Promises

Something was shining so brightly into my window at 3:38 a.m. I thought it was a spotlight or a streetlight.  But we don't have streetlights here.  When I woke up enough to turn around and look out the window behind me I realized it was a beautiful, almost full moon.  My whole room was as bright as if the overhead light was on.  From there I couldn't get back to sleep until a little after 5:45.  Just in time to be sleeping soundly when the alarm went off at 6:15.

I thought the swim coaches weren't going to show up again today.  They didn't come last Tuesday.  One of them didn't come all week.  So I sat the kids down and explained that since it appeared there was no other adult, if they agreed to sit calmly and wait their turn, they could swim in groups of 6.  I felt comfortable monitoring 6 at a time.

They were fine with that - anything to swim!  I trusted them to be well behaved so we all changed into our bathing suits (myself included in case I had to dive in after one of them).  Right as we began warm up exercises one of the coaches arrived.  Yay!  The kids were happy.

He is a retired champion racer, so he has them doing some cool things.  Today they started learning how to do a flip turn!  On November 5th, when they first started, I never imagined that they would be learning flip turns.  Or that some of them would have really beautiful freestyle strokes, with the breathing and everything.  They work so hard.  I'm proud of them.

The girls also told me today that they were happy they no longer wear underpants under their bathing suits and shorts over top.  One girl told me that last week she felt strange because she had never shown her upper thigh before.  But she said that today she felt "tranquila" (relaxed) in her bathing suit with no shorts.

I also thought I might get some backlash from the parents, but the only comment I've heard so far is one of support.  A girl told her mother that I said she could get an infection from wearing underpants under her bathing suit and lycra shorts on top.  The girl told me that her mother said, "Mary Lynn is right!  And I don't have the money to take you to the doctor, so stop wearing so many layers."  Seems like they have all made the adjustment smoothly.

The team from Ohio was waiting for us when we got to the church.  They were shampooing all of the girls with lice shampoo and combing out their hair with lice combs.  Some of the girls got braided too.  And some of the kids got baths.

We had a bunch of new kids today.  Faces I had never seen before.  That's what happens when they hear a team is in town.  There will be more tomorrow.  Unfortunately with the influx of new faces, there are kid who haven't yet learned to respect the rules of the church.  Today the girl whose mother told her to follow my instructions in order to avoid a visit to the doctor had her cell phone stolen.  She has to bring a cell phone because she is not normally a part of the Breakfast Program.  She lives a distance away.  She started swimming classes, so she is at the church anyway and we encouraged her to hang out with us afterward at the Breakfast Program.  Her family are church members.

She has to call a taxi when she is ready to go home so she brings a phone for that purpose.  But today, somehow, her phone got stolen.  I feel horrible for her and really sad about the situation.  She is very, very sweet and caring.  I imagine she is disappointed and hurt that someone stole her phone while she was at the church.

I had been subconsciously proactive with my own things.  I never know who is going to be in and out of my office or the classroom.  So this week I kept my backpack behind Eunice's desk where nobody is allowed to go.  I don't usually do that, but this week I did.

Someone also stole a whole pack of markers the team brought for us.  It is sad, but it is an unfortunate fact of life.

I have been praying about finding a sweater or jacket for one of the boys.  Yesterday I mentioned to the team that there are so many needs, I am not sure where to start, or where to draw the line since my resources are limited.  They needs are constant and never ending.  They asked about specific needs and I pointed out Christian, who is swimming but has nothing warm to put on early in the morning when it's still cold, or after he gets out of the pool.  Today as we were leaving the pool Christian with no jacket told me to look at his shoe.  The whole heel had come apart and he was walking around in a shoe with the heel like a flip flop.  One of the ladies on the visiting team said, "Oh no!  That is horrible!"  when she saw it.  I said some kids have shoes in worse shape than that.  She said, "But he has to climb back up the mountain!"  I told her yes, he does.

The ladies told me the team had a meeting last night and decided that they would like to give me money to use for those things - the needs that I see which aren't so apparent to them.  I told her we would gladly accept it, but the money should be given to Eunice, or I could take them shopping before they leave.  We are going shopping tomorrow.

As I was leaving the church I was chatting with my friend Ana.  I asked how long the diapers I gave her on Saturday would last and if she was using them freely.  She said yes, she was using them as needed (not trying to save by using only one diaper per day).  She still has more than half of the pack left.  She has enough for the next week.  She said she will tell me when she needs more.  I am glad because for some reason I feel like God is telling me really clearly that I need to buy diapers for her baby.  I don't even feel called as strongly about food as I do diapers, which I think is really strange.  So I will make my number one priority diapers and see what else I can do from there.

Ana said she had her first request for me since we made the agreement that she will ask when she needs help.  I asked what the first request is.  She said she will need school supplies for one of her sons.  I instantly felt comfortable saying yes to that.  Lord knows I don't have any extra money, but I can cut back on something.  God always provides.  Ana said she will make a list of the supplies and she can go with me if I need help purchasing them.  I am thinking maybe I'll take her son and let him pick out the stuff on the list for himself.  He might enjoy that.  He is the middle boy whom we make a conscious effort to pay attention to because otherwise he is quiet and falls through the cracks.

So, tomorrow is my Aunt Cathy's surgery.  Six bypasses.  That is a lot.  Today Eunice sent out a prayer request to the church.  I sent out a second request to my prayer team.  It is a very, very difficult procedure.  My family and I are struggling to leave things in God's hands.

A couple of months ago when we had just learned that my Aunt had had 3 heart attacks I was at a women's group.  We had a guest speaker come.  Everyone who knew him told us he was really amazing.  They said he is a gifted healer.

During a time of prayer at the end he came up to me, put his hands on my shoulders and prayed for a few seconds.  Then he suddenly leaned forward and said directly into my ear that my family is okay.  He said that I am worrying about health problems from far away, but God is with my family and he has everything under control.  Everything is going to be fine.  He said there is no need to worry because God is taking care of my family who is not well, no matter where they are.  I felt the most intense sense of relief and peace.  The kind of peace that only comes from God.  So, I have to believe that God spoke to me through this man.  And I also believe it was specifically concerning my Aunt Cathy.

Therefore, I am concerned on an intellectual level.  Mostly because I have never heard of SIX bypasses in my life.  I thought a quadruple bypass was as high as it went.  At the same time, deep down inside I am not worried.  I feel a little foolish because I think a normal person should be worried.  This surgery is not a walk in the park.  But I do have faith in God.  And faith that He would not have spoken to me if He didn't plan to keep his word.

Therefore, I look forward to writing to you tomorrow with news that my Aunt Cathy is in recovery and doing well.  God keeps his word.