A few weeks ago we visited this woman's daughter who had TB and was HIV positive. Now, as she has been faithfully taking her medicine she is doing some better. Her mother, Jane, above also found out she had TB and was positive. We went to give her a BGR bucket. She said she was a believer so we loved on her and prayed. A few days later she passed away. Her husband told us later that he was so thankful for the bucket of things because he had a nice sheet to lie Jane on in her coffin.
Aaron has cancer. We are not sure what kind of cancer because here the patient does not ask. They just do whatever the doctor tells them to do and they accept whatever information he shares with them which usually does not seem like much. He has two very big open sores inside his hip area which he wanted me to see. Unfortunately, I looked and now I can add that to one of the top two worse things I have ever seen. I have taking Aaron to the hospital twice now and as I have God has been teaching me a lot about culture, waiting, expectations, and entitlement. Too much to write here though. One thing that was especially hard was the fact that he had a runny stomach each time he rode in our truck. The second time I used one of the mattress protectors from the bucket to help. That was a very difficult trip both times to endure the smell. I just kept praying and tried to focus on how bad Aaron must feel. He is in so much pain and has cancer. How in the world could I let this odor bother me.
I met Jacob a few years ago and got to see him again on this day. He had a stroke about 6 years ago and no longer has the use of his legs. He had moved since the last time I saw him. Now he lived along a huge ditch that lasted at least 1/2 km(from what I could tell) which was full of trash and had a horrible smell. Perhaps you get used to that smell if you are there all the time. He was so excited to receive the bucket and the things inside. He is a believer. I was so encouraged just listening to him share about how he fixes shoes in the community. If anyone has a broken shoe they bring it to him and he fixes it. He also said that anytime someone comes in to his home he shares Christ with them. He said that was the least he could do since Christ did so much for him. Some people in his situation would just give up and not do anything but Jacob was a true inspiration!
Have you packed a bucket yet?
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