Teach One ... Viewer Discretion Is Advised

I watched intently as Doc walked Susan through the procedure of caring for a serious wound during a free medical clinic several years ago.  Doc had refused to come to Uganda for any reason because it didn't make sense to him ... until he crashed his motorcycle, broke his neck, survived death, and woke up to God's call on his life to direct short-term medical missionary teams for Next Generation Ministries.

As I observed Susan follow his directions flawlessly, I heard him repeat a phrase several times.  "See one, do one, teach one."

This phrase seems to condense the basic role of a mentor into a simple yet pretty specific directive.

Rebecca Hunter

Most people are aware that kids do what they see done ... often without anyone telling or teaching them to do it. Over the years I have had the privilege of mentoring scores of young people of the next generation.  I even adopted two of those adults providing an opportunity for an even greater impact.  This blog is a story about one of them who said, "I'm only doing what I have seen you and Mom do" when I told her how proud I am of her.  This time it was for something she is doing over this summer before she begins her third year of medical school at Kampala International University.

A year ago, Rebecca was able to convince her biological sister to entrust her 12-year-old daughter, Olivia, to her instead of putting her in some unknown, but predictably unhealthy, housegirl situation.  Agnes consented and Rebecca has been caring for Olivia for the past year.

Rebecca's Cafe & Shop

Earlier this year, Rebecca brought her sister, Agnes, to Ishaka and with some gifted capital was able to start a cafe and clothing shop called Sozo (Greek for salvation) in which Agnes works as the cook.  Until this recent lockdown imposed by the government, the cafe was doing very well.  Now that transportation is restricted and a curfew is in place it has been more challenging.

Those circumstances did not immobilize Rebecca.  She decided that she and Olivia would take some of the food from the cafe to the hospital to provide for patients and their families, many of who do not have the resources to purchase food, medicine, or pay for the hospital bills.  (Most hospitals in Uganda do not provide food for their patients ... others have to do so).

Transporting food

Rebecca is seeing, doing, and teaching Olivia what it means to love people on behalf of Jesus.  Of course, they don't have the resources to feed all the patients.  They only care for the ones Jesus tells them to care for.

During the course of providing food, Rebecca fell in love with a six-year-old burn patient.  Emmanuel, at night, had fallen backward into a pot of boiling porridge and suffered severe burns.

Emma (nickname for Emmanuel) was taken from the village and admitted to the hospital because of his severe injuries.  But ... he was not being cared for.  He was in excruciating pain but was not given any pain medication.

Suffering in severe pain

It's hard for those in the West to grasp the health care system in a developing nation.  To receive medical attention money has to be paid upfront.  Without money, there is no care for the patient.  They languish on the ward in their hospital bed accumulating bills for their sheer presence there.

Emma's father is dead.  His mother is HIV positive.  There is no money.  But, love is a verb and Rebecca began to do what she could do.

Emma smiles in Kampala

After our daughter shared her challenge with us, we collected some funds from family members and committed to seeing Emmanuel cared for.  Rebecca cleared the bills that were in arrears and provided funds for pain medication.  I connected Rebecca to Susan, the NGM medical manager so that Emma could be transported to Kampala and cared for by the best burn and reconstruction surgeon in Uganda.

Emma was transported by ambulance (necessary due to the lockdown curfews and restricted transportation) to Kampala.  Because Emma's laboratory reports revealed he was anemic and had low albumin levels, the first step to recovery was to provide high-protein meals to Emma so that his body would be prepared for skin grafts.

Emma in recovery with his mother

Emma had his first skin graft on July 5, 2021.  He has been in recovery since then with limited movement in order to reduce setbacks to his fragile skin.

Not only was Emma lacking meals and medical treatment, but also basic clothing which has now been provided for him.

Rebecca's partnership with Next Generation Ministries finds themselves sharing the same goals: loving this boy and his mother by assisting with Emma's medical needs so that they can know that God sees them, cares about them and wants a relationship with them.

Agnes, Rebecca, & Olivia

Simple, not complicated.  See one ... do one ... teach one.

Agnes, Rebecca's older sister, is new to Christianity.  But she and her daughter are the beneficiaries of Rebecca's mentoring.  Agnes is now very concerned about what happens with Emma after he is discharged from the hospital and is asking Rebecca, "How are we going to care for Emma?"

See one ... do one ... teach one.  It's basic discipleship.  Reproduction in its most simple terms.