Two weeks ago I had a bad stretch of nights trying to pull these premature twins through a rough start to life. I had to make an ethics-class decision on how to use the small dose of lung-healing medicine we had (I split it between them). At one point I was moments away from calling it quits when Faith made a sudden turn towards life. So I was almost as pleased as their smiling mom to find them out of the ICU, snuggled into the twin crib, and making excellent progress towards a safe discharge to home. These babies have passed from death to life, a small taste of the real victory of Jesus.
After two solid days of weekend-work, with three ICU patients, many admits, and brand new deer-in-the-headlight interns, many late night phone calls . . . it was a joy to join the RVA community for a sunrise service and potluck breakfast this morning. 48 hours on duty and no deaths. Easter treat. Then Julia, Bethany and I joined about 800 associated parishoners for the AIC Swahili service. Thankful for the opportunity to worship with both communities, missionary and Kenyan.
After church we combined Easter Dinners with the Chedester family--both of us had been on the road to Uganda, returned without a good plan for sharing the holiday, so it was a treat to share it together. We value those old friendships!
And last, a post-prandial hike of our favorite sort. Exploring new paths in the dense thorny brush of the escarpment sides, searching for a clear direction, then finally finding this open path and a great view of Longonot.
Missing Luke and Caleb a LOT on a holiday. And my whole family was together in America for an old-times-sake Easter Egg hunt and day of fellowship. All this disparate direction can be disorienting. So very grateful for the presence of Bethany, good friends, breezy sunshine, pleasant neighbors, colleagues to hand-off work to, our yard, food, songs that remind me of Christ School worship, and my great family.
Two weeks ago I had a bad stretch of nights trying to pull these premature twins through a rough start to life. I had to make an ethics-class decision on how to use the small dose of lung-healing medicine we had (I split it between them). At one point I was moments away from calling it quits when Faith made a sudden turn towards life. So I was almost as pleased as their smiling mom to find them out of the ICU, snuggled into the twin crib, and making excellent progress towards a safe discharge to home. These babies have passed from death to life, a small taste of the real victory of Jesus.
After two solid days of weekend-work, with three ICU patients, many admits, and brand new deer-in-the-headlight interns, many late night phone calls . . . it was a joy to join the RVA community for a sunrise service and potluck breakfast this morning. 48 hours on duty and no deaths. Easter treat. Then Julia, Bethany and I joined about 800 associated parishoners for the AIC Swahili service. Thankful for the opportunity to worship with both communities, missionary and Kenyan.
After church we combined Easter Dinners with the Chedester family--both of us had been on the road to Uganda, returned without a good plan for sharing the holiday, so it was a treat to share it together. We value those old friendships!
And last, a post-prandial hike of our favorite sort. Exploring new paths in the dense thorny brush of the escarpment sides, searching for a clear direction, then finally finding this open path and a great view of Longonot.
Missing Luke and Caleb a LOT on a holiday. And my whole family was together in America for an old-times-sake Easter Egg hunt and day of fellowship. All this disparate direction can be disorienting. So very grateful for the presence of Bethany, good friends, breezy sunshine, pleasant neighbors, colleagues to hand-off work to, our yard, food, songs that remind me of Christ School worship, and my great family.
1 comment:
Thank you for sharing. I'm often amazed at the importance of a community of believers. Jesus certainly knew that we would need to love and encourage each other. John chapter 17 is one of my favorite passages. Unity in the body of believers is what Jesus prayed for and what will help to carry us through difficult times. May God bless you and your family and continue to guide you and give you strength.
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