Saturday, June 5, 2010

Mattress is a blessing...and time in the clinic...long day!

What a long day for the team. From playing with children in Tabitha House to delivering food in the dump to a small team without a translator in need of a doctor, God showed Himself faithful yesterday. God sustained us in ways we could not imagine! He is Faithful! He is Good! He is Provider! He is our Father! We give Him all the praise for His precious grace and mercy!

We had a small team (Rich, Angelia, Amanda, Brittney, Lonnie and me) go to the new home of the Browns in order to clean and organize. We wanted to get it ready for their homecoming here! We spent the morning mopping, cleaning, washing and just getting it clean for them. Have I mentioned there are mucho escaleras in their house? We had no translator with us because we felt that we didn't need one to clean a house...

The driver couldn't come get us in time for lunch, so we all walked to the small tienda at the front of the neighborhood. Should I tell you how we got lost in the neighborhood and had to ask for directions? Yes, that makes me feel...well, let's just say it's a small neighborhood. But, we made it. Without many options, we ate Doritos and cookies and had Cokes to drink. Actually, Brittney got an orange soda...that was important though we didn't know it at the moment.

There was no shade anywhere except right inside the open air tienda. So, we asked if we could sit on the bench, and the owner said yes. This is God's provision too. The owner brought out several stools which gave us all a seat. I was sitting on the ground originally, but now I had a seat beside Lonnie. Angelia was offered another stool but decided to sit on the bench with Lonnie and Britt. While none of these decisions alone were significant, they all worked together to show God faithful.

While we were eating, Lonnie's eyes started blinking quickly, and she began to slump. We all watched her faint and then have a seizure. Eyes rolled back in the head...we saw glass instead of her beautiful eyes...and her body began to convulse. God kicked in the Mommy instinct in Angelia and me, and emotions went to the back burner. We held her up and waited for it to end. Lonnie can't remember what happened during that time, but we all do. It was frightening...it was overwhelming...it pointed to the love of Christ. God sustained us. He provided for us. He is Good!!!

We were able to get some orange drink in Lonnie and get some sugar in her. We weren't sure what to do medically but that did help. The sweet owner's wife gave us water for her to drink. While normally I wouldn't have allowed her to drink it, it was greatly needed. God showed Himself strong.

We were able to get Lonnie to a clinic after several more episodes. Apparently, she overextended herself this week (if you know her, she gives 110% to everything and is "all in" all the time) and hasn't eaten well enough (as a vegetarian, there have been few options here for her to eat). So, we tucked her in bed last night praise God Almighty for His goodness and steadfast love in this situation.

Meanwhile, the group in the City was able to go the dump. Several people specifically mentioned a scene from the day. The group took a mattress to the home of Flor. She lives in a one room shack in the dump. Flor told the group how blessed she was to get the mattress...it's a mattress, for the love! How many of us take our mattresses for granted? I do! She asked that God would bless the group for the way they blessed her! What a humbling time for the group. What a reminder for all of us to be thankful for the provisions for God!

Psalm 67 reminds us that we ARE blessed. For what reason? So that His name can be known among the nations! We are NOT blessed for ourselves...we are blessed in order to spread His fame! So, we give away what God has given for His glory. Praise Him!!! His plan is good, and His ways are perfect!

God is faithful to His promises! He will provide...He will sustain..He will bring glory to Himself! All honor and praise go to Him!

On a lighter note, someone asked me to tell about the names/nicknames of the interns. We have 8 interns this summer, and some of them have nicknames (by the end of the summer, I'm sure they will have one). Some interns have no nickname yet - Katie Nolin and Brittney Cleveland...we're working on that. Tyler's nickname is El Tigre...not sure how that one came about but it means the Tiger. Seems easier for everyone in a Spanish speaking country to say that. It fits him. Lonnie's name is Stick...look at her and it's self-explanatory! Deanna's nickname is First Nation. She is a Tohono O'odham Indian, and she's always saying, "We were here first!" Thus, her nickname fits her.

Christy (our semester intern..not included in the 8)has the nickname "Crispy" simply because Jett calls her that. It stuck, and it's sweet. Michael D's alter ego is DiGi because it's the first part of his last name. There have been many other names, but that one works best. Megan A. got to be called "Indy" because she's from Indiana. It reminds me of Indiana Jones too which totally goes along with her adventurous personality. Meghan Harris is named "Duckett" (also pronounced Du-kay) because her fiance's last name is Duckett. It helped us distinguish her from Megan A. and reminds her of her new last name coming next summer! I think that's all of them. They sure are a blessing from above!