What a crazy race I’ve had so far, friends. The Lord has been teaching me so much….lessons I did NOT want to learn! After wrapping things up in Ecuador, I was ready for month two. We had debrief in Banos, Ecuador, and I was able to spend relaxation time with Jesus, my squad leaders, and my team. It was such a fun few days! I got pretty bad whiplash from a rope swing bunjee jump I did, but I’m a thrill seeker and there’s always a risk (; I genuinely felt ready for what the Lord had in store for me during month two – I just felt like He was going to rock my world. And He did, but in a completely unexpected way.
I arrived at our first day of ministry pumped to see what we would be doing, but also nauseous. We began with teaching VBS, and I found an automatic connection with a sweet fourteen year old girl named Jocelyn and her younger, and CRAZY, brother, Juan Antonio. Juan was physically attached to me all morning, and Jocelyn and I were laughing at his crazy antics. After VBS, they promised to come back later for English class.
Shortly after lunch, I was not feeling like myself. I fell asleep, and I woke up shortly afterward vomiting my life away. I didn’t know a human could throw up that much. My host contact thought I might have a parasite, and my paramedic team members were discussing other options. After not being able to keep anything down, I decided a hospital visit was in order. I didn’t want a parasite to hold me back from what I knew would be a great ministry month.
The hospital was extremely nice, and I was so appreciative I wasn’t in Portoviejo’s hospital! After an ultrasound, the most probably cause looked like…drumroll please….my appendix. WHAT. Nope. Unacceptable. If you think I’m having my first surgery in a foreign country, you’re crazy. Then my blood test came back…still pointing to appendicitis. I genuinely refused to believe it. I got a CT scan…yeah Ariana you have appendicitis and need surgery NOW.
I didn’t want this hospital experience to be like last time. I learned my lesson. I had some sweet squad mates by my side, and we were singing “How He Loves” and “It Is Well With My Soul,” reminding me of the Lord’s purpose in all things. There were a few panic moments, like when I found out I couldn’t have my surgery laparoscopically because my appendix was too swollen from my ten hour fever. That’s a bigger surgery and a lot more recovery time. Not what I wanted to hear. I continued singing my worship songs and trusting that the Lord would protect me. And guess what? I LIVED! I was singing up until the second I was passed out from anesthesia! Surgery has been one of my greatest fears, I just watch too much Grey’s Anatomy. But I had literally no choice, and God was holding my hand the entire time. As were my awesome friends.
I’m currently writing this just released from the hospital, now in a hotel room. I have decided to return back to America for a few weeks of recovery, but this is not the end of my journey. We have pretty dirty living conditions this month (in our tents on a rooftop,) and several people are already sick, so I felt confident that in order to put my health first, I needed to recover back at home in the states. I feel at peace with this decision, but it’s still hard! I genuinely believed the Lord put me in an awesome ministry this month, and now it looks like my ministry this month will be back with my family in California. Don’t worry, I booked a round trip ticket, so I will be joining my team for month three! Please be praying for a speedy recovery and for travel safety. I am still in a lot of pain and can’t walk much, so my 17 hour journey back home will be a struggle. I am trusting God’s plan in this, and know that I am being SO humbled by this experience. Month one and two of my World Race journey have been the most unexpected of experiences, but so much sweet growth with Jesus. I can’t wait to see what He has in store for me during my recovery time, and I will be anxious to return to the field with my teammates! Thanks for praying, everybody, I feel so encouraged and loved!
