Two Little Shots

Wow! That one hurt”,

was my half-joking/half-serious response when the nurse at my local doctor’s office stabbed a three inch needle into my right arm. A minute and a half later she moved on to the next arm, and I couldn’t help but blurt out, “GOODNESS! That hurt too!”

Okay, so I guess it’s pretty obvious that I’m a wimp when it comes to shots. But let’s be real, nobody LIKES shots… Or do they? After getting my first two immunizations in order to prepare for my upcoming mission trip to Africa, I spent the next few days complaining about my achy shoulders and insisting that my husband grab things off of shelves for me so that I wouldn’t have to move my arms. Then, after the complaining started to annoy even ME, I thought about why I was in pain and why these shots are a necessary part of my travel plans. It’s because I’m going to a place where things like meningococcal and polio are still prevalent. We’re not just talking about a common cold or flu virus here, these are diseases that can cause severe brain and spinal chord damage, paralysis, and death… And you know what? I could just walk into my doctor’s office and get a couple of shots to make sure I don’t ever have to feel the effects of these diseases. I didn’t even have to call ahead and make sure they had the vaccines on hand, they were just there, sitting in storage… And these are diseases that our country has had almost no cases of for years!

Now, imagine I was living in Africa, where these diseases are much more common. Further still, imagine I was an orphaned child living in that part of the world. Could I just walk into my local doctor’s office and ask for the polio vaccine? I won’t claim to know all of the ins and outs of the African medical system, but my guess is no, I don’t think I could. Unless it happens to be a year in which some wealthy people or companies have decided to sponsor a campaign to help immunize children in Africa, I think it’s safe to say that the little shots I complained about are pretty hard for an orphaned African child to come by.

Okay okay, what does this have to do with my upcoming mission trip? I’m not a doctor, nor am I trained in the medical field in any way, shape, or form (and with my distaste for needles, that’s likely a good thing). So, I think it’s pretty clear that I’m not going to Africa to give shots to small children. However, I am going to Africa to care for and support their orphaned children with the skills and abilities that I do have. My husband and I will be there building things with our own hands, visiting those in need and listening to their stories, and hopefully finding a way to bring some of those stories back with us. I think it’s clear why the Bible says,

“Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.” James 1:27

Because so far, all I’ve done is PLAN to visit those less fortunate than me, and it’s already changing my mindset.

I got two little shots, and I started thinking about things like disease and healthcare on more of a global scale, and started developing a heart that cares and prays for the widows and orphans that I’ve yet to meet. I can only imagine how God will start to change my heart and mind once I’ve actually taken the time to meet and visit with the widows and orphans that He so dearly loves.

– Kelley J.