I feel I can just start to see the sunlight after our most challenging week yet. I have now recovered from two days of constant trips to the toilet but praise God it did not last very long and was not very aggressive. This week I have felt completely inadequate for work abroad. The Bola girls just left and the three days prior to their trip home a few of the girls came down with an extremely aggressive stomach virus and had to go to the hospital. I lived in fear for these three days that Ben and I would get the virus as well and have to go to the hospital. Praise God we did not get come down with this very challenging sickness. This past week has felt very spiritually oppressive as person after person in the church falls ill and it seems like we are being hit from all sides. Pastor Adrian was hospitalized overnight for very bad asthma. He is currently taking medicine but cannot sleep and has a very hard time breathing. The pain he has been feeling for over a month now was just starting to get better and then he was hit with this. The Kithu Sevena Church in the South was attacked and had to be shut down due to Buddhist extremism. The pastor and his family had to flee for their lives. I have never had to be so dependent on the Lord for every single day (except in Peru). It is challenging here in a very different way as the spiritual warfare feels so real.
We are going to try to move into our new home Saturday. We had our first cockroach in our room last night. He was very big but Ben did a great job killing him. We also saw our first snake at the farm yesterday. We have had water for the past few days Praise God! And hopefully our new home will have it as well. Please pray for the transition to the English speaking church. It will be challenging at first to adjust to a new area, group of people and a way of life. Please also pray for the recovery of my stomach and protection for Ben and I against sickness. We will be able to cook our own food at the English speaking church so hopefully some of our tummy issues will be lessened. Despite the extreme challenges of fear and sickness last week I am amazed at how good God is. He has given me a peace today that I can only attribute to him. Praise the Lord! Ben and I have been working a lot and we have been able to help the church with many tasks they do not have time to do. We feel so blessed to be busy and have a purpose here. P.S. It is Ben’s birthday on Monday July 27th so if you remember send him an email! Applebee.benjamin1@gmail.com
These kids are so precious. Thanks for the pictures! It really helps to try to imagine what it is like there. Happy faces in the midst of tragic circumstances. Can't wait to see your new place!
ReplyDeletelove,
amber
You are really doing God's work!! Bless you both!
ReplyDeleteI read a christian science fiction story a long time ago.If my menory serves me correct, the story went something like this.. In the story, the heroes were astronauts traveling through different galaxies. They came upon a planet that was an exact replica of earth...except that it was earth in its original state..pre-Fall...it was the Garden of Eden. The only problem was that their instruments somehow showed them that there was not enough oxygen to sustain life.They were forced to wear cumbersome spacesuits in order to live. This was so hard because they were in Utopia and unable to run free and frolic in Paradise. Finally one of the 3 astronauts could not stand it any longer and tore off the space suit. His body began to react to the lack of oxygen and he was gulping for air. Just when it looked like he was going to perish, his body began to adjust and make use of the limited oxygen...slowly he gain strength and became able to move, breathe, and live freely in this unspoiled garden....now the decision was for the other two to decide whether the painful body adjustments was going to be worth the pleasure gained....my prayer would be that your courage and faith would be rewarded, and that you someday soon be able to run and live, and breath freely in this new world
ReplyDeletehappy birthday ben. we miss you. we hope you have fun at your hotel today. 23 years ago today little benny bob came on the scene. it was a great day-my little eskimo baby with a full head of brown wavy hair. you were precious then and still are!
ReplyDeleteyour blog is hard to read as your mom, to see you so far away, but also amazing to see you and Rylee doing wonderful things for the church in Colombo.
we know God is with you and your new church family and will keep you in His protective care. many hugs, kisses, and blessings to you and Ry ry. xoxox momma
I hope the tummy stuff starts clearing up for you both!!! I know how miserable it feel to be sick like that while feeling that you have to contiune with your work and all the frustrations that come along with being in the developing world... praying for you both
ReplyDelete