My Trip to the Hospital!

I had to go to the doctor's office today. I have been having a little trouble with my eyes lately. But today my right eye became very irritated, and after Patty and I looked at it, we thought that there might be a chance that I had damaged the cornea. I figured that I couldn't make any excuses when Patty told me to go to the doctor, since that is the last thing that Patty ever says!

So I started getting ready to go. Now this might not sound so bad to the person thinking in a western, first world frame work. Here we do not have doctor's offices, everyone goes to the hospital. Also we do not make doctor's appointments, everyone just shows up in the morning, you get in line, and it is first come first serve. Well, it was already 11:00 when I was getting ready. All I could think was: "I have to preach tonight, I have my sermon to finish, I do not have four hours to wait in line to see a doctor!!!" To add to my lovely mode I did not want to pay the 50 to 75 dollars that it would cost to see the doctor. So by about 11:30 I was standing at the bus stop waiting for a mini-bus looking like Patch the Pirate, covering one eye so that the sun light did not bother it. I have to honest, I was not to full of faith when I entered the hospital compound.

The great things is that God is always previous!

It was amazing to see how God did everything. As I walked in, the man at the front desk greeted me, and somehow remembered my name (as a foreigner in Africa everyone knows you, even when you do not know them). To my wonder, in three minutes I was seated in front of the doctor's personal office, with my medical folder, and only had one person in front of me. For those of you that have never waited in a African hospital, this is nothing less than a miracle! I was able to see the doctor after about 10 minutes.

He said that I had not damaged my eye, but had an eye infection that had irritated the eyes so that it had swollen and that is why I had the discomfort. After checking me out he gave me my prescription and told me I could go. I was about ready to follow the nurse and go to the pharmacy and the cash register, when they told me that I could just pick up the medicine at the local pharmacy. I was free to go. I was shocked again! We always have to pay, at least a doctor visit fee. But the whole thing was free. So after just about 15 minutes of waiting, and after buying a antibiotic eyes solution (that only cost me 50 cents) I was on my way home!

God is great! He turned my fears of a four hour expensive ordeal into a reminder that He does take care of the little things. He gives to us all the time (because He is good), and today He gave to me mercy. He withheld the normal so that I could see that nothing goes beyond His notice. I should have had to pay, but I didn't, I should have had to wait, but I didn't! He gives and gives, I think that sometimes we are just to busy, worried, or frustrated to notice! I am just glad that sometimes he touches our eyes so that we can see His gifts!