Oh I am with you always

I am with you always.  That's what Jesus Calling said today.   And I have felt it this week.  Felt like He is with me.

I am getting to the point of living here where we continue to walk side by side with each other, me and those who live around me.  By that I mean that we are beginning to carry other people's burdens.  You know, like I'm not just here for a minute but that I am plugging IN here.    Soooooo my Dominican friends have seen me cry and kinda fall apart over stuff and whine and fuss and weep...and now I'm seeing some of the REAL long term issues that are going on.  And it's painful.  Sometimes glorious but sometimes painful.    

And isn't that how life in the States is as well?   We plug INTO life and then we see how messy it is.  How unscheduled it is.  How it can't stay in our comfort boundaries at all.    It's definitely easier to roll in and roll out of a place.   But we are not created for that, as much as I love it.  We are created to live in COMMUNITY, however difficult (and glorious!) that might be!

Laura and I spent almost an entire day this past week trying to help a friend with some medical troubles who then needed to find a place to live here in San Juan.  Oh and the time in the public hospital was ANYTHING but smooth.  And as the hours ticked by we were getting more and more anxious because we couldn't just DROP him off anywhere.   And God came through in a big and magnificent way but it became clear to me that I am not part of a easy fix system anymore.   I am one of the ones who sees when a post op patient comes back in and everything isn't quite like we thought it would be and then watch as they are transported to the hospital.  Hmmmmmm.   Or I hear that the tumor is growing back.    That means I also get the smiles and thanks from the 99% of folks who have had fantastic experiences here.  And that is the COOLEST.    But life isn't just made up of the 99%.  

When I was younger, I always wanted to be a mother.  Always.  I wanted a zillion kids.  And that has changed (ohhhh yeahhh!) over the recent years but there is still this nurturing maternal THING that tries to get out of me.  And God is USING it.  But it hurts.   Because I am experiencing the pain of seeing when your kids are HURT and in PAIN and in TROUBLE.    I'm not sure how all of you do it 24-7 with your peoples.    So when I read that Jesus says "I am with you always" I am comforted.   I forget it from moment to moment but when I allow myself to SINK into it and hold onto it and throw up my hands to Him....He reassures me.     And I have seen a number of awesome God moments this week...from the encouraging encouraging ENCOURAGING team that was in-house...to bumping into just the right person at just the right moment when neither one of us should have been there.... to deep heavy conversations where the right words came out when they should have... to an awesome prayer time with Pastor Steve and Eric in the cabana here.    

I'm taking it in.   I'm gearing up for more.  I know He is with me here, even to the end of the Age.  

nik

Hanging with a cutie before surgery!  This is definitely one of the best perks!

At the Child Nutrition fiesta in Cercado...

It's so wonderful working with Dr. Perdomo and Ruth and Laura.  What a great day we had!

The mamas and babies listening to the charlas at the clinic

And hey, here I am in the OR learning more about LMAs

Good times!

That Dr. Bill Hallowes is an excellent instructor!  Come back soon Wild Bill!

Ufff here is Laura in her very own hospital bed in the Guesthouse...  She got sick a few days last week and got to stay in our room in her bed with her own nurse (ummm, that would be me!  Poor Laura!)

We opened the doors for visitors though---- which really makes being sick a whole lot better!   She's completely healed now but it IS reassuring having the medical crew here...Dr. Perdomo and Dr. Sandy and the lab girls and just everyone.  We are so grateful to be at a place with such an excellent team!