Promise

My face must have painted a combined picture of amusement and amazement.

She was telling me that five days prior to this journey she had a dream about me.  But, this was our first day to meet each other.  She had never seen me and I had never seen her before. Well, I was sure that I had never seen her.

But, here we were.  The five of us, assembled together for what would turn into seven similar journeys.  A family of three plus my driver and me. Setting off on a journey which would have far more serious consequence than any of us would have ever imagined.

And, as astounding as it sounded, the dream was suspiciously coming into focus as a reality.

It was my first time to meet anyone with the name of Nice.  But, honestly, that was the mother's name ... Nice!  The father had the common name of Peter.  Together they had named their son Promise.

Peter, Promise, and Nice

During his first month of existence in this world Promise got sick.  The local medical resource "diagnosed" him with a bacterial infection, sold his parents some medicine, and sent the family home.

Promise weighed 3.5 kilos at birth.  Later that first day of investigation at International Hospital Kampala, he would weigh in at 5.6 kilos.  But, he was just two weeks from his first birthday.  His eyes seemed abnormal and his ultrasound exam revealed an enlarged liver. Something was wrong with this baby, and though his health condition had been investigated over and over again during his previous 10 month, no one really knew what was wrong with Promise.

After cataract surgery

But, back to the dream that Nice had.  She told us that in the dream a white man had come and was so committed to finding out what was wrong with Promise.  I was that white man. And, after our seven trips to and from Kampala, Nice tells me that her life is turning out just as her dream predicted it would.  This white man is being relentless and digging deep just as the dream indicated he would.

It appears as though Nice may have had German measles during her first trimester with Promise.  But, she had no clue.  The jury is still out, but some of the medical professions we have seen believe that Promise may be a special needs child as a result.

Promise and Kelci

One surgery has been done so far.  An eye surgery to remove cataracts from Promise's eye. The surgery was successful and effective.

But, the ultrasounds revealed and the MRI confirmed that Promise has a tumor in his liver. The latest trip to Kampala was for an ultrasound guided biopsy of the mass.

Now we wait.  We wait until next week to see if the tumor is malignant of benign.

But, there is no waiting as far as the love my wife, Pam, Kelci (our NGM short term missionary), and I have for Promise.  It's too late.  My five days spent with him and Pam's two days spent with him pushed us over the line.  We have all fallen in love with Promise. And it is obvious to each of us that the mother and father of Promise love him deeply as well.

I am still that white man from Nice's dream.  I am still digging deep.  And, I and NGM Medical will do all we can to demonstrate the love of God to this one year old African boy.

If you would like to love Promise with us, please send a donation to Next Generation Ministries, 29940 South Dhooghe Road, Colton, OR 97017.  Please designate the donation, in the memo line of your check, as Promise.  Your contribution is tax deductible.