I Look Up To The Hills

Verse of the day: “Always be joyful. Pray continually, and give thanks whatever happens.  That is what God wants for you in Christ Jesus.  Do not hold back the work of the Holy Spirit.” 1 Thessalonians 4:16-19

Happy with her new wrist brace!

During this morning’s team devotions we were both reminded and convicted of the need to be praying more with patients as we work with them to meet both physical and spiritual needs.  And what better timing.   We were serving the people of El Carmen but the village is so small there is not a building we could set up in.  So we ended up back in Pinantura where we were last Friday, which is about 20 minutes away from El Carmen.  Not as many people came today, but I believe that was the way it was meant to be because we were able to spend more time with each patient and many came with some heavy personal needs for prayer as well.  My first patient was a 90 year old woman who could barely walk.  She had 8 kids but is now a widow and lives alone.  She had many things going on but overall had a lot of total body weakness and arthritis making it very difficult for her to walk. Additionally she had fallen last year and fractured her ulna. She was given a cast but she took it off and so it healed as a displaced fracture at her wrist.  In addition to strengthening exercises, I was able to provide her additional bracing for her wrist as well as her knee to assist her in walking.  She was later praying with the pastor and his wife wanting to declare Christ as her living God and Savior! 

"I lift my eyes to the hills, where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord who made heaven and earth."
Psalm 121:1-2

Her daughter-in-law was next coming to me with pain in her back and knees but her heart was also very heavy.  Just 18 days before she had become a widow due to her husband being killed tragically in a tractor accident.  They had been married 32 years.  This cut especially close to my heart because my mother was also about her age when she became a widow.  Overall it was more of an emotional day and I was so glad we were able to spend more time with each person caring for them as a whole.  Everyone has been thankful for the care we have provided but the people of this village were especially thankful with several coming back later that day with hugs and kisses thanking us again because they were feeling better and with reports that the 90 year old woman was walking better!

Pit stop for photos at the volcano stone quarry
L-->R: Susana, me, Mary Louise, Sarah, Paul, Jim

This evening was team filled with a lil impromptu Spanish/English worship time at dinner then off to town for ice cream and chocolate bread!! J

Chocolate night in town!