“The works of the Lord are great…He has made His wonderful works to be remembered.” Psalm 111:2-4

In this broken world there is One who heals the sick and those afflicted with pain and suffering. Our hearts have been heavy, for over a year now, as we remembered and prayed for the woman we knew only as “the burn lady”. At the clinic at Agape in July 2006, in the deep bush of Mpongwe, a young woman arrived who had been severely burned, from the groin to below the knee, on both legs. Unable to walk at all, she arrived by oxen cart with a wooden frame with a blanket draped over it, which stretched across her legs, protecting her from the elements while not touching her burns. When the blanket was removed we were shocked to see that no skin remained on her legs, and in one area the bone was exposed. The OMNI doctors and nurses worked many hours debreeding and carefully cleaning the burn, which was over one month old. She endured this painful procedure with incredible strength and courage; not a single wimper, not a single tear shed. She was seen by the doctors and nurses several times last year, and given supplies to care for the burn. Today we witnessed how the Lord had answered our prayers. We made the long drive to Mpongwe, nearly two hours, driving the dirt roads and narrow paths we have now become accustomed to, in search of “the burn lady”. Our hearts sank when Foster said, “I only hope we find her.” We drove past many small villages. There would be a tiny trail leading to a small cluster of huts with grass roofs. Finally, Foster said “This is the one” as he turned down a trail lined with burned out grass and trees. We followed the trail until it ended, where we found Floreen Kabati sitting in the small cooking hut. When she heard the car approaching she turned, then came running to the car. Before I could even get out of the car, her arms were wrapped tight around me, and her cheek pressed close next to mine. And of course, the tears flowed freely. Here was the same young woman who had been unable to walk at all last year, running to greet us! As Ron came around from the other side of the car, she hugged him, then returned to hug me. She went back and forth hugging us both for several minutes, then just stood next to us, beaming. Floreen speaks very little English, but those first few minutes no words were spoken, or needed. As we did begin speaking with her, we discovered that she had been in the hospital for seven months, where she eventually received skin grafts on both legs. She had escaped infection and regained full mobility. Floreen explained the burn had occurred at her in-laws, where she was living with her husband and two children. While cooking over the open fire, some of the cooking oil spilled into the fire and ignited the chitenge she was wearing. Underneath the chitenge she was wearing another skirt made of synthetic fabric which literally melted onto her legs. It is her belief that this accident was caused by witchcraft practiced by her in-laws. While she was in the hospital she said her husband never came to see her, and she would not return to live with him at his parent’s home. She is now living with her father and two younger brothers. Her older son, Parod, age 7, lives with his father, but she is able to see him often. Sadly, when she returned from the hospital in April she discovered her baby had died. She was visibly shaken sharing this news with us, so we did not ask any more. She stayed close by our sides the whole while we visited, and would periodically put her arm around my waist or shoulder, giving me a little squeeze.
The last words Floreen spoke, in her soft, sweet voice were “My God will bless you richly.” Indeed, He has. We have never felt more blessed in our lives.