Frank

Dear family and friends,

It is 4 am in Uganda right now, and we have been woken up from much needed sleep; sensing the Holy Spirit prompting us to get out this urgent prayer request. This is our story:

The Characters:

Frank, Jesus, Calvary Chapel Entebbe, Katie and Grant

The Plot:

Generally it is the practice of Calvary Chapel Entebbe to send out a medical team once a week to the islands. This week we elected Katie to go, and we told you a bit about her experiences in the past blog. However, there was a short-term mission trip team of American high school/college students who funded multiple trips this week, so Katie went on Wednesday as well. The American/Ugandan medical teams and Katie traveled to the farthest island, more than 2 hours away by boat. While there, the team put on a kids’ camp, with games and songs for the children. There was a small boy in attendance who upon crawling into one of the American’s laps during the music, was found to have a very high temperature. An older child was quickly instructed to take the younger boy to the clinic. And all was thought to be taken care of. However, maybe 10 minutes later the feverish boy was found again wandering around the kids’ camp. When questioned the older child explained that the young boy has no parents and no one to take him to the clinic. At this point Katie, who had been bouncing back and forth between helping with the clinic and the kids’ camp, agreed to take the boy to the clinic to see what could be done for him. 

While waiting in line at the clinic Katie learned from the mothers in the village that the boys name was Frank. No one knows how old he is but most guess he is about 4. They explained that about 2-3 months ago his mother abandoned him to the island. He had a few relatives there, but they beat and abused him so that he would stay away from them. And so for 3 months Frank had been going from door to door begging for food and shelter. Just last week his high fever had gotten so bad that he passed out and they left him for dead, but God had a bigger plan for Frank’s life. Katie carried him through the clinic where he saw the nurse, and was prescribed some Tylenol for his 103 temperature, some water and some antibiotics. The nurse told her that he should take the Tylenol now, and the antibiotics once daily for five days. It was at this point that Katie lost it emotionally, Who is going to give him this medicine? Who will care for him? He has no one.  She took Frank to the corner of the bar being used for the clinic, and just wept as Frank slept soundly on her shoulder.  Once she gained some composure she simply asked if there was anything that could be done.  The leader of the Ugandan medical team told her that with an official letter from the city counsel, they could arrange for Frank to come back on the boat, but there was no one able to house him.  Katie didn’t hesitate to offer our home, our money, and her own care. God showed his incredible favor in this as any official letters in Africa are generally difficult to get your hands on.  Most officials want a bribe and have little concern for orphans.  Within one hour the proper official was found, knew the entire story about the boy, and gladly issued a letter authorizing Calvary Chapel to take Frank.

The Climax:

And so since Wednesday we have become a family of 4. We have since taken Frank to the doctor, and gotten a full physical with blood work.  They told us that he had several strands of malaria, which were very advanced in stage; and he is lucky to be alive. Because his case was so severe he was given and injection of steroids to empower the antiviral medicine which Frank is taking now. We were relieved to hear he is negative for HIV.

The Resolution (PRAYER REQUEST):

As you may know we plan to leave Entebbe on July 1^st. This gives us very little time to find Frank a good place to live. We feel a bit desperate for God’s help. Such a great responsibility is weighing heavily on our hearts, and our physical bodies are exhausted.  Yet we are blessed and honored to have this opportunity to put our faith into action. Each morning we can sense a strong spiritual battle as the enemy tries to bring discouragement and hopelessness. We are in desperate need of prayer, and that is why we are up now getting this out to you all. Please, please pray for this situation. Pray that God would continue to reveal his plan for Frank to us.  Pray for continued favor in the legal issues involved in this process.  Pray 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 over our family as we face trouble emotionally and spiritually. And give praise that Frank is alive, and laughing and playing daily with Nigel!!

Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you. - James 1:27