Friends and Family,
I just wanted to give you all a brief update of what has been happening on this side of the world over the past few weeks.
This month we were serving in India. We were 2 days away from heading to Nepal when the earthquake struck. That caused a lot of uncertainty for our immediate future. Our squad debrief was moved to Hyderabad, India instead of Kathmandu, Nepal, which was the epicenter of the quake. That is where we have been for the last few days. On Tuesday morning we will be leaving for Nepal to aid in the relief effort. This will be a very difficult month for all of us as most of us have not yet experienced the harsh reality of a natural disaster like this. Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers.
On another note..
These last few weeks in India have been extremely tough both physically and spiritually. Our team served in a few ministries that were absolutely heart wrenching. Over the course of a week we served in a sex trafficking victim rehabilitation center, a women and men’s homeless shelter, an HIV clinic, and a children’s homeless shelter. That was the week in which the Lord truly broke my heart for what breaks his. It absolutely changed my life. In the midst of all the suffering, the Lord revealed some beautiful things. In due time I will share some of these incredible stories with you all through this blog.
In that same week, our squad walked through our greatest challenge yet. On April 21st a few teams were going up to watch the sunrise when their steering wheel locked up on their return journey. The car rolled multiple times and was completely crushed. Two of my friends, Chance and Vanessa were thrown from the vehicle. Our squad leader, Theresa, and Kate both were able to crawl out as well. Chance and Theresa both suffered concussions and were pretty beaten and bruised. They are both doing well now and recovering. Kate fractured her C1 vertebrae in her neck. She spent a few nights in the hospital and then was released with a neck brace. She is going to be heading back to the states for a month to rest and recover, but she is in good spirits. Vanessa could not feel her legs shortly after the accident. She severed her spinal cord and was diagnosed to be paralyzed from the waist down. That was when our world stopped. Our squad gathered and spent the night in prayer. I am confident that God is working His bigger plan, regardless of how painful these moments may be. Just a few days later, she was able to wiggle her toes. He is a God of miracles and is going to do some incredible things with this, I have no doubt. Vanessa is still with her family here in India. She should be flying home for the next stages of recovery mid-May. She is the toughest girl I know, and she has truly inspired us all with her relentless faith. We are going to miss her so incredibly much, but she will always be a huge part of this family. God has huge plans for her. Please keep Vanessa and her family in your prayers.
These last few weeks have strengthened my faith and grown me in ways I had never imagined. God is faithful and God is good. As we move into this next season in Nepal, please continue to keep us in your prayers. Thank you all for your continued love and support, you truly mean the world to me.
