I have this really bad habit of picking scabs or bumps on my skin. It has never been an issue in the past because eventually I will leave it alone and it will fully heal. In Nicaragua I got a number of mosquito bites on my legs, and I scratched them as I always do. I scratched because they itched but also because I knew they were there.
Then we get to Africa, to a country that has malaria and different diseases. Where the water source comes from a well that you just don’t know how clean it ever is, even after boiling. So the odds were against me arriving in Cote D’Ivoire and heading deep into the bush to live for the month.
Over the last few days these mosquito bits have gotten worse. They looked bad, felt bad and he ones by my feet and ankles caused my whole right foot to swell up huge. At the end of team time on the 8th it was bad, nothing about the situation was looking good and I knew I needed prayer and most likely to see a doctor. When I stood up or tried to walk it felt like I had sprained my ankle, all I was missing was the deep bruises. The village cAme behind me and prayed for my legs, Chelsea helped me clean the worst ones even ripping one open trying to get it to drain then cover them for the night.
I woke up feeling so much better, I could actually walk! Still though I listened to those around me who suggested I go get medical help.
Plans were made to get McKenzie and myself to the hospital, being in the bush makes transportation much harder into the nearest small town 3 miles away. Our host came back to us saying we would take motos. What we would call motorcycles, neither Kenzie or I have ever ridden on a moto before, but we wouldn’t be able to get a car to the village for hours and at this point the pain was reaching the bone on my ankle and I didn’t want it to get worse.
Terrified I got on the back of the moto and held tight. This is also the point I remembered I have trust issues. Specially with driving, there are VERY few people I trust driving me and our host was not previously on that list. The whole ride to the “hospital” I was praying to God that he would keep me safe and proclaiming my trust for him and for our host.
We made it to the little roadside hospital clinic that had 2 rooms of plastic beds. The nurse had us sit out in the open air hallway waiting room. She came up to me to find out what was wrong, without looking at the actual infections she said they would give me an injection and I would be ready to go. Okay… I thought the doctor would at least look at it but I was trusting the Lord.
I was taken to the room with the 4 beds in it and told to sit and wait. The bed in front of me had ants running all over it, the tile floor was covered with the African dirt, the window was wide open facing the street and there was one other woman in the room with me. The doctor came in to give me the shot and said it was in my butt. **Don’t worry, I watched him open the package in front of me, it was clean.** Kenzie let me squeeze her had and sing songs while I was being given the shot. Then all was done, they came it and cleaned all the infections busting them open, at it wasn’t gentle. The entire treatment and medicine cost 3,500, less than $6.50. We got back on the motos to head back to the village, with medicine in my back pocket I hope all the infections clear up.
Why am I writing this blog?
To share that sometimes all I can do is trust in the Lord, and even that is hard to do.
To inform you I have ridden on my first motorcycle. And I was absolutely terrified!
To tell you of the deep generosity and love the village we are in have for us.
To share the goodness around the world.
P.s. I’m sorry if you thought I should have told you in person, the WiFi in our village is non existent. And today I found out that to get WiFi it takes ALL DAY LONG so I apologize to all.
