You read the title correctly. It does indeed say crutches. If you know me, then more than likely you will also know how injury prone I am. I have been on crutches twice in my life, and could not stand them. They made me slow, gave me sore arms and shoulders, and drew attention to myself.
Now, I’m on them again in Malawi no less. I only had crutches for 4 days due to Malawi’s limited medical supply and not being able to take them away from Cape Maclear, but the experience was incredibly different. When everything about the Race is about movement and traveling and you’re constantly on the go with ministry, being on crutches is no where near ideal. Not being able to walk would make being on the go and traveling a pain.
But here I am on crutches and I will tell you right now it has given me an entirely new perspective this time around and it’s taught me a lot.
It’s a blessing to not be able to walk. It makes me sit still. Sitting still allows more intentional and unintentional one on ones with my squad mates and leadership team. Sitting still means more time spent with God and actually sitting in the stillness of HIS presence.
It’s a blessing to not be able to walk [for me] because it makes me have to ask for help and depend on my teammates and squad. Not being able to get around means I have to ask those around me to help me walk, to carry me places or to carry my things as I crutch around. It makes me ask them for help in getting dinner from the buffet or getting on or off a boat or in a car. It makes me have to ask them to carry my big pack and belongings on travel day. It makes me ask for help which is something I hate doing.
It’s a blessing to not be able to walk because God has shown me how much He loves me through the blessings He’s given through it. From an amazing Irish doctor who was only 3 kilometers away to a squad who thoroughly supports and prays for me. From a team who is committing to helping me do ministry without walking this month and finding me opportunities to do that to my family’s support and prayers back home. God has truly shown His love for me in all the small things.
Ultimately, I have found not being able to walk a blessing because it has made me step away and outside myself to see things from other people’s perspectives.
There truly is blessings in everything that happens to us, it just matters whether we choose to open our eyes to look for them or not. God loves us. HE LOVES US. And He loves to pour out His blessings to His children. If you are going through a hard time, if you cannot “walk” in some way, I want to encourage you to open your eyes and look for all the blessings God is giving you.
Till Next Time,
Kara Faber
