I wrote this Saturday night, but have had some trouble posting it. So here it is a bit late:
We've been busy as usual and I will blog about Friday this week- so stay tuned.
For now we had some fun with ol' Keira tonight. This video pretty much says it all. But I had to call our (only) doctor friend (whom I've never ACTUALLY met) tonight because I was really worried that Keira was having a lot of calf pain. It was red, swollen, painful, and warm to the touch. I just wanted to make sure she didn't have a blood clot as she is supposed to fly home Friday. Dr. Johnson told us we needed to go to the hospital right away- that she might need antibiotics IV. So we hopped in the car and drove to St. Mary's Mission Hospital (it's super duper cheap). I'd only been there that one time with the kids, but we got there without any wrong turns and going a different way.
We really didn't get any answers from the doctor on call. He gave her some pain meds, steroids and cream. Then told us to come back in the morning to see Dr. Johnson if need be. She may have to go back Monday for an ultrasound.
The good news is that God totally used this situation for His glory. We asked the charge nurse if we could walk around the ward and pray for the patients. Some were so pitiful. All 4 of us laid hands on each and every person on that ward! We would like to go back and do something similar to that again.
Update after writing this post: God has really impressed upon my heart (and Joy's) to go back weekly and spend time on the women's ward praying over them and talking with them. One patient in particular I cannot shake from my mind is a young girl about my age. She's probably very close to dying with the debilitating terminal illness which we are all familiar with: AIDS. I cannot get her suffering off my mind. We felt like our purpose that night at the hospital was to pray over each and every patient. Now we want to take it a step further and visit them to tell them about the hope that is in Jesus Christ. Though they are terminally ill- they can experience the peace that passes ALL understanding.
I will shamefully admit that in the past I have desired different spiritual gifts than what God has so graciously given me according to what He knew was best for me. Now i have grown to LOVE my gifts of mercy and compassion. I've shared with you all before I am thriving from my bible study "Get Uncomfortable" (partially about compassion). Maybe this is where I have grown to embrace and LOVE my spiritual gift of compassion; as it means "to suffer with". As I've expressed already, I literally can FEEL others pain sometimes when I put myself in their shoes. My skin crawls, chills form, and my body aches when I see someone hurting. The pain and suffering of others is one of the easiest ways to bring me to tears. (Like it's that hard these days.)
Now, I wouldn't take anything for my spiritual gifts. I gladly take hold of them and attempt to glorify Him in some way with what He has considerately supplied me with.
4 comments:
Very hard to take you all seriously when you're all laughing about your ailments. I hope Kierra is better and that you all are well.
Uuuughgggh, I MISS YOU. I think that's so odd b/c even when you guys were here we rarely saw you. Still, I miss you.
I don't even know Kierra and I'm worried about spider bites and snake bites and basically any creature bites and blood clots and infections and the whole nine yards. Please update us on how she's doing!
Like Jess, we miss you guys. EVERYWHERE we go - we see you or see something that reminds us of you. A guy on TV who looks like Chris, a purse at the beach just like one Linds used to carry. A girl who, from behind, looks like you and I SWEAR I saw Chris in a store the other day. I know it's God keeping you before us - reminding us to pray continually for you. And we do. But it makes us miss you guys more and more!
We're proud of you. VERY proud of you both. You may be across the world from us but your ministry is not just there - you are ministering here too. We take your stories and learn from them as well as teach others with them.
You are our hands and feet. My children are too young to be there but know you're there. My heart is with the children who are hurting...and I know you're there. Wow! It's a small world comes to mind...we're ministering here and you're ministering there and really we're ministering there and you're ministering here too!
You never cease to amaze me.... I know our gifts are not the same, but I shamefully shy away from opportunities many times when I know I should act. I will be praying for you specifically in this ministry. Hope your friend's leg doesn't fall off too, I'll stick that in the prayer.
Good news! Dr. Johnson said it is probably a spider bite and that I should be fine, but to be alert in case anything changes. Also, I got to go back to the woman's ward today! I was with one of the high school girls, Michelle, from the home so she translated and I got to talk to Elizabeth...she was the woman in the last room who I prayed for first, she was SO thin. I found out that she has had TB for 7 months and needs another surgery, but I also found out that she is saved!! Praise God! It was amazing because I got to pray for her again and Michelle translated my prayer. All of the other women were moved, either to different beds or out of the hospital, (maybe God answered our prayers quickly). It makes me so sad to think I will be leaving soon and not be able to go with you to the hospital, but I pray that you and Joy will keep me updated on your visits. I love you both so much, thank you for everything!
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