Grace: (n.) the free and unmerited favor of the Lord.

The Lord sure has His ways of extending his love and grace to us. Over the past week I have been blessed to see these ways more clearly. About a week ago I started coming down with a cough, which progressively worsened throughout the week. If you heard by voice you would think that I had been smoking a pack of cigarettes every 10 minutes…don’t worry, I can’t smoke that fast. Just kidding, I don’t smoke at all haha. Anyways, so as the weekend hit, my body decided it wasn’t happy with me and revolted anything I consumed. By the time Monday morning hit I figured it was about time that I go see a Dr. I ended up at Nairobi Hospital to be seen right away. Because of how early it was in the morning, the husband of a friend I met here drove me and waited with me until one of AIM’s Physician Assistants joined me through the process. After I bounced from line to line to get registered, I sat down in the waiting room waiting for a bed in the ER to open. As I was sitting there, Jim said he would like to pray for me and for the doctors who were about to see me. Prayer, duh! Others have been praying for me, but to be in prayer and to be prayed for in person was such a breath of fresh air. One of the things that Jim prayed for me specifically was for grace. I like the definition of grace above. The free and unmerited favor of the Lord. I was seen shortly after we prayed. After some blood tests and being seen by a doctor it was determined that I had an upper respiratory and bacterial infection in my stomach. I was given antibiotics and some medications to lower my fever. The PA that joined me was incredibly sweet and helped me get back home with some sprite to calm the nausea. During this time, I saw the Lord’s grace with me, not only with my health but the ways that he provided so much help from the AIM family here in Kenya. I received many text messages and phone calls from missionaries wanting to hear how I was feeling and letting me know they were praying for me. A few hours after I got home from the hospital and was able to rest, one of the missionaries I’ve gotten to know well sent over some homemade chicken noodle soup, crackers, and j-ello. The soup is MmmmmMMmm better than Campbell’s!

After resting last night I’m starting to feel better but still taking it slow. A few moments ago I went to the Duka (small African store) next door to my house. The owner, and my neighbor, Rose, asked me if I was feeling better than told me that I am looking much better. She then added, after I asked her for four bottles of Pineapple soda, “You are in love with Pineapple!” Haha…that’s the only drink that my stomach seems to be able to handle right now.

Although I’m not sure I would say that the sickness has been a huge blessing, I would, however, say that the lessons I’ve learned through it has been a huge blessing. I learned that no matter how much of a stranger I am to those here or they are to me, we are all still a family. I’ve only been living in Nairobi for a week and I already have people making me chicken noodle soup and calling me up to see if I’m feeling better. I even have a Kenyan neighbor who cares about my health…and recognizes my love for pineapple! ;) As I begin to settle my life in Kenya the Lord breaks me, challenges me, and encourages me in ways that produce refining in my heart and character. I’m thankful for these lessons. As I’ve said before, even if the graces from the Lord were not so evident as it has been recently, it does not make him less graceful…. it just means I might have to seek a little harder to see His grace.

Thank you to all you at home who were praying for me and continue praying that I feel better. Your emails and messages have been a comfort…its not always fun to be sick in another country.

Below is a picture of the ER room I was seen in!

JUST KIDDING!!!!!!!!!!

I am excited that I have had my first Kenyan Hospital experience…I’m not sure what I was worried about, its just like an American Hospital…however I did get through to the ER much quicker than I would have in America! (Hannah, if you ever want a job in an ER in Kenya, I know one you can work at and its probably pretty similar to yours, as far as the type of people go ;) )