A Piece of Richard's Story

Richard.

Richard is a precious and sweet little boy that arrived at GSF on August - the same day that I arrived at Good Shepherds Fold. I have since fallen in love with Richard. Over the last 3 1/2 months, Richard has thrived...emotionally. Physically, not so much. You see, Richard struggles with sickle cell and has been battling crisis and blood infections. He's been in out of clinics ever since he arrived with his condition only worsening. So, I took him to a clinic in Kampala for additional blood work and a second opinion. A week later, I scheduled a consultation and follow up appointment with the doctor. It turned out that, after over a month of battling crisis and infection, the day of this follow up appointment was also the day that his little body had had enough. By the time we arrived at the clinic, Richard was inconsolable and the doctor took him back immediately. After a pain killers and a quick assessment, the doctor told us that his body was going into failure. I was devastated and so scared. How could this sweet little boy be dying? What followed was four of the most intense days of my life. Richard's body did in fact start failing, including renal failure, intestine inactivity, and an acute chest infection. I sat in the hospital, along with Elijah (another little boy who I brought for surgery - his surgery went well and has had a full recovery) and Julie (a nurse who had arrived at GSF just days before), and prayed...and cried... How can you sleep next to a boy who is literally dying?  What do you do when there is nothing left to do? I called on my prayer warriors in America, and surely enough, our Healer God started reviving little Richard's body. After almost a day of inactivity, his kidneys and intestines began working. Here is a portion of an email that I sent to my family during that time: 

When the doctor told me yesterday that Richard was going in failure, when another doctor came in last night and said that he was going in renal failure and didn't come back for five hours to follow up on his diagnosis (leaving us to assume he didn't know what to do...in reality he really didn't and had "gone to call another doctor"), when Richards body just shook from pain and screamed unless drugged so heavily with a hallucination pain killer that he was asleep, and when another missionary with many years of experience told me that Richard's body was shutting down and that I needed to prepare myself for the worst and just love on him while I could, I was devastated and so helpless. Nobody knew what to do besides pray. And so its what everyone did - all of GSF, all of you, churches in America.... And now I really do still feel so hopeful. The fact that they're even throwing days around about when we may be able to go home is so huge. I know there is still a lot to work through and we are not at the end of the tunnel, but I at least feel there is an end of the tunnel. So thank you thank you for praying!! It is still so intense and so exhausting, physically and emotionally, but I wouldn't wish to be anywhere or doing anything else in the whole world. God knew what he was doing when he brought me and Richard to GSF on the same day.

I've never watched a miracle unfold the way that I saw God heal Richard that week. Richard's body was literally shutting down...and God put His hand on Richard and revived each of his little organs. Just days later, he was singing and talking. Below is a video that I took of him while at the hospital:


 

God's power was revealed through little Richard. I'm so thankful that He chose to spare the life of that sweet boy. Although Richard's body has had a month to heal since this traumatic time, it is still fighting the blood infection and chest infection. He has been back to the clinic twice and will continue to go for regular check ups. Sickle cell will be a life-long battle for this little guy. But, I know that battling sickle cell is just a piece of the full story that God has in store for him.

Please pray that God would continue to sustain and protect sweet Richard. And most of all, praise God for such a amazing healing!

Richard (on the left) and Elijah (on the right) staying entertained at the clinic

I'm currently at Word Of Life camp with 25 teenagers from Good Shepherd's Fold. The camp started on Sunday and runs until this Saturday. Please pray that God would be moving in the hearts of these teenagers as they are offered the gospel throughout the week! There's nothing more wonderful than expanding the family of God.