Ryan D. Marshall

Navigating Illness in a Third World Country: A Parent’s Perspective

Introduction:
In this blog post, I want to express my gratitude for the support and prayers we have received while dealing with our children’s illness in a third world country. Living in such a place presents unique challenges when it comes to seeking medical help. I hope this post sheds light on our experience and highlights the importance of resilience in difficult situations.

The Search for Answers:
When our son Ezekiel fell ill with rashes, a high fever, and extreme fatigue, we suspected scarlet fever. However, finding immediate medical assistance was not as simple as it would be in more developed areas. While we have access to emergency services for trauma or surgeries, dealing with sickness often requires us to rely on our own resources.

Exploring Options:
Desperate to help our children, I exhausted all possibilities, from trying different antibiotics to seeking divine intervention through prayer. Eventually, I reached out to my aunt, a medical professional, and shared pictures of the symptoms. Unfortunately, she couldn’t confirm scarlet fever, leaving us back at square one.

A Ray of Hope:
In our quest for answers, our world missions director offered to share our situation with a doctor within our organization who had extensive experience and had traveled extensively as a missionary. Both the doctor and my aunt came to the same conclusion: hand, foot, and mouth disease. It was surprising to learn that this illness, which I thought only affected babies, could also impact older children.

Understanding and Acceptance:
Armed with the correct diagnosis, we realized why the previously administered medication had not been effective. It became clear that our children would need to rest and allow their bodies to fight off the illness naturally. We accepted this reality and trusted that time would heal them.

Gratitude and Encouragement:
I want to express my heartfelt appreciation for the unwavering support and prayers we received during this challenging period. The power of community and faith cannot be overstated, and we are grateful for the love and encouragement we received. God’s goodness has been evident throughout this journey.

Conclusion:
Living in a third world country brings unique challenges when it comes to seeking medical help. Our experience with our children falling ill taught us the importance of resilience and resourcefulness. We are grateful for the support we received and hope that sharing our story sheds light on the realities faced by families in similar situations.

God Bless,

Brother Marshall