Larissa Arrives!

Larissa Funk, a nurse from Iowa by way of Chicago, arrived today. She spent some time living with a family who are friends of ours, part of a church and ministry to the Chicago inner city neighborhood of Lawndale where we used to worship and work. After seeing our prayer card on their fridge for months God led her to call and see if she could come work for a couple of months—just at the right time to provide a housemate for Pamela who is missing Pat, and to help us set up good nursing protocols in the new Pedatric/Maternity Ward. In record time she raised support and this morning she touched down in blazing sunshine onto the grass airstrip, stepping out into the chaos of a Monday in Bundibugyo. We whisked her right off to the community center where 115 HIV positive women were receiving family food supplements (beans, corn-soy flour, and cooking oil). She is the first experienced nurse we’ve had on the team in many years, so we look forward to seeing what impact her presence will have. Just this morning I found out one of my malnourished patients died over the weekend, probably largely because most care is done by the family and this boy’s grandmother was just not capable of stepping in for his dead parents. What difference would competent nursing have made in his survival? I hope to see. As with any new and short term person, she and we could use prayer for appropriate focus. And prayer that Larissa would grow in her trust in the LORD as much as be used by Him for the Kingdom!