An Open Letter to our Prayer Partners:
In these past few weeks I have received a serious lesson on how important communication with other believers and our Lord is.
Having a close encounter with death can teach you the power of prayer.
I had been dealing with a bad cough and what I thought was a sinus infection. I awoke at 4am one morning not able to breathe. Thank God Jan Brown (no relation) from PA was in the house with me. Had I been alone I do not think I would be here now. "God in Charge." To make a long story short and notwithstanding the terror you feel at such a time, our driver was called and a very fast trip to King Faisal Hospital emergency room in Kigali, an hour's drive over mountain roads that make PA mountains and roads seem like a miracle highway. Finally I was where I could get some help. After several really bad episodes in the Emergency Room the medical team there took it seriously. You know the theory in hospitals all over the world: "an old woman needing attention - give her some cough medicine, a pat on the head and send her home."
An E N T specialist was called and after a time a brain scan was done. The left side of my head and throat could not function due to inflammation, swelling and coughing. It was a cycle. The coughing created the inflammation which in turn caused the swelling and that was aggravated by the cough. Thank God there are two sides to the brain. As difficult and frightening as it was, enough oxygen could get to the lungs. It was necessary to get medicine that would reduce the swelling and then the inflammation. With some of the irritation gone, the coughing slowly was reduced.
I am still working with the cough but it is no longer dangerous. I am in full work mode again and doing well. God is Good.
I know for sure only prayer and God placing the right people in the right places gave me the time needed to get all my ducks in a row. I took Isaiah 38 verses 1,2 and 3 and asked the Lord for more time as King Hezekiah did and God has answered my prayer. However I need more than 15 years.
It was a tough wake up call but made me know that even though I intend to live to be 110 it is important to have a line of succession and security for Urukundo Foundation and the children God has given us to care for.
That has been taken care of and the future of Urukundo is secure. Praise God.