Many of you know I got sick. A couple days before we were to fly home I came down with a viral pneumonia in both lungs. I started in a hospital in Arusha which didn't have the facilities to properly help. In fact, at one point I needed to go on oxygen and they had to decide whether it was me or the old guy who got the bottle. It went to the old guy. So, I was flown to the Nairobi Hospital and wound up in the ICU for a couple days. All in all, I was in the Nairobi Hospital for about a week.
Peter and Lisa were by my side the whole time. Peter was supposed to fly home and cancelled his flight to help me. Lisa was supposed to be celebrating her birthday and doing last minute Christmas shopping. Everyone was just supposed to go home. But they changed their plans to help me.
Lots of people also supported us. People prayed, called, e-mailed, sent money and cards. Rapha came up from Arusha and and made his way to the hospital in Nairobi for a visit.
I've never had anything like that happen before obviously hope to never have it happen again. I always try to look for a meaning or reason in things happening. Maybe this was my warning to slow down. Maybe it was a lesson so I can empathize with sick people I encounter. Maybe it had nothing to do with me and was just an opportunity for a lot of people to get to be a blessing to someone else...namely me. I don't really know why all of this happened but I do know I have a few things at this Christmas time to be thankful for...
1. Breath in my lungs
2. Lisa and Peter literally being right by my side
3. Skilled doctors who could fix me
4. Family and friends who poured out love and support
5. Finally being HOME
May God bless you and yours as we finish this year. And even if there's a boat load of crap you're having to go through, may it be a time that you notice a few things for which to be thankful.
