Its not always fun.

Today is one of the toughest shifts Ive had so far this time and Ive only been here 10 days. I have been assigned for the past week the same 4 ladies (and others) which has been so wonderful. I have managed to slowly build a relationship with each one with simple things like hanging a curtain around one lady's bed who likes to sleep early, two more loved being tucked in when they lay down and another enjoys holding someones hand and having her arm stroked as she rests in her bed. I absolutely love being able to do this for them and show love as I cannot speak their language which sometime frustrates me. If the shift is quiet then we can sing songs together, try to talk by doing charades (I'm not good) and paint toenails, make friendship bracelets or play X&O's on a scrap piece of paper.

These ladies each have a heart breaking story of their own and came to the ship with such high hopes that their suffering would finally end. The hope that the big white ship brings is held on to very tight even when we have not been successful with surgery....'There must be something more you can do?' This is the question asked of me today by my patient who I had to tell that it was time to go home.

She is still wet.

As the tears flowed we had to tell her through two translators that we were so so sorry but there is nothing more we can do and if there was we would do it for her in an instant...... 'but I am still wet'..... Lalle  has been leaking for such a long time and she came with hope that the big white ship would be able to change her life however, due to her bladder size and other issues her surgery did not make her dry. She cried. We asked her to open up to us and explain what was concerning her most and she cried as she told me that in her village she is chased by the villagers and scorned for her condition as urine leaks down her legs while doing her daily chores. She struggles to find food to eat or buy and when she draws water at the only well in the village they jeer and torment her...... my heart breaks.

Pray that she is accepted back into her community and that her neighbours will recognise the hurt and pain she feels. Pray that she remembers how loved she is and that although in this present world she may not have a dry body, God will restore her in the next and give her a beautiful and dry body with no more tears or shame.