So. This is not going to be a super heart-felt blog about my work in El Salvador…that one is coming, I promise!
I wanted to update everyone on my injury. For those of you who don’t know, I was injured in a friendly soccer game playing with some niños at a guest church in El Salvador. I jumped up for a header and landed on my ankle totally incorrectly. After a few hours, I was taken to the ER, put in a cast, and sent on my way. Just noting: the doctors and nurses there were super awesome, however, they didn’t have the resources to dig deeper into what was wrong in my ankle. Over the past week, my pain has increased something fierce and it has been giving me some worries.
Another worry: my squad started our travels to Eastern Europe early morning on Monday, and some are still traveling right now! My team’s travel to our ministry contact would take about 54+ hours in total.
Knowing my injury and my pain and that long route ahead of us, my squad leaders and team leader pulled me aside to talk about the decision of going home and receiving medical treatment from the States. The decision was ultimately up to me.
WHAT. I mean…there have been moments thus far where I have dreamed of home, but have always turned and given those thoughts to the Lord because He had me where He had me. But now…home was a tangible, real option.
We landed in Houston on our layover to DC. My team, squad mates, friends, family continued on to DC and now on to Europe. I continued on to Dallas where I have received a second opinion and further treatment and will remain here for a short while and rejoin my team in Bulgaria.
I am glad I chose to go home because the medical attention I received here saved me from a lifetime of pain if left untreated. However glad I am with treatment, overall, I have a very mixed heart and mixed emotions.
One thing I know and that I am clinging to: when the Lord called me to the World Race, He had already gone before me and planned my steps. Going home at the end of month 3 was no surprise to Him, in fact it was planned by Him. Resting in the knowledge that I am still in God’s will at home has been really hard to live in the past two days but I am also resting in His sovereign grace. He is giving me grace to be confused and to question; He is giving me grace to be upset at times and unsure; He is giving me grace to be happy and enjoy this surprise couple weeks with my family and friends; He is giving me grace in learning how to be with Him in every circumstance, regardless of the toll it takes on my life; He is giving me grace to be present at home, while my team is on the field. He is so giving!
I wrote this blog awhile back about finding my identity in Christ and learning how to BE with Him. I am so thankful for a great teacher who doesn’t just teach us things once and lets them be! He is so faithful to continue to refine us and take time to teach us exactly what we need. I am so thankful that He is teaching in such unique ways to each and every person. He loves us so much, it’s overwhelming!
