My World Race journey has taken a turn that I didn’t see coming. In fact, it has taken me home. H Squad had been in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia waiting on our Chinese visas and it offered us some free time to do as we pleased.
Warning: this blog is graphic. If you are squeamish it might gross you out, but I encourage you to read it anyway. Don’t sue me. You’ve been warned.
Second Warning: this may seem long, but it’s not. It will only take about 6 minutes to read. Plus, this is a God story and will change your life if you let it. Stay tuned.
On March 2nd, myself and most of my squad mates went to a trampoline park. At 6:55pm I stepped up to a high performance, olympic style trampoline as I heard the words, “Do something epic” uttered by my friend Steff. As I jumped higher and higher, my legs suddenly snapped. It sounded like tree branches violently breaking. I suffered open compound fractures of both right and left tibia and fibulas. I looked down and saw my lower legs at a ninety degree angle. My first subconscious thought was that this was going to hurt. The first words that came to mind were, “I’m going home.” I then heard a multitude of gasps and shouts from my horrified friends who had been watching. I looked at them and said, “It’s going to be OK.” My squad leader Justin advised me to go to my inner throne room and meet with God. As I did, I saw Jesus straightening my legs. He gave me peace and I knew everything was going to be fine.
I waited for an ambulance for about an hour while my friends sat by my side. They encouraged me and held my hand. In that moment I didn’t want to be with anyone else. I realized even more the love that my Father had given me for them and also how selfless they had been the past six months. I saw tears and faces full of hope as I was lying on the ground. The staff at the trampoline park was amazed as the peace God drenched the room. Everyone there witnessed Christ that night.
I was later rather slowly “rushed” to a hospital where I received less than sufficient treatment. I was left unattended for 5 hours without receiving pain relievers. I was then given Tylenol, which didn’t do anything. They then proceeded to set my legs while Jeremy held my hand and Justin was in the other side. It was the most excruciating pain I’ve ever been in. I had surgery to clean the wound a few hours later. During all of this, the only thing that came to mind was that God had been so kind to me during the whole experience. I had joy in pain. Today, I went back to that moment and the Lord gave me a vision of Jesus next to me. It wasn’t just Jeremy holding my hand, it was Christ. At the same time, an angel was anointing me with oil. I spent 4 days in a government hospital before transferring to a better, private hospital. My squad mates never left my side. Jesus never left my side. I do not believe God did this to me, but he did allow it to happen and he will use the schemes of the enemy for His glory.
So many people have poured into me. Namely my parents, family, my squad leader Julia who worked tirelessly to make sure everything was taken care of, my team leader Natalie, and squad leader Steph, who remained with me the whole time. I cannot thank them enough for the nights they spent sleeping on the hospital floor, the kind words, and just simply being there. Natalie whispered to me with tears in her eyes that I had changed her life. We all change each others lives. Read Natalie’s blogs here: How to Change a Life: Part 1, How to Change a Life: Part 2. only price I can put on that is an arm and a leg, two legs rather. Many others on my squad also loved me in action and in words that demonstrated how the Lord has already blessed me. I would like to mention Graham, Kyle, Landon, Jenny, Rachael, Tai, Kalie, Tina, Amy, Ashley H, and Roxi who took turns taking care of me during the first few days. I would have been in a lot worse shape without them. Thanks to team “Barbie”- Natalie (again), Allie, Heidi, Steff, LeAnna, Edie, and Jordan who visited me many times while they were working in KL and thew a pizza and birthday party for me. Team “The Flock”- Anne, Kaitlynn, and again Jenny and Kalie wouldn’t take no for an answer and went out of their way to travel and visit me despite the enemy desperately trying to hold them back. Flock, your persistence and care for me was the best birthday present I could have asked for. The Lord used all of them to give me even more hope.
I had another surgery, this time at the private hospital, where they put steel plates in both legs. My parents flew in to pick me up and waited for a follow up appointment. On March 17th, I flew home.
This is part of my Race. I will not stop pursuing Christ. I will continue to pray for my squad and keep up with them. The Lord has opened many doors at home as well. Not many racers get this opportunity.
The awakening this incident has caused on H Squad and at home is more than worth it. I wouldn’t change a thing. I would jump again. I would lay in a puddle of tears and snot at the mere thought of leaving my team… Again. I will sit immobile at home, looking at pictures of my teammates doing miraculous things and love every minute if it as I’m doing now. I will reconnect at home and allow God to use me right where I am.
The personal vision that the Lord gave me for my Race early on was to connect with my squad on a supernatural level and to be an ignitor on the squad. The Lord has used my “accident” to do even more. Stepping back physically from the field has opened my eyes to a more full picture of the squad, the World Race, and God’s heart for each individual. A fire is burning out of control.
On both of my World Race teams, we have had a theme. That theme was to live an epic life; to do epic things. Steff shouted, “Do something epic” and I did. Living an epic life is as simple as trusting God. It’s as simple as obeying Him no matter what life throws at you. It’s as simple as letting God love you, loving others, and letting others love you. Living an epic life is connecting, it’s being vulnerable and unashamed.
I wish to return to the field as soon as I can as does Adventures in Missions (World Race). The doctors think this may be possible.
I ask you to pray for:
•the Lords will. Not my will but his. I believe my desires are aligned with his.
•greater intimacy with the Lord, my family, squad mates, and friends.
•people to come to know Christ through this.
•H squad as they have lost me physically on the field.
•greater connection with others and Christ on all of H Squad.
• a quick, perfect, and full recovery. No infection, please!
• my return to the field. There’s a little less than 4 and a half months of the Race left and I’d like to be present for the last 3 months. So, I ask you to pray for instant healing so I can get back sooner than that!
•YOU. Pray that the Lord would use this to touch your life.
Thank you everyone for your prayers and concern. It means the world to me! Thank you H Squad for fighting with and for me. You mean the world to me!
Live an epic life,
Chris
