You give and take away

Hear my cry, O God; listen to my prayer. From the ends of the earth I call to You, I call as my heart grows faint. Lead me to the Rock that is higher than I.  Psalm 61:1-2

There are a few questions that people absolutely love to ask me. 1) How many more years of school do you have left? 2) I’ve had this _____ for a few weeks. What do you think it is, doc? Or my all time favorite 3) Is working in the hospital really like Grey’s Anatomy? Now for those of you reading this who have asked me at least 1 if not all of those questions, I love it. It’s awesome. And hilarious. If I didn’t like helping people and answering questions, I wouldn’t be going to school to be a doctor. That being said, there’s another question I get asked almost as much as those. 4) Why Swaziland? Why do you love it so much? I think this is the most challenging question because I honestly don’t know the answer. Actually, I know the answer and it’s Jesus but that usually doesn’t satisfy whoever is asking me. All I can tell you is that the Lord has placed this supernatural love for this country and these people in my heart that I cannot explain. However, with this deep love comes a lot of heartbreak and pain. Now, when I type that my week has been hard, you can maybe see a little deeper into what I’m actually saying. So with a heavy heart, that feels just as at home here as it does in North Carolina, I write this update.

Wednesday was day 3 for me at the Baylor Clinic here in Mbabane (the capital city of Swaziland.) I worked with 1 of the 8 doctors that are currently here. Clinic usually runs from about 8-2ish and then from 2-4:30 we work upstairs in the offices. If sick or complicated patients come in during the late afternoon, one of the doctors will go back down to see them. Wednesday afternoon, an extremely malnourished baby came into the clinic. She had recently been hospitalized and was discharged at the request of the gogo (grandmother). Unfortunately, gogo was also responsible for a 13-month-old at home and needed to get back to take care of him. Here in Swaziland, a caregiver has to remain at the hospital with the child to feed, medicate, change, etc. So if gogo couldn’t be at the hospital, neither could the baby. We also discovered that gogo had been refusing the specialized formula at the hospital because she was afraid it would give the baby worse diarrhea. When we saw the 2 month old little girl on Wednesday, she had not had any formula in >36hrs and had a clear diagnosis of kwashiorkor (for the medical people). Gogo refused admission once again because of her responsibilities at the homestead. We ended up going to the homestead so gogo could find a place for the other child to stay while she was at the hospital with the baby. Then, we took gogo and baby to the hospital. I hope they are still there, but I am not sure. The baby will not make it without the specialized feeding regimen that she can only receive at the hospital. Please pray for this family. The social situation is significantly worse than what I have included here. Gogo is stretched, mom is not in the picture, and this baby is suffering the consequences.

Thursday, I went to the hospital in Manzini called RFM to do rounds in the pediatric wards with one of the Baylor doctors and a Swazi “medical officer.” This is a Swazi “doctor” who has completed medical school only and is now essentially practicing as an attending physician in the hospital. I saw some very, very sick babies and children, most of which would’ve been in the pediatric ICU in the states. Instead, they are all in one big room with their caregiver(s) crammed in a small space next to them and beside the caregiver for the next patient. Forget about HIPAA or OCSEA or any acronym that could be flying through your brain. Right when we started rounding, a new baby was admitted to the floor. The patient was a 13-month-old little boy who had been suffering from severe diarrhea for the past 2 weeks. He was extremely dehydrated and in obvious hypovolemic shock. We quickly discovered the IV he had would not allow us to push fluids like we needed to. This is one of the stories I will gladly share in person when I get back or you can email me and I will tell you more but the general idea is that it took >90 min to get a line in this child. He was so dehydrated that it was impossible to put another peripheral IV and there were multiple attempts made at placing a line in his external jugular (which is fairly common here). Eventually, a physician from the ICU came over to our ward and put a femoral line in this child (an IV in his leg/groin). He was so sick, he was no longer responding to the pain of the needle sticks required for placing the line. When we left several hours later, mom was holding him and he was a little more alert. This little boy is just one example of how sick some of these children were.

Fridays at the clinic are a lot slower in regards to seeing patients. There is a lot of administrative meetings and education that takes place during these days. Like all things in Swaziland, we also close early (around 2:30). Sometime around lunch yesterday, we got a text from the Swazi doctor we worked with at RFM to tell us that our little boy with the severe dehydration did not make it through the night.  I keep thinking about standing beside his crib holding his little hands and consoling him while he received needle stick after needle stick in an attempt to place a line. I really don’t have words or explanations for you. All I can tell you is this child died from diarrhea. Here, it happens all the time. I can’t even tell you how many children I saw on Thursday who were there for similar things. It’s so hard for so many reasons. My heart aches. Please pray for this sweet mom who lost her baby. As I am typing this, I am reminded of words from the book of Job (2:21): “…The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the Name of the Lord be praised.”

Needless to say, yesterday afternoon was difficult....lots of things running through my head. I was extremely thankful that it had been previously arranged for me to join Daran, Teresa, and Joelle Rehmeyer for dinner last night. I spent time with Teresa and some of her friends after I got off work and then Teresa and I joined the rest of her family for dinner. Simply by the fact this had been planned days ago, I was reminded of the Lord’s provision and how He knows what we need long before we do. I am also hoping to join them for church tomorrow. Today, I am mostly doing things around the house like laundry. It’s not supposed to rain today so I figured the whole drying/hanging things on the line concept would work better with the sun vs rain. I am also working on a presentation on asthma that I am giving to local school nurses on Friday. I haven’t had internet here in >24hrs so making this presentation could be interesting. However, if you are reading this I must have found internet somewhere.

Thanks for praying with and for me. These are just a few stories from the hundreds I have seen this week. It’s hard and most days I feel pretty helpless. However, I am incredibly thankful for the Hope that I have been given and can therefore share with the Swazi people. I am also praying for opportunities to encourage these physicians who have been doing this for years and will continue to do so long after I leave. I am thankful for the time I have here to learn and grow.  I am also looking forward to potentially spending time with some of my Swazi friends over the next week, meeting my new roommate/the resident who is coming on Tuesday, and seeing what the Lord is going to teach me this weekend.

Psalm 130

Hunter

So much I don’t understand

In the middle of this circumstance

But I know my life is in Your hands

Tonight I’m gonna fix my eyes

On the only Hope that satisfies my heart

You are the One I’m running to

Everything that’s good and right and true

Jesus, I’m coming after who You are

You are the One I’m running to
-7eventh Time Down

Never a dull moment...

Let me begin by saying thank you to my wonderful roommate, Katy, who is uploading this blog post for me. The internet here has blocked access to my blog for some reason. Personally, I think it’s just because technology loves me (please note the intense amount of sarcasm in that statement).  Anyways, thanks Katy!

Sunday morning, I went to church at Hawane Baptist with one of our sweet translators Maria Shandu (gogo), a former AIM missionary (Erica) and her husband (Mxolisi). It was a very typical Swazi worship service: we began around 11, at 12:30 the pastor was called up to preach, and we left sometime around 2:30.  I loved every minute of it. I had the chance to see some old friends and was able to spend some time catching up as well as read a report from someone’s recent abdominal ultrasound. Welcome to my life.

Sunday was also kind of hard at the same time. Since I was last there, one of my friends died of AIDS leaving behind her two young children. Her mother is taking care of them but is having health problems of her own. I found out one of the older women in the church who has always been so precious to me died a few months ago. I loved this woman deeply despite the fact that our conversations only lasted about 15 seconds without a translator due to her limited English and passion for speaking siSwati and possibly Zulu fluently to me. She knew I didn’t understand but got quite a kick out of it. Gogo Dludlu had a wonderful sense of humor and an incredible dedication to the Lord. I’m going to miss her. A lot. Unfortunately, I was also reminded of how real sin is and how life changing its consequences can be. The Swazi youth are not much different than the youth in America. Giving in to culture and temptation is just easier. Plain and simple. No matter where you are. Need a reminder of how broken our world is? Turn on the news. Listen to your friend, neighbor, family member or coworker. Slow down for a second. You’ll see. Want to know what I’m thankful for? We have been offered so much more.

But God demonstrated His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.  -Romans 5:8

But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness and the result is eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.   -Romans 6:22-23

But in keeping His promise, we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness.  -2 Peter 3:13

As I sat in church with a heavy heart, in need of a reminder of this hope that I know, one of the youth went to the front to share what the Lord was teaching her. Before she finished, she also wanted to share a verse that she read several weeks ago. The verse was Genesis 28:15, and Lomanono said the Lord brought me to her mind even though she had no idea I was coming to church that Sunday. Quick background, this same verse was shared with me by one of my closest Swazi friends about 8 years ago. I literally call it my “Africa verse.” And there it was again. Ok, Lord. Thank you for being a God of encouragement and comfort. I hear you.

I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.   –Genesis 28:15

After church, I spent some time at Daran and Teresa Rehmeyer’s house. They are American missionaries here in Swaziland. Teresa is a nurse and will be helping out with our medical mission team. She is also being my substitute mom while I am gone and doing things like taking me to the grocery store. I am already thankful for her. I also wanted to say a quick thank you to my church family. Because of what people gave financially as well as purchased specifically, we were able to bless this family. Thank you so much for making that happen.

The last two days, I have been working at the Baylor clinic. In the picture below, you can see just how long of a commute I have as well as get an idea of what the clinic and my house look like.  I am standing in front of the gate of my house taking the picture with a lovely thunderstorm rolling in. Yesterday, we saw about 150-175 HIV+ children and family members. It was extremely busy refilling medications and doing lots of routine follow-ups. Today, we saw about 60-75 but there were a lot of complicated complaints, and I saw things I have only previously read about in a textbook. For my medical friends as well as those who like to use google, I will tell you about my first 3 patients briefly so you can get an idea of what today looked like.  I’ll try to make it semi-understandable.

   Patient #1 – 28 yr old female with cryptococcal meningitis sent from clinic last Thursday to be admitted to the hospital for 2 weeks of IV medication. Instead, she was sent home from the hospital the next day.

   Patient #2 – 18 mth old boy with developmental delay as well as rickets due to malnutrition

   Patient #3 – 24 yr old female in respiratory distress and severely anemic due to suspected TB, which was later confirmed. At first, she refused to start treatment and refused to go to the hospital. Later, she did try to go and they wouldn’t admit her.

Let’s just say I learned a lot today. I also have a growing prayer list.

Now, to end on a completely different note as my house literally shakes due to the incredibly intense thunder outside. I often say that there is never a dull moment in my life. The people who know me best know that this is in fact a very true statement. I also learned a long time ago that learning to laugh at yourself is an essential quality. So….let me tell you about my evening. It is no secret that I am not exactly what you would call a chef. In fact, Katy and I recently counted, and I was pumped that I knew how to make more than 5 things. I mean, it might only be 6 things but at least 2 involve more than a microwave! With that background, here is my story. Plus, I am going to give you the opportunity to practice self-control. (It is part of the fruit of the Spirit you know.) Don’t scroll down to look at the photo until you read the story…

When I got home from the clinic around 4:30, I decided that I needed to figure out some type of snack to eat in the afternoons. I mean, carrot sticks are great but without hummus…they are kind of boring. Not sure how rabbits do it. And remember, never a dull moment so boring snacks aren’t acceptable. Therefore, I decided to boil some eggs. That’s easy enough and would be a great snack in the afternoon. You might be saying, “Hunter. For one, eggs are also boring. And secondly, please tell me you didn’t mess up boiled eggs.” Ok. It wasn’t me. Promise! What had happened was…Within about 30 seconds, every last one of them split open and then began erupting. It was…quite interesting. Then they started floating, and I was trying to figure out if every dang egg was rotten. Anyways, I just left them in and let them boil. Whatever. Let’s just say, when I took them out, some of them were still shaking and boiling on the inside. Yes. They had enough water inside of them to do that. Soooo I’m not exactly sure what happened. My actual dinner did turn out ok though. Scrambled eggs and toast. Decided not to get too crazy after that other egg situation. However, my prayer at dinner did sound something like this: “Dear Lord, thank you for providing this food. Now, please, Father, protect me from it. I really don’t have time for food poisoning.” So far so good. What did I learn? 1) African eggs are a little sensitive; 2) I should apparently google how to boil eggs in the near future; and most importantly 3) Jesus answers prayers. Enjoy the picture.

The Great Eggsplosion of 2015

Thanks for praying with and for me. Let’s hope my roommate that’s coming next week can cook. J In the meantime, pray for protection of my health (not just from my cooking but in the clinic as well).  Also, please pray for opportunities to share Jesus. These people need spiritual healing. Until the Swazis seek Him, I see no end to this epidemic that is wiping out this nation.  

The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.    -2 Peter 3:9

Until the whole world hears,

Hunter

Prayers, rainbows and coffee

At first, I began this post with the following sentence: “What an incredible 48 hours, and the journey has just begun!” However, I am not sure that is a totally accurate statement. This journey actually began about 13 years ago when I traveled to Swaziland for the first time. Fast forward a few years and a few trips, and the Lord called me to the medical field. Fast forward a few more years and trips, and I learned about the pediatric clinic that Baylor runs in Swaziland. Fast forward a few more years, an additional trip, and this minor thing called medical school and here I am. As I sit in Swaziland tonight, I am overwhelmed by the Lord’s faithfulness. Let me tell you a little bit about it…

In order to do this rotation with Baylor, it is suggested that you apply at least 8-10 months in advance. Only 1-2 students and/or residents are accepted for each 4 week block. After I completed my application, it took a little while before I could convince myself to submit it. My thought process sounded something like this: “I have dreamed of doing this rotation for years. What if I don’t get accepted?” After a few kind reminders that I couldn’t be accepted unless I submitted the application, I finally submitted the thing. For those of you who don’t catch on as fast as others, I got accepted. J The Lord is faithful.

“Ok, now that I have been accepted for this rotation, how am I going to finance it? I am already tens of thousands of dollars in debt thanks to a few years of school”… yeah, yeah more than a few years but you get the idea. I think watching the Lord provide financially for this trip has been one of the coolest things. I have been completely overwhelmed by the love and support people have being pouring out. When those things are combined with the finances, I don’t have any other words except: The Lord is faithful.

So why did I call this update “Prayers, rainbows and coffee?” Well, we have finally caught up to the 48 hours I was initially referencing. Thursday morning, before I left for the airport, about 30 people from my Discovery Church family gathered in my apartment to pray. Now, for all of you Southern Baptists reading this, I am fairly confident we can call what happened a prayer meeting (despite the fact it did not occur on a Sunday or Wednesday night). Here’s what I do know: “Where two or three come together in My Name, there am I with them” Matt 18:20.   Jesus was present in that place, and it was awesome. The Lord is faithful.

Here’s something else that I have learned - flying for 16 hours gives you a lot of time to think. As we were about to land in South Africa, I was reflecting on a lot of the things I have just mentioned and thanking the Lord for his faithfulness and provision. I lifted up my window and right over the tip of the wing was a beautiful and enormous rainbow. In the middle of that prayer, I saw an incredible reminder of His faithfulness. By the time I registered what had just happened and grabbed my camera, the pilot decided to turn without asking me if I had gotten my picture. So, if you look hard enough you can see a tiny piece of the rainbow and have a general idea of what was in front of me. The Lord is faithful.

Wayne and Barbara Myers (IMB missionaries) picked me up from the Johannesburg airport on Friday evening. We stayed in Jo’burg overnight and then tackled the 4-5hr drive into Swaziland this morning. Before leaving Jo’burg we stopped at my favorite coffee place – Mugg and Bean. All you have to do is drink some of their coffee and eat one of their muffins and you are instantly reminded of God’s goodness. At least I was. Praise. J We arrived in Swaziland a little after 2pm, and I have been settling into what will be my home for the next 4 weeks. I also had the chance to briefly meet one of the physicians I will be working with this month. I start clinic on Monday morning. At some point, I will have a roommate join me, but for now it is just me (and for you parents out there: me + a gate, + a 24hr guard + several locks, etc etc.).

Tomorrow, I will go to one of our Baptist church plants and will see some old friends. I am beyond excited! Thanks for your prayers and for your desire to stay updated on all that the Lord is doing.

Hunter

The One who calls you is faithful, and He will do it.  -1 Thess 5:24

Most asked questions: Yes, I do have water and electricity (and internet sometimes). I am 7 hours ahead of my NC family, and I would love for you to email me at hunterjohnsonmd@gmail.com. You guys are the best.

New season, new adventures, same faithful Jesus

Be very careful, then, how you live - not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity because the days are evil. -Ephesians 5:15-16

Jesus said to them, "My Father is always at His work to this very day, and I, too, am working." 
-John 5:17

It is no secret if you know me at all that my heart beats for Africa. More specifically, my heart beats for a tiny little country in southern Africa known as the Kingdom of Swaziland.  Since I was 13 years old, I have had the opportunity to travel to Swaziland on 7 different occasions. The Lord has used this country and the Swazi people to radically change my heart and my life. In fact, I have chosen to pursue a career in medicine because of my previous experiences in Swaziland. Swaziland currently has the highest HIV rate in the world (estimates of 35%) with the lowest life expectancy in the world (approx 31yrs for men). My heart literally aches for the Swazi people as they battle HIV/AIDS. Since I applied to medical school, I have been praying for the Lord to open doors so I could work with Baylor University in the HIV pediatric clinic in Swaziland. One week from Thursday, I will step on a plane to fly to Swaziland to do exactly that. PTL. It has been 2.5 years since I've been to Africa, and I miss it terribly. Plus, this is an incredible opportunity to serve the people that I love so deeply.

While in Swaziland, I will partner with the Baylor International Pediatric AIDS Initiative (www.bipai.org/swaziland) and work in their clinics for 4 weeks. Following those 4 weeks, I will join a medical mission team from First Baptist Washington and serve with them for 2 weeks. We will fly home on March 6th, and 2 weeks later, I will find out where I will be doing my residency for the next 4 years. It's about to be a busy semester...lots of changes, lots of new adventures, and lots of opportunities to trust Jesus. I know His plans and His ways are so much better than anything I could ever plan for myself. So for now, I will rest in those promises. [Isaiah 55:8-9]

There's one more thing I want to share so you can know how to be praying for me. About a year ago, the Lord placed the word "thrive" on my heart. In that process, He made me very aware of the fact that I spend a significant amount of time preparing for what is next and sometimes miss out on what He is doing right in front of me. As a result, I have spent this past year being very intentional about fully investing where I am now and in the people around me. I could literally write for hours about what God has been teaching me through the word "thrive," but the main point would be straight from Ephesians: Make the most of every opportunity. Invest where you are. Look for where the Lord is working and join Him. A lot of these opportunities have been right here in North Carolina, but I have also had some pretty cool experiences while traveling around the country interviewing for residency. More stories for another time, but hopefully this gives you an idea of how you can pray for me. Pray that during my 6 weeks in Swaziland, I make the most of every opportunity. Pray for opportunities to speak Jesus into people's lives. Lastly, pray for the Swazi people as they continue to lose family and friends to HIV. Pray for healing and restoration.

Thanks for your support and for joining me on this adventure!

In Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we could ever ask or imagine,
Hunter