to get to the hospital. The generosity of the church family at Azamio was wonderful.
It is always hard to know what to say, and what not to say in the face of death. Both Pastor Jackson and I shared a few words of encouragement to Gadson's mother. Pastor Jackson voiced a prayer, and then we came back to Ujiji/Kigoma.
It's been a long day. I grieve over the death of this young boy, only 12, but looked about 8. I grieve for his parents and his brothers and sisters. But I also rejoice in the promises of God that when as a believer in Jesus Christ, our time on this earth is over, we will instantly be in the presence of Jesus Christ. God promises that as I write this, Gadson is enjoying the wonderful presence of his Savior. And his family is being comforted by the Holy Spirit, by the Word of God, and by friends.
Please pray for Gadson's family. For safety for his dad as he cuts short his trip and returns home to bury his son. For his brothers and sisters as they grieve his death. For his mom who comforted him day and night at his bedside in the hospital. For those attending the grieving time tonight and the burial service tomorrow to clearly hear the gospel message.
I ask that you continue to pray for me as I endeavor to provide compassionate Christ-centered care to the people of Kigoma/Ujiji. My one desire is that Jesus Christ be glorified in all that I do and say. That people clearly see the love of Jesus demonstrated in our actions, and hear of the hope of Jesus when they come to Kigoma Baptist Hospital.
All for His glory…
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