Cell Phones, Hospitals, and

I'm thrilled to say that since that initial bout of what was probably a nasty case of culture shock, my sleeping time has been nothing short of glorious. Albeit a bit too short usually, but quite lovely. This past week, I had a night of yucky sleep, however. We'd been running back and forth to the capital on previously mentioned government business, and I was more than stressed from all of it. Understanding the legal jargon in another language is nothing short of practically impossible, and I'd been doing that for DAYS, in and out of various offices and agencies. Not to mention I'd just dropped an ungodly amount of money on the desk of someone that gave me a conditional acceptance of our applications. So when my head hit the pillow that night, I was ready for some serious snoozing. God had different plans.

I woke several times the first hour either walking or talking in my sleep. When I talk in my sleep, it's always in Spanish (I wish I could say it's Guarani, but that'd be a miracle). So I was fussing about the paperwork with Ken, who kept trying to get me fully awakened. Once or twice I jumped up to start getting dressed because we needed to be at the elementary school the next day. Ken was finally successful at waking me, and I tried to shake off the feeling of being overexhausted. I walked around the house for about thirty seconds when I heard the phone ring. That was a bit of a surprise because I have it set to turn off for a couple hours each night, then turn back on automatically. (I read somewhere that it's good for the phone...)

It was our neighbor, Francisco, calling on behalf of his sister, who really needed to go to the emergency room. Francisco has a motorcycle, but she was in no shape to sit on it for the 20 minute drive, and it was rainy and C-O-L-D! He said he didn't think we'd answer at that hour, but he was going to give it one shot. Thank the Lord that not only was the phone on (that NEVER happens), but we were both awake at the odd hour, and the phone wasn't in vibrate mode.

By the time we got to the hospital, got her checked in, bought a few needed supplies, and ran back home for blankets and more clothes (the hospital supplies a bare bed and the care of the nurses/doctors, the patient supplies the rest), we made it to bed a little after 3 AM. Thank God we didn't have to go into the capital again that next day, and that He arranged my restlessness and the phone fluke for such a time as this.

On a related note, keep this family in your prayers. We've grown very close to them all, and are waiting for God to open doors for their salvation. Just last week, Ken and Saul made an emergency trip an hour and a half away when the father fell and was bleeding internally. He's out of the hospital now but recovering slowly. His daughter who just made the trip this week to the hospital does much of the work with their animals and farming, and she is in no shape to do that right now. We're going to pitch in as we can and see what we can learn about good old hard work here, but pray that this family is able to pull together and looks to the Lord at this time.

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