Haiti seemed to end as quickly as it started. Leaving after 2 weeks was surreal and each moment keeps playing over and over in my head. Our squad was pulled out of Haiti because of a virus called Chikungunya that has become an epidemic.
The day after we arrived in Haiti I started feeling like I was getting sick. I just thought it was fever and aches because of travel and the heat. But that night after the body aches got worse and I began vomiting, I realized it was worse than I expected. The next day I went to a clinic and they told me I had the virus. That was followed by 4 days of the worst body aches I’ve ever had, not being able to get up by myself, and not being able to eat.
The adventure of carrying my bed around the world with me lost a bit of its excitement during those 4 days. A sleeping pad on a concrete floor doesn’t do much for the body. Thankfully, my team was wonderful while I was sick. They helped me get to the bathroom, brought me water and medicine, and prayed constantly.
When I’ve been sick on the race, I’ve always asked God the same question. What is the purpose and what do you want me to learn?
And this time was no different.
He asked me the same thing back that He always does as well. Is this worth following me? Is this circumstance worth living the life that I have called you to? I think each time He asks, it gets a little bit harder to say yes, but the answer will always be the same. There is nothing that could happen to me that would make God’s plan not worth it.
In the past 10 months, I’ve had a parasite, food poisoning, multiple sinus infections, an eye infection, and Chikungunya.
And I would do it all over again.
Just because I’m a “missionary” does not mean that I should be exempt from pain. It means that I signed up to leave home knowing there would be suffering involved.
For those who observe the sickness and suffering from afar, please know that all the sickness is nothing compared to the glory of God that I’ve seen this year. I believe that each time was allowed by God and the end result was Him receiving glory.
Parents of X-Squad, God’s plan and purpose in our experience with this virus was perfect. Yes, we endured pain. Yes, it was hard. Yes, we doubted God at times. But in the end He brought us back to the DR at the exact time that a family we love dearly was in need of more help for a camp. The past two days our home has been filled with the love and laughter of children who got to hear about the goodness and grace of our Father. Not only that, but He taught us so much through our time in Haiti. And we needed to be there to learn those lessons. I can’t imagine what it was like to know your children were sick and you couldn’t be with them. Thank you for your love and comfort through this stage of our race. Please continue to stand and rejoice with us as we process through what God wants us to learn from it.
Sickness is temporary.
Kingdom work is eternal.
I can only hope that this will be the same attitude I wake up with each day that is left on the race and when I return home.
