Tuesday, June 9, 2015

Cliff Jumping

What a day!  I had to be at the US Embassy at 10 a.m. this morning.  To me, the embassy is an intimidating place.  There are always enormous lines of people on the sidewalk, waiting to go inside.  They get in line at 4 a.m. and wait there all day.

It was very uncomfortable to be a North American and walk right past all of those people in line, who may be desperately hoping for a new life.  I remember when Jairo and his family had to wait in those lines.  We prayed and prayed for them.  As I walked past the people, I prayed that God's plan for them be fulfilled - whatever that plan may be.  That was the best prayer I could think of.

One man was holding a variety of photos in his hand as I passed.  He said to me, "You look like my Mother-in-Law.  Can you help me?"  I am not really sure what he wanted.  I think he wanted me to get a passport for her.  There was a lot of desperation on that sidewalk.

I parked my car a few blocks away and broke all of the rules I was taught, walking alone in the streets with my passport and money.  I had to leave my key fob locked inside the car.  They still took my car key away at the security checkpoint.  The only thing you can bring into the embassy is your passport, your money, and your documentation.  NOTHING else.

I passed by more lines of people inside and was directed to an empty room were one man sat alone waiting.  There was a sign that said to take a number if you don't have an appointment, so I grabbed lucky number 33 and sat down.  Immediately a lady called number 33.  She requested my paperwork, asked me to sign and date it, and told me to go to the next window to pay.  I paid $110, then was told to go back to the first lady with my receipt.  The first lady gave me a piece of paper and told me to come back on June 28th at 10 a.m. to pick up my new passport.  The whole experience only took 10 minutes.  Everyone was very nice and polite.  But the tension among the crowd outside of the "US Citizen room" was palpable.  My heart hurt for them.

Since I had parked on the other side of my doctor's office I had walked through the office building to get to the embassy.  Safer than walking on the street.

On the way back I decided to stop in and make an appointment.  I've had a headache and stomach problems for several days straight.  It's been coming and going for weeks.  I am tired of being sick so much of the time.

They said I could wait in line, or make an appointment for 1 p.m.  Since there were errands I could do, I told them I would come back for the 1 o'clock appointment.

I went to my vet and asked where they thought I might find cat food.  Supposedly it is not being imported to Honduras anymore.  The vet didn't have any and the three malls nearby are out too.  They did some calling and found me one bag of cat food that I can pick up tomorrow.  Then they suggested trying a different place which wouldn't pick up its phone, but was close.  It is right by the famous McDonalds where they sell puppies, but somehow I couldn't find the place.  Finally I stopped and asked an ice cream man.  He told me he has never seen a vet in that area, but he knew a different one close by.  She, too, was out of cat food but she told me that there is a distribution place right by my church.  She called them and they had a lot of cat food.  I could buy as much as I'd like.

I thought I was only about 3 blocks from my normal routes, but somehow I ended up lost in El Centro (downtown) - breaking another big rule.  Jairo told me he didn't want me to drive in El Centro, especially not all alone!  But that is what I proceeded to do, going in circles for about an hour.  It is really hard to drive there.  Streets are one way with no signage. You are just supposed to know.  Same thing with stop signs.  The blocks are tiny with no stop signs at the intersections. You never know who has the right of way, unless you are a local who has lived there for years.  It is so confusing and frustrating!

At one point, I turned to go down a hill, not realizing the hill was so steep that I would not be able to see the road below me once I turned.  That was the scariest part of all.  I literally had no idea what was below me.  It was like jumping off a cliff in your car.  I went slowly, slowly, and prayed to God that the road was below me and that my brakes would keep the car from crashing to the bottom.  Once I made it off the main road and the car was fully on the side road, I was headed straight down, just like a roller coaster ride.  (Fany later told me that road has a special name and is famous because it is so steep.  "Wow," she said. "You were very far from where you wanted to be."  Yes.  Yes I was.)

Thank God I just drove in that area yesterday with Pastora Ruth.  Some things looked familiar enough for me to know that I was far from where I should be.  At one point I knew where I was, but then I took a wrong turn again.

Finally I decided to drive uphill to look for familiar landmarks below.  It was a lot nicer up there, with fancy houses.  A man was standing on the side of the road and he didn't look too scary so I decided I had no choice but to ask for directions.  My heart could not take any more cliff jumping in a car.  When I told him where I wanted to go he just shook his head and said, "That is far."  I told him, "I know.  I am lost."  He said to go back in the direction I had just come, take a left, go two more blocks and take another left.  Then stop and ask someone.  I managed to get lost again.  Where I was supposed to stop and ask someone there was a dead end street with a school whose kids were crowding the road as they left for the day.

Finally I was at a cathedral and park I recognized. ("Oh no!" said Fany.  "You were there!?!!?!" as I recounted the story.)  Not a great part of town to hang out in, especially alone.  I came upon a line of taxis.  One man was outside of his car and would have been easy to ask directions from, but he was urinating.  I pulled ahead of him and pulled up to a driver inside a car, waiting for a fare.  As I started asking for help the urinating man finished and came over to see what I needed.  He said (you guessed it), "That is far!"  I know.  I know.

He offered to ride with me and guide me back to where I needed to go, but I could never, ever allow anyone to get into my car with me.  I probably shouldn't have even rolled down my window to ask for directions.  He understood that.  So he found another taxi driver who was headed to where I needed to go.  He stopped the taxi and told the driver to let me follow him.  That is how I got out of El Centro today.  I followed the taxi driver until I knew where I was again.  What a relief I felt at that point!

After all of that craziness, I went to the cat food distribution place that I drive past all of the time, but never noticed before.  They had three bags of cat food and said they expect to get more.  They have not heard anything about no more importation.  So I bought all they had and left thankful to be alive and safe, with food for the cat.

By then it was time to go to the doctor.  Along the way, I ran into the ice cream cart man who had given me directions for the cat food place.  He was a long ways from where I had seen him before.  I stopped and thanked him.  He said, "Now we know each other, so any time you see me I will always help you."  He was a sweet ice cream cart man.

It is totally worthwhile to get an appointment at my doctor's office.  They called me in right away.  I explained that I had been there a few weeks ago with symptoms of "the bacteria" and I still don't feel good.  Once again the doctor poked and prodded.  Then she showed me a poster of stomach organs.  She said it goes by many names, but no matter what you call it, my colon and stomach are irritated.

The doctor asked if I know believe in God.  (Imagine that happening in the US?!!)  I said, "Yes.  I am a missionary.  In fact here is the bible I brought to read in the waiting room."  She smiled and said, "Here is my sword."  She pulled out a well worn bible from a cubby next to her.  She told me that I am carrying around too much stress and I need to hand it over to God.  She asked what happened when all of this started.  I was able to pinpoint some things.  She said that she understands being under stress, and talked about her life being stressful too.  She has had stomach problems and migraines as well.  But we need to give our problems to God. Otherwise I will always need medicine for a headache and a stomach ache.  I told her I am trying.

Then she wrote on a note pad the name of a medicine that is supposed to relax my muscles, but still allow me to drive and function well.  It was non-prescription.  So far it hasn't helped at all.  She gave me something else that is supposed to help my stomach.  We talked about what I should eat.  I can eat potatoes, yogurt, and fruit.  That's about it.  Papaya is best, but that is the one and only food in the whole world that I really don't like.  The doctor said she never liked it either until she saw how much better her stomach feels when she eats it.  Hopefully my taste buds will change their mind too.

Tomorrow I am meeting with Pastora Ruth to introduce her to my friend, Kathy.  Kathy is going to lead the worship music for the women's conference.  She is the absolute perfect person to do that.  I love how God has put together the best person for each part of our women's conference.  I am praying that many woman will be moved to come and be blessed there.