Angel in disguise

His ever-present smile lights up the entire ward and his eyes shine bright as everyone gathers into the crowded room for the hospital church service. Patients crowd together with their bandages and IV lines, surrounded by nurses and crew members who have come to join in the service. The music starts and the drums begin to beat....the sound of African voices fills the air like a beautiful choir. But one voice in particular stands out a few decibals higher than the others...I turn toward the sound and see those bright eyes and big smile...and with no surprise, I see that it is Osman.

The first time I met Osman, he was getting ready to have surgery for a gaping wound on his leg. We got him ready for the operating room with his pre-op surgical scrub. As he waited for me to finish, there was a look of discomfort in his eyes, but he didn't say a word. When it was all finished, he proceeded to thank me and headed back to his little corner of the room with a big smile on his face. It was obvious that he was not the typical 9-year old boy. There was something deeper within him that gave him peace and joy in the midst of his circumstances. It was this same joy that would carry him through the next few months of a very long journey.


The following week was a difficult one for Osman. He had several complications, one being an arterial bleed, which led him back to the operating room. Eventually, the blood flow was so diminished that there was nothing to be done except to amputate the leg. It was devastating for all of us to find out, but amazingly enough, Osman never lost his smile or cheerful spirit. After spending a few days in intensive care, he returned to A Ward and continued to amaze us with his positive attitude.


It has been over three months now since my first encounter with Osman and he continues to challenge and encourage me. I was relocated to B Ward for about a month to help with staffing needs there, but every time I came back to visit the kids, I was greeted by my sweet Osman who always had a smile and a big hug for me. Sometimes I walk in at the right momen and catch him strumming away at his "guitar," which happens to be one of the crutches that he uses to cruise around the ward. Other times, I find him laying in bed doing his physical therapy exercises with a strained look on his face. Those are the moments that I get the opportunity to cheer him up...we count to 10 in every language we can think of until he is finally finished.


It's interesting how God works. When I first came to the ship, I set out to really "change the world" and make a difference in the lives of my patients. But in the end, I've discovered that the one who has been changed the most is me. The perseverance and optimism of these children is so inspiring that I can't leave a day of work without encountering God and His amazing work in this place.

Every now and then, I have one of those days when I am feeling completely overwhelmed and discouraged....without fail, those are the days that God brings Osman my way. He hobbles over on his crutches to snuggle up close to me with a hug and smile...and it's in those sweet moments that I realize God has blessed me with a little angel in disguise.