The Power of Perspective

Hmmm...this was a really poor job on my part...keeping a blog. Well, the important this is that I am now finally writing. I have been writing since the day I arrived in Lagos in my journal and on my computer, but I have yet to put anything online. I didn't bring any specific to write today, but maybe will post about the journey thus far.

It is June 9th, and today is my 10th day here. I am working at the Havana Hospital here and it is amazing. Seeing death is hard. Seeing healing can be harder because it only leads to the question of why death? From my perspective, I don't understand. But that's the thing...how powerful is my perspective, and how powerful is the perspective of a community?

It is my plan to find out more what the means. I've mentioned the phrase "a community of healing hands" before, and I truly felt that while I was here. Last Friday, one patient was in a poor condition after some complications after an appendectomy (I believe that was the procedure). Young man, if you ask me, and his condition was worsening. I know very little about medicine, but I do know what healing looks like and what the power of healing looks like. On that day, five of us (nurses, doctors, and myself) clasped our hands in prayer both separately and together. But when I came into work on Monday, one of the doctors at the hospital informed me that the man had passed away early Saturday morning. I was so sure all weekend that the prayers would be answered. That the man would be sitting upright and laughing when I saw him on Monday.

I was talking to another one of my friends about it from back home, and she made a good point: even though the prayer was unanswered--in a sense--it is still so powerful. I think back to the power and community I felt I had found here only after one week in Nigeria. I was able to witness firsthand the faith of true healers in this world. I found faithful doctors, nurses, and humans, pleading with God to save this man's life. I was able to find that community of healing hands that I so desired to find.

The Power of Perspective. I can only imagine what it would be like to see every situation through God's eyes. I hope to develop an increased vision in the days, weeks, and years to come in my life. I hope to develop perspective.

-Obi