There are just two weeks left before I will go to America. I am definitely going to all the villages possible to see them one last time and encourage them with stories about Jesus. I miss them already.
The last village we visited was NeLeeGwee. I have told them about Satan and his fall from heaven, the creation story and some things about Christ’s life on earth. Every story needs to be repeated because these things are brand new for them! Today I have a burden to tell them about Jesus death on the cross and His resurrection. To tell these amazing stories simply for these people takes a lot of thought, but God helps us every time!
We pack our backpacks with medicine, they are always too heavy! The rain has let up as we start our hike. In a little while we cross a few swollen streams by walking across bamboo poles, or a fallen tree trunk. In one particular place the tree we must balance across is old and slick. The bark has sloughed off and it is green with slime. I think nothing of stepping across it, because I have done it many times in the past. There is nothing for your hands to hold onto. My backpack is heavy and I have black rubber boots on which are not good for traction, plus I am not used to wearing them, I always wear the old flip flops. As I neared the end of the log my foot slipped and instantly I sat down hard on that old log. It hurt really badly with the extra weight from my backpack. At least I did not catapult right down into the swirling waters below! I was able to get up and walk right away and was thankful that nothing was broken. BletJaw carried my backpack for a little distance.
We treated many patients over the next 2 hours. They prepared us a meal of rice and noodles. We ate on the floor with our fingers as usual. My pain was almost entirely gone unless I sat down in a certain way – no problem, I thought to myself. As we were preparing to tell the story of Jesus, we were called to visit two patients in other houses. The last man we saw was suffering from bad kidneys and other things. He swells up at times and has pain in both kidneys and in his entire abdomen. After asking him a multitude of questions I found out that his wife had an IV solution that someone had given her just a week ago, but there was nobody to give it to him. I was happy to give it along with 2 shots of B vitamins and other things. I did all that I could to make him comfortable. As soon as the last shot was given, my right wrist and hand began to pain me. It got worse by the second until I could not even bring my fingers up to straighten them. I was perplexed because I had no hint of pain in my wrist or hand ever since I fell, over 3 hours ago.
By the time I finished the worship talk on Jesus crucifixion; my whole hand had begun to swell. Praise the Lord, the beautiful story of Jesus was not diminished in significance, the Holy Spirit added power to it. The children were quiet and focused on the pictures. God’s presence was moving on those dear people. I asked them if they would remember this story and think about it while we were gone because it is the best story ever told. It should be repeated again and again because it is so important – it never gets old. The grandma said that she would have a hard time remembering, but she would try. They all had never heard anything like it before! They gathered around to study the pictures. It is an awesome time. I am so happy to be with them! I feel the presence of the Holy Spirit!
It wasn’t until we started walking home that my hand really truly start to pain me. I was especially careful across the slimy log. My wrist hurt so bad I could barely stand it, but I thought about how suddenly it came on, right after my last patient had been treated, my last shot given, and the last entry in my patient treatment log had been written down. Praise the Lord I had done the worship before the intense pain.
When we got home, I told BletJaw that I cannot write, I cannot chop anything to cook and I cannot treat any patients. I can do nothing with my right hand. I soaked my hand in cold water and then wrapped crushed onions around it. This helps if you can do it right away, but now it had been seven hours. I prayed that it would help me do my work because it was my last onion and I sure hated to waste it on my hand. That night I barely slept. The next day was Sabbath. Miraculously I was much better! I wrapped it with an ace wrap and went to church. The people were all concerned about it, bless their hearts. I take care of them when they have much worse injuries. I preached my parting sermon. How I pray for the physical and spiritual health of these people while I am gone.
After church I am well! I can write and treat the patients! Isn’t God wonderful?!
I know Satan was attacking me because he did not want me to tell the story of Jesus. Oh how thrilling to see the attacks of Satan! When you are working for God full time he attacks you at every step. This is good news! How he hates anyone to know the story of how he tortured and killed the Son of God! But God says that when the devil shall come in like a flood, the spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him!” The story of Jesus will be told!!