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A One on One with Mark, the Witness of the Rare Miracles (by Post. Andrew Kaggwa)

Dear esteemed readers, meet a reality about the mysterious recovery of a young man, Lobuli Mark which has left the doctors, nurses and attendants in awe and wonder. Such situations should not be ignored but should rather be closely and keenly meditated upon to realize the wonders of the Lord unto different persons.

Lobuli Mark is a young man of 26 years, born in 1996 in Napak district, Lotome Parish. He is from a family of three boys. Of the three, Mark is the first born and is a bachelor. His father was killed by the warriors while burning charcoal and the mother died of the variant Hepatitis E.  

In the year 2022, Mark suffered uneasiness in some of his body parts but could not tell what the problem was. He started feeling a reduction in his movements whereby he could not walk or run as he used to in the previous days. He reached an extent that he took a while putting on shoes. Continuously, the pain went on further to the right leg. Mark had no idea anyway, however, the pain and uneasiness spread faster to the waist, and gradually went to the upper limbs. Fortunately, it did not affect his upper part of the body; the neck and the head, he remained conscious. Briefly, Mark had paralysis in the rest of the body parts; he was self-helpless and unable to sit.

With help from the relatives and his young brother, he was rushed to Lotome Health Centre III where he was given some treatment. However, the relatives thought it wise and took him to Matany Hospital in Matany, Karamoja on 20^th March, 2022. It is explained that paralysis is one of the rare cases received in hospitals, and its patients rarely survive. Filled with a bunch of pessimism and exasperation, having spent a few days, the relatives and the young brother of Mark left him in the hospital lonely. It was very absurd! This incidence left Mark in a battle of ideas debating in his mind. He developed self-hatred, became pessimistic and it was too hard for him sincerely thinking that he was also in the evenings of his life.

Despite the absence of his relatives and the various hallucinations, Mark put his trust and help in name of the Lord who made heaven and earth to heal him. Hillary, of the nurses, rated Mark as a jolly and friendly person. His witness was depicted by the relationships Mark made in the hospital while on his sick bed. He was such a person that would bring smiles on the patients’ faces with jokes and jokes. Thus, he became friends with all the people to the extent that he did not lack a person to clean him, dress him, and tide his laundry and many more. Surprisingly, these all were done by the attendants of other patients, and each day, a different person helped Mark with zeal and generosity of heart. I would say, Mark earned the fruits of his humility and down to earth character.

He was such a person who greeted the health workers doctors at any time of the day or night, and would further remind them to greet the patients. As a quality of a good health worker, Mark always reminded them of their values. With such love from the surrounding serene environment, Mark was more pleased and became more optimistic. Through the love of God, Mark was able to sit, swing the arms and legs. This was the most amazing and surprising miracle that Matany doctors and health workers have produced. On meeting Mark, he was enthusiastic, elated and ecstatic of his healing situation. Remarkably, all the hospital attendants enjoyed his company as a patient to the extent that they enjoyed treating him and giving him attention.

‘The stone that was rejected by the builders, became a cornerstone’, on 22^nd May, 2022, Mark was discharged from Matany hospital and transported to his home accompanied by Hillary and the driver. His arrival at home surprised the whole family, however, they shied off and received with joy. Mark stayed happy and thankful to the Matany hospital administration and all who assisted him. “Never lose hope, trust in the Lord” was Mark’s motivational statement.

From the doctor’s desk; “Mark has been the best friend of all and is social person, we love him.”

In Karamoja, insecurity has become a perpetual and infinite race. The old insecurity curse continues to pass down from generation to generation, destroying any previously established stability. For the region sitting at the top end of Northeastern Uganda, hope has turned to despair, and love has turned to hatred, all because of the need for cows, and the will to survive. Animal thefts are frequently recorded, usually in conjunction with animal and human deaths.

 The administration has moved quickly to combat a common vice that is causing hardship for the people of Karamoja by resuming the disarmament exercise that helped to eliminate illicit gun possession in the region before. However, the community is not simply watching the government try to attain the aim on its own. Youthful people have been walking to remote locations to raise awareness about the value of peace. Thankfully, we hosted teenagers at several Karamoja locations in Matany on Saturday last week. They had walked all across the region, passing through the districts of Kotido, Moroto, and Napak. Everybody welcomed them and talked about a variety of things, including the current state of instability and its negative consequences for the region. We also have a difficult time discussing the importance of living in peace in depth. We chatted pleasantries and wished them well on their way back home as the day drew to a close and it became dark and late for them.

 Before we can see peace flourish in our society or communicate the concept of peace to others, we must first find peace inside ourselves. It is not anyone’s concern, but everyone’s responsibility, to keep the peace.

International Nurses’ Day is a global event celebrated on May 12^th of every year to commemorate the work of Nurses in healthcare. The date was chosen as it is the Birth date of Florence Nightingale, a British social reformer and the founder of modern nursing. It is sponsored by the international council of Nurses (ICN). The theme of International Nurses’ Day 2022 is “Nurses: A voice to lead – Invest in Nursing and respect rights to secure global health.”

The biggest moments of the lives of many are spent with a nurse- from when we are born to when we pass away and the many health struggles in between. Nurses’ day and Nurses week provide the perfect opportunities to celebrate the nurses’ life and their sacrificial service to society. They have an important job to do and we must acknowledge that.

As the hospital of Matany, we took this opportunity to honor our Nurses on this day just to say thank you for their endless service to humanity, because they are the most vital link between a doctor and the patient. They put their lives at risk for others where many choose to run to safety. Without the Nursing staff, a medical facility can’t function even for a day. Therefore, the observation of International Nurses Day becomes even more significant, considering these facts.

Our Nurses Day Celebration in Matany Hospital started with a special Mass in our Parish Church. Thereafter there was marching by Nurses and other staff led by a band hired from Soroti that moved around Matany Town Council where many well wishers joined the procession that later entered the Hospital to warm up the patients, and marching ended up at the venue in our Teaching Centre were the main ceremony was held with speeches and a feast. In the evening there were matches between staff and students, followed by a continuation of merry making at the main event venue with a dance.

It was a Joyful day worth our Memories, Happy Nurses’ Day 2022