A Great Team

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Well, this was the fourth time I landed in hospital for this whole thing. Three times last year - I think those of you at eMseni will remember—rushed to hospital, intense pain in my stomach. Nobody knew what was going on. The doctor still couldn't figure it out.

When it happened again now this year, we waited until the last moment because we thought I was just going to fade out and then go away again. But this time it didn't. And we rushed off to Sunward Hospital. Of course, when I was living at Emseni, I went to the Benoni hospitals. And I want to be honest—we were a little worried about going to Sunward because we've heard things about Sunward, that it's perhaps not the best place to go. But I want to say this: we had the best experience at Sunward Park Hospital that I think I've ever had in a hospital.

Hospital Stay Experience

I arrived on my hands and knees, just in such pain, and the ER nurse was so kind. She had a sense of humor and was so lovely to me. The doctor in the ER was attentive. He listened closely to what was going on. He didn't just assume. He very quickly figured out what was going on and called the surgeon.

I spent that Tuesday getting scans and all sorts done, and by the end of the day, Doctor Magagula—who was brilliant—came up and said, "We need to get you into surgery straight away." So these two poor nurses in high care had to put a tube in my nose while I was just vomiting all over the place. Sorry to be blunt!

And I remember the nurse said to me, "Don't worry, Sir. You're in very good hands with this doctor." And I can't tell you what that meant to me. I remember being wheeled into theatre and seeing the doctor and just feeling so at peace.

Kindness in Healthcare

A few hours later, I was out of theatre and in high care, and the high care staff were phenomenal. Every nurse that I had was so attentive, so caring. In those first few days I think I was a handful because I was uncomfortable and didn't know what was going on. But they were just so good to me. I couldn't have asked for a better experience, really. The physios came and they were so kind and so loving. We had dietitians there who were just so warm towards us.

A few days later, I moved out of high care into the general ward. Again, the sisters there were just loving. They were kind. They took care of me in such a good way. I have only good things to say about my experience at Sunward Hospital. So I want to just thank them. And I don't know if any of you know somebody who works there—maybe you can send them this message.

Work With Passion

How does this impact you as the listener? Well, do your job well. Do your job with joy. Do your job with compassion. I know how easy it is for healthcare workers to get jaded, angry, to get sullen. But this staff was so good. They did their job with such passion. I felt so safe in Doctor Magagula's care and in the care of all that staff.

Do your work well, friends, whatever you do. Maybe you don't work in an industry like that, but let it be that whoever interacts with you in your workplace says, "These people do their work well and with love and with compassion."

I praise God that a team like that could serve me at my most needy hour. And I pray that all of us who are listening will also be able to do whatever we do with such passion and joy to God's glory.

After all, Paul wrote in Colossians 3:17, "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord."