kindey stone fiasco

I do not really know how else to say this but kidney stones are awful.

I had already gone to the United States for a visit when I came back to the Dominican and was greeted by a fierce surprise. I guess that it was not a huge surprise, I had had kidney stone before but it had to come right when I got back home.

The attack was bad enough this time to go back to the States and see what the problem was and how I could fix it.

I appreciate so much the many prayers that were said and the many encouraging things that were said to me during this time. I was in a lot of pain and you guys really helped me out. I must say of all of you I am truly grateful to Evan Aldridge. Evan is a great friend and really helped me get through the worst kidney stone attack I have ever had.

Anyways,

I go to the States and I guess there is no other way of saying this either but I hated the fact the I was going back. I had so much to do here and I just did not want to leave home again.

God works in funny ways. Even though I dreaded going back to the States there were so many blessings that came out of it.

1. I was able to see my amazing Perry family because I just happened to be in the States when my cousin, Katie, was graduating high school.

2. I was able to see some friends that I did not see the first time I went

3. I went to the doctor.

I guess that last one might be obvious but the medical part of that was not the blessing. By the time I had gotten to the doctor the stone was all but gone. (At least, the one that hit me this time.) The amazing thing that came out of it was that the doctor that I went to see asked me what I was doing here and we got into a great conversation about what is happening here with the discipling program. He said that they had been looking for an opportunity for his kids to see something from a different culture and lifestyle and to give them an opportunity to know how blessed they are by being able to bless others.

Their family has now accepted the opportunity to help out some kids here but what the Spirit did here was absolutely amazing. The Spirit turned something that I hated doing into a way to bless so many.

Reflecting on this story I have many prayers

1. That I, nor any of you, ever have kidney stones again.

2. That we learn to let the Spirit guide us and not convince ourselves that we are in bad situations

3. That we let God reign and pray for forgiveness when we think we know what is going on but yet God has so much bigger plans.

Much love to you all!