6/30/10 Sunday
Well this was yet another infamous Sunday. If you could pray for me, please pray for me especially on Sunday! J I woke up and went to church, and was just leaving when it started pouring down rain. India is currently in its rainy season, but Ooty is unique because it is the meeting place for two monsoons, so we gets lots of rain! For about half an hour we stood under the overhang, but because Annette needed to get home because she was making lunch for all of us, we decided to sprint just 50 ft. to the Sunday School building behind the sanctuary. However, as soon as I got there, for whatever reason I felt more lightheaded than I have felt in a long time and I fainted. Now whether or not it was a combination of the elevation difference, or the fact that for the previous two days I had been pretty inactive, or it was an attack, I don’t know. The odd thing is that by this point I had been in Ooty for 3 plus weeks, so I think I was acclimated by this point, and I am a pretty active person, so sprinting a number of feet ordinarily is not an issue at all. On top of it all, I found out later that Annette (who has lived here for years) even mumbled under her breath as she propped up against the Sunday school wall “Gee, I hope I don’t faint!”. . . Well, unfortunately for me, although I was leaning slightly against the wall I fell straight backwards and landed really hard on some stone. Because I convulsed for a few seconds, they did not know if I had had a concussion or if my body was just trying to brace such a hard fall, so they decided to take me to the hospital.
The next five hours involved an hour-long drive (that ordinarily takes 5-10 mins but because it was the last “vacation weekend” for many people before school resumes again the streets were packed more than ever) painkillers, prayer, finding the humor at the mayhem they call a “hospital” and trusting that God is bigger than all of this. There was no water in the hospital for me to drink, so Christianna had to go buy a bottle so I could take some medicine, and although my neck and head were really hurting, they did not have any ice packs available to me (so Christianna had to leave again and pay a bartender for some ice)! The doctor was very friendly and helpful; however, I can’t quite say the same for the nurses. Upon setting me down in the hospital bed, I was crying because I was in pain, and they mocked me and told me to “stop crying”. . . They openly made fun of me, the foreigner, and whether it stemmed from anti-American sentiment or for whatever reason, they openly made it known that they were talking “behind” my back. They continued doing so for the whole 3 hours I was there, and eventually asked if I could “understand what they were saying” and scoffed at the fact that I indeed did not know any Tamil; upon answering them, they told me that I “should learn” and then walked out of the room. . . They seemed to take their jobs very lightly, and were even giggling as they injected one of the needles into me, causing it to move around and hurt quite badly. It was not just me they were rude to, however. I felt terrible for a little Indian boy, whom they kept brushing off and who was clearly in a lot of pain; they literally would look at him and look away. . . They mocked Annette’s German accent, they were rude to Christianna (who is another American) and I’ve heard more “unpleasant” stories from others who have even endured giving birth in the hospitals in India! (Can you imagine cats and dogs running up and down the aisles as you are giving birth?!)
Now why am I telling you all of this? I do not want to sit here and gripe and complain, but I wanted to paint a very specific picture of what everything looked like as to show you how powerful the message I felt the Lord was telling me to do. Saturday when I was having my quiet time, I read the passage in the New Testament where one of Jesus’ disciples asks him how many times to forgive his enemy/neighbor. He presents the idea of seven times, and yet Jesus astounds him with his answer. “Not seven, but seventy TIMES seven”. . . We are supposed to forgive as the Father has forgiven us. . . And persecution is GOING to happen; it is inevitable for Christians, and although the media does NOT reveal this openly, Christians are indeed the most persecuted people on the planet. If you don’t believe me, I challenge you to do your homework and see for yourself.
Anyway, By this point (if you have read any of my previous blogs) you know that when I feel the Lord is really trying to get a message across to me, He repeats it to me often consecutive days in a row. Well Sunday morning, (just a number of hours later) the SAME message was touched on at church. Immediately I felt my attention was being grabbed a hold of, and I whispered a prayer. “Uh-oh Lord, what are you trying to teach me?” I couldn’t think of anything or anyone specific that I needed to forgive for something but then shortly thereafter I felt like he quietly told me “I am about to give you quite a few opportunities to forgive and exhibit my grace”.
And He did! He sure keeps His word, doesn’t He?! Haha. Thankfully, I began to really feel better by the last hour I was there, and the I made it explicitly clear that I wanted to go home. Kevin made my night by buying me a giant coke and a peacock feather fan (one I had mentioned I wanted to buy) and Jayson was kind enough to pick us all up and drive us home (even though he had just been preoccupied all day helping his wife and 2 of his kids get ready to go back to the US for a couple months)! Lastly, the whole price of “universal healthcare” paid off this time, because my whole cost for everything was only about 1000 rupees, which is roughly a little over 20 bucks. There was no receipt to prove I had paid, no release papers to sign (and everything they did write down was hand written on scratch sheets of paper and a small notepad) but I was free and feeling a lot better!
A while ago, my mom asked my dad what the 3 things in life he treasured the most were, and he answered by saying his relationship with God, his family, and finally, his mobility. I would have to completely agree with him, because I would almost rather be dead than to be unable to move, or dance or run. . . This is all to say, I could have ended up in a MUCH worse condition, and I am SO grateful that I am okay. .I have even since been back to “jazzercise” and really enjoyed it! Thank you for the prayers, my friends! His grace is sufficient for me, so I am prayerfully learning to be gracious with others. (But let me go ahead and apologize in advance for when I blow it!)
“God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and saw all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers. Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted in the same way.” ~ Matthew 5:11-12
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