Beauty from Pain

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.  

It's smiling at me...

I learned a few weeks ago that there are 2 types of missionaries:

1. Those who know they have parasites.

2. Those who do not know they have parasites.

Today I learned that I am the first (my brother is flippin' out right now).  I figured I would try to keep my sickness under wraps for a little bit (not to worry the Mom), but this is too good not to share now.  (wait till I get to the funny part...)  Dr. Burchel just diagnosed me via email.  As Chris was enjoying his last day with the RFBC team Friday in South Horr, I was getting further aquatinted with our chartreuse toilet- face to face.  

I'm not going to dwell on all the details of my emesis and the fact that he is just chillin' in my small intestine.  I thought you all might want to know what I read about my little friend:  "If the organism is split and stained, it has a very characteristic pattern that resembles a smiley face."  Hilarious- right?  

Ha!  I'm NOT smiling back....

**Sorry to those of you that consider this post TMI.

No fever=New friends

Chris update:

Last night his fever was 101.  He proceeded to tell me that the thermometer was broken b/c he felt fine, just a bit weak.  This morning he woke up without a fever!  First time in about 48 hours!  So whatever it was we kicked it with motrin, tylenol, and antibiotics.  He's out and about this morning.  He called me very excited b/c he met some college kids from Arizona that live right near us and haven't been past Karen into Nairobi.  They didn't even know we have a movie theatre!  So they are coming for dinner tonight.  They probably live 5 minutes from us and work at an orphanage.  We don't think they've had real american food in while.  So we are excited about cooking a good ol' americano din for them tonight.  Chris is so anxious for me to meet them.  He said they don't have any outside source of encouragement other than a few nationals.  They approached him at a coffee shop in Karen.  They asked him if he was a missionary- and the convo advanced from there.  I'm excited about possibly seeing if they would be interested in going into Kibera with me sometime.  Yay- praise to Lord for new friends in Christ!!

Poor Chris...

The internet is not working today at the house.  (I personally think it's because it's such a yucky, rainy, overcast day.)  So I'm at Java House downloading some emails.  I'm waiting to hear back from a doctor friend with some hopeful advise.  

Chris has been in bed for 24 hours now with a fever, chills, sore throat.  So we are nearing about 2 weeks that we've been sharing the "in sickness" part of our vows. :)  I think maybe he has strep, but who knows.  I started him on a Z-pak yesterday.  At first I was worried about Malaria, but it's too cold here for the mosquitos to be out.  He woke up yesterday with a sore throat, but went about his day.  Then he came home and went to bed.   After Hannah, Jake and I schooled the other Helsby's in kickball, I went to check on Chris.  I felt his head and knew he had a fever.  It was 102.  (In the 8 years we've been together- I don't recall him ever having a fever.)  I've been pushing Tylenol/Motrin every 4-6 hours like a good nurse... but despite my efforts he still has a pretty serious fever.  In the middle of the night I woke up very hot flinging the covers off of me.  I reached over and felt of my man- I haven't felt skin this hot in a while.  I woke him up and gave him more motrin.  His temp had to be like 104, but he was so not into me taking his temp at 2am.  Any way- I say all this to tell you guys to pray for my man.  Maybe the enemy is at work b/c he wasn't able to go out to evangelize today in Kibera.  I'm bummed that i didn't get to go see the kids either.  (While he is in the streets, I go to that "school" to see the kids, take them food and play with them.)  But Chris needed me and I'm not comfortable driving or going there alone yet.    So you all will have to keep waiting on those pictures and stories until next week.

P.S. still no baby.  Becky did play kickball last night in hopes that it would help move things along...  but NOTHING yet!  (I mean to tell you- she might be the nicest preggie I've ever encountered and has  a ton of energy!  Pretty sure something is wrong with her.)