January 2016

We started off the first day of the new year in a very tranquil mood.  Sleepy from the overnight fireworks (and some kept going off and on during the day), we had a low-key day of enjoying our time together and taking naps and reading and computer games and netflix, etc.  I was still hobbled up from my knee injury, so it was easy to lay around.  Although, I was getting very bored from that.

Before leaving for the states on the 7^th, I had a few meetings/events with fellow missionaries of other small ministries.  We network together very well and I enjoy our times together.  Jeff from Shining the Light Ministry came over to meet to catch up and brought part of his Nica staff.  We had a great time of sharing.   Allen, who is from the states and is the Agriculture expert, and Gerald, his Nica counterpart, stayed after to assess our little garden spaces to see if we could grow some of our own veggies here at the house.  (we need all the advice we can get). 

Our friend Bethany, brought over a group that was here serving with them.  We had some kits made up for them to make some bracelets and we shared about our ministry.  They were mostly older teens and were very nice.  They had spent the morning surfing the Cerro Negro volcano, so they were very tired, hot and dirty, but they enjoyed their time here and a few entertained Victoria the whole time.  They blessed us with a love offering and we were very surprised and thankful.  This was the afternoon before I flew out, so I was very tired, but I had packed everything the day before so I could enjoy the afternoon with them.  Veronica and Sofi did most of the teaching and part of the sharing.  It was a fun afternoon.

I flew to Arkansas on the 7^th.  I got in to the airport about 10:30pm that night.  The airline was very good to me on my travels.  It was interesting to travel in a disabled state, even though it was temporary.  It made me more aware of what people go through that have lifelong challenges.  I so missed walking.  I was sitting/traveling from 8:00am till 11:30pm.  I was glad to get to lay down on the bed once I arrived at Cathy’s house!

The ‘Great Knee Adventure’ warrants a post all of its own, so I’ll just hit the highlights here.  It was a very interesting time for me to be so totally out of control of everything.  I’m the type to have a plan ready and even a plan B in the works.  God really used this time and experience to minister to me and teach me on so many levels.  It’s a time I treasure, even if it was not something I would have chosen. 

My original trip was for 6 days, just enough time to satisfy my visa requirements for Nica, get some admin stuff done for the ministry and to pick up refills on my prescriptions.  Having to see the doctors about my knee put the ‘out of my control’ aspect to the trip.  I went ahead and got all my most needed running around and shopping done on Friday and Saturday, so that I could see the drs on Monday and just maybe get to go home as scheduled on that Wednesday.  I was packed and ready!  But my docs thought I would probably need surgery and would schedule it after my MRI.  They did rush all that through pretty quickly and I got the good news that surgery was not needed.  Praise God!  I just had to wait to get fitted for a knee brace and then I could fly back home.  It felt like things were dragging on, but in reality, the appointments went very quickly.  Week 1 was 2 dr appointments and an MRI.  Week 2 was 1 dr appointment and a brace fitting.  Week 3 I received my brace and was ready to go home! 

In between those appointments, God blessed me with tons of activity.  I couldn’t drive, so I was limited to people driving me from one encounter to another.  They were so gracious and I tried not to be too much of a burden on Cathy, my hostess.  I was able to attend my home church at the Olive Street location for both English and Spanish services for 3 Sundays in a row and enjoy a church-wide potluck dinner!  I got to speak to a missions gathering (I was so thankful to be a last minute add-in, since I was in town unexpectedly).  I also got to visit with a ladies Life Group luncheon and a small Bible study group.  I love sharing about the ministry!!!  A great organization ministering to at-risk teens donated some supplies to us and I always love visiting with the director and teachers about what they are doing.  A couple of young ladies met with me about the possibility of them coming down to serve with us this coming year.  I got to spend 2 nights with friends at their lake house.  I visited with some dear friends (Deanna and Nana Ruth) who I miss very much.  A friend from El Dorado AR just happened to be visiting her mother in Rogers while I was in town, so we got to see each other.  Many friends took me out to eat and run errands and to appointments.  It was so nice.

Some of the ministry admin and personal business that I got to take care of was:  working out the new process for renewing my meds with a new pharmacy, getting my US cell phone account straightened out, planning lodging for a future trip with Sofi and Victoria, meeting with CPA about the 501c3 application, meeting with Wade (Missions Pastor at FBCR), meeting with the new merchandiser for booth at Abundant Treasures flea market, tweaking some banking opportunities, coordinating with financial office of FBCR regarding donations to ministry, applying for financial assistance for meds, etc  God really put a lot together for me.  Some of these things were so outside my comfort zone (financial and 501c3) that I dreaded doing them.  But God has put awesome people in my path to help with these duties.  I’m very grateful to Him and to the people who step up and help out the ministry. 

I felt very good about the future of the ministry and all that God has planned for this coming year.  I’m also very thankful for this ‘wilderness’ experience of being out of control of my physical opportunities so that God could speak directly to my heart.  He deepened my trust in Him and my confidence in myself reaching out to Him and allowing Him to lead.  More of that in the Knee post.  J

Our God is Faithful in every single detail.  Our lives are His to use to glorify Himself.  I’m thankful that He seeks a relationship with me and allows me to come along for the ride.