Right out of the gate I need to ask your forgiveness for my long delay in a blog post update. Just to be honest, from the time the aircraft wheels splashed down in cold and rainy Quito a few days ago from my whirlwind opportunity to go visit and encourage brothers and sisters in Port au Prince, Haiti, we have all been running hard here.
(More details later as I have time to process, but just know that Haiti is clearly a place of much need...spiritual, physical, you name it...much need.)
When you come back from another place, you sort of hit the proverbial wall for a day or two. You know what I mean. There is the usual catch-up curve on the events and items that you missed out on, and then the normal beginning of the month items that are always fun to work thru in Ecuador. One example is paying your rent here… First you need to get an all Spanish words deposit slip from the local Banco Pichincha, then fill it out with absolutely no writing mistakes, then wait in line while some guy in a motorcycle helmet pays bills or makes deposits for about 10 people at one time, and then, when it is your turn, you give it to the smiling Ecuadorian teller behind the bullet proof glass along with a pile of cash that you have withdrawn over a couple of days at the nearby ATM. Now-wait for the receipt, pray that it has the right account number that you just deposited into on there, and then you’re done till next month.
Next item for February is to start on the bill payments for water, electric, telephone, etc. Well, you get the picture…
So can I tell you about the recent process for a knee repair surgery for my adopted daughter, Kayla? Okay, when she blew the ACL on her knee back in November, we put off the inevitable until she could finish semester number one here at AAI. We did not have surgery in the US because our missionary health policy is geared to overseas healthcare. This means you pay for any procedure up front (before you leave the hospital!), and then you submit it to see if you can recover some of the cost. We are thankful- very thankful- to have any type of help for medicals! So many people in Ecuador and across the world have absolutely nothing to help them at all when it comes to medical expenses. Last Monday we went in for pre-op, thinking we had a mid-day surgery slot, only to get a 7PM Monday night call to see if we could be there at 7AM on Tuesday morning. I really should devote an entire blog entry to the surgery day on Tuesday (and I probably will soon), but overall let me say that it was really, really good despite a really long day at the hospital for us all. Our doctor is quite competent and very helpful and kind, but even my smart Ecuadorian friends still say that the surgery discharge group and nursing staff can use a little additional customer service training. More on that later…
It’s late so I want to give you ways to pray:
-For the resources of heaven for the task He has given us to do.
-For Chris’s Dad- much needed healing and strength as he recovers from multiple complications from a hip replacement this past October.
-For Kayla’s recovery- she developed a spinal fluid leak from the epidural procedure right after her knee surgery and she has been violently ill from the headaches and nausea that follow this problem.
-For us to have incredible wisdom from God in making disciples and leading at AAI and in other places nearby here in Quito
-For God to sustain us in the midst of language learning and some really time consuming and intense training we are adding into our life in order to be CPOE certified (Christian Philosophy of Education)
-For God to bring like-minded laborers to fill spots at AAI that are needed
-For 9 children across 3 continents and in particular the multitude of blessings and challenges that we walk through daily via skype or email which drive us to kneel in great desperation to God
As always, we are incredibly thankful for all of you!
Kneeling in humble submission to our King-
Chris and Vickie and family
"No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you. Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them."
Joshua 1:5-6
Hey to all of you, and hugs from some of your Alabama friends. As I read your words, and read between some of the lines, I am drawn to new prayer for you. May our God of grace and mercy give you all that you need to manage the trying times you endure. Chris, praying for your Dad and Mom. Praying for His outpouring of wisdom upon you. And rest. It sounds as if you get very little!
ReplyDeleteLove you all so! Cindi