Ampulira Dissan

Ampulira Dissan 13/3/2012 - 24/7/2012

Several weeks ago, on one of our many trips to various hospitals with this precious little boy, I asked Taata Dissan what his son`s name (Ampulira) means and why they had chosen it. He explained that it means GOD HEARS OUR PRAYERS......and went on to add that during labour they thought that his wife would have to have a caesarean section but they prayed, and she was able to deliver normally. As I sat with Dissan in the back of the vehicle I wondered to myself, ‘I wonder if he still believes that God hears his prayers.’ A few weeks later his wife, the mother of Dissan and his 3 other children had passed away.........

Shortly after her death, Dissan`s Father came to New Hope to seek help for his son. He was accepted on the Hope Family (babies home) outreach programme and admitted into our local hospital as he was severely malnourished and not a well little boy.

After his 5 week stay in hospital, Dad did take his son back home for a short while, obviously with his medicines, formula milk and other things that Hope Family had given. However, it soon became clear that Dissan was going to need more regular medical attention as he had a large growth on his neck and at home, Dissan`s Father only had his elderly, visually impaired mother to help him.

So in early June, dear little Dissan came to stay with the Dendy`s who run Hope Family. I remember meeting him when he had just arrived; He was tiny, had a funny hair-do (they had shaved half of his head to get in an IV line,) and had a huge plaster on the left side of his face where they had taken a sample from his lump. A few days later, I had the privilege of having Dissan for the day whilst the Dendy`s had a day off in Kampala. A few smiles and gurgling conversations later and Dissan had well and truly won my heart.......

Over the coming weeks, I spent a lot of time with Dissan as the Dendy`s were very busy with transitioning the rest of the babies into their new home, preparing for a visit from the president`s wife and Stu also went down with Malaria leaving Sarah with their own two boys to look after, Hope Family to run, as well as Dissan who was demanding more and more medical attention.

I quickly grew very attached to our Dizzy and was sure that God wanted me to be involved in his life in some way......I even inquired about the possibility of fostering him until he was well enough to return to his family. However, that was not to be.

Almost two weeks ago, Dissan came to stay with me whilst the Dendy`s went to take some friends to Entebbe and have a rest. As the week progressed, Dissan`s breathing become more and more laboured and on Friday, he was admitted in Kiwoko hospital once again. On Saturday we were advised to take him back to Kampala as soon as possible for further tests.

Saturday was a special day as his Father came to visit with Dissan`s siblings. They all got to hold their baby brother and at this point he was still alert and smiling despite being on Oxygen!

On Sunday morning, I packed up Dissan`s things and sent him in the ambulance (with a nurse) and our nursing assistant from New Hope. Although at this point I had no idea how serious Dissan`s condition was, I felt awful just sending him on his way......but I knew that the Dendy`s would meet him at the other end. I needed to trust him into God`s hands and return to my other responsibilities.......

The next few days were a struggle for me as I tried to work whilst eagerly awaiting updates from the Dendy`s. I longed to go and be with him but by now he was in Intensive Care at International Hospital and he was not allowed visitors L All I could do, was pray for him from a far!

On Tuesday, I got the dreaded phone call from Sarah that I should come to Kampala quickly to say goodbye as Dissan was not doing well despite the Trachyostomy that they had done the previous day. They had found a very large growth which they suspected was a very aggressive form of cancer.  When I arrived at the hospital and entered the ICU, I found a very different Dissan. Bless him, he was in a huge bed covered in tubes and sensors, surrounded by machines. His face was so puffed up and swollen from the Steroids they had given him. As we spoke to him, he squeezed our hands. At one point, he opened his eyes and gave me enough of a smile as to make his little dimple appear J

When I was left alone with him, I began to talk to him about how much I loved him. I told him that he didn`t need to go on fighting.......and then I felt prompted to pray for his healing. As I was praying for God to come and heal him, HE ANSWERED.....I truly sensed God `s presence in the room........the monitors on Dissan started beeping and I could see that his breathing was changing. I called the nurses, who called the Doctor. The Dendy`s came in along with Dissan`s Daddy. We held his hands as we prayed and watched as God took him to be with Him in a place where there is no more pain or suffering or sorrow, only everlasting joy in the presence of his Father God. As Dissan`s body lay still and the monitors were turned off, I knew that God had indeed answered our prayers. He has healed Dissan!

Obviously the next few hours and days were not easy. Many of us were deeply affected by the loss of this baby boy and of course we have asked difficult questions such as ‘why does God allow little children to suffer?’ and ‘Why did he take Dissan from us after just a few months?’ At times I have felt a great emptiness as I have come to realise that Dissan truly is gone. I can`t imagine how painful it is for his Dad and siblings who have only recently lost their wife/mother.

We had a special time at his burial on Wednesday and were so thankful to learn that his Mum was a believer just as his Dad is. Now Dissan is back in the arms of his biological Mummy!

As we grieve his loss, we also give thanks for the very precious moments we shared with him. His smile could light up the darkest day and when he tried to talk he captured everyone`s attention. We are all amazed that this lickle chap kept smiling in the face of so much suffering!

Dissan, I am so thankful that I knew you and I can`t wait to see you again when my time comes.

But until then, I comforted by my Father God who HEARS MY PRAYERS and ANSWERS them! Although His ways are not our ways and I don`t understand why he works things out the way he does, I trust that He is good, He is loving and He is so much wiser than I am!

Thank you everyone for all your prayers; Know that God has heard them and answered them!

With much love from Kate x

P.S. Unfortunately, here in Uganda there is no NHS and in his last days Dissan ran up some rather large medical bills which we somehow now need to pay. If you are interested in helping with this, please contact the Dendy`s who run Hope Family on stusarahdendy@hotmail.com