Slapped With Providence

Do you ever stop and think about how much you overlook God's providence?  Last weekend, I had a realization that I had become sorely apathetic to how the Lord sovereignly provides people and events in my life.  We had a small crisis.  Adam and Jacob had left to run in an organized race at a beach resort 45 minutes from our house.  Jacob was signed up for the 5K with Asher and I and Adam was signed up for the 10K.  Unfortunately, I was down and out with a stomach bug and Asher not wanting to run stayed with me under the guise of "taking care of mama."  Adam and Jacob left at 1:30 p.m. as the race was scheduled for 3 p.m. and of course, started in Latin style at 4p.m.  I figured that was the case as we had participated in numerous other 5Ks in town.  Still, I sent a message around 4:30 p.m. asking how they were.  It was an unbearably hot and humid day and running on sand just sounded like a bear to me.     

Around 5:15 p.m., I received a phone call from an unknown number.  I ignored it as I usually do but it called back.  This is a very Honduran habit: to call and call and call some more until the person picks up.  I immediately had a pit in my stomach so I picked up on the second call and heard the voice of our friend and babysitter.  She works at said resort so I was slightly concerned.  She confirmed my fears and told me that she had Jacob in her care and Adam had been taken to the hospital in the next town because he had passed out.  I later found out that she wasn't even supposed to be at the resort that day as she wasn't working.  She WAS there that day celebrating her brother's birthday!  It was so obvious to me that the Lord had perfectly arranged the ONE person there that my 9 year old child knew.  She comforted Jacob and even offered to take Asher. God provided!    

We live in a country where health care is extremely lacking and 911 service didn't exist until about a year ago.  I still don't know if or how 911 or ambulance services work because I've never had to use it and quite frankly, I don't trust it.  I have more confidence in transporting my loved ones to the nearest hospital than I do in the ambulance showing up.  To drive home the point, I share our experience of being asked to transport a patient in the bed of our truck to a hospital three hours away in the "big city."  Ambulance service is a luxury.  We also live in a culture that doesn't get involved.  People will stand around and watch someone die before administering aid.  I know that sounds harsh but that's reality.  It turns out Adam was severely dehydrated.  He was unconscious for 30 minutes more or less. Blue lips. Dry mouth. Blue nails. Foaming from the mouth for 10 minutes.  The fact that paramedics were present at the race and immediately assisted my husband is something I would have expected in the United States.  It seems like nothing short of a miracle here in Honduras.  I am grateful for how the Lord arranged much needed medical care on the scene as well as the transportation to a hospital.  God provided!    

On to hospitals.  Adam and I joke about having chosen our neighborhood based on it's proximity to a private hospital for the little boys.  There are two good private hospitals within a mile or two of our house.  I also joke about getting my hospital preference tattooed on my wrist to increase my chances of survival should anything ever happen.   This race was 45 minutes from our house out in the jungle at a beach resort.  Not close to the hospitals I know and prefer.  The nearest town to the beach resort is called Jutiapa.  Google says it has the population of 35,000 but I call "bologna!" I had no idea where the hospital was or if there was more than one hospital available.  I googled "hospitals in Jutiapa, Honduras" on our drive out there.  I did not know if this "hospital" was private or public (I knew nothing) nor did I know the state of my husband.  It was a long drive of praying that it was the only hospital on the map and that they took my husband upon arrival.  The Lord gave me peace amidst the unknowns.  My teammate and friend, Kathy and I arrived at the 3 patient room clinic where we found Adam just having entered back into consciousness.  It was quite the ride after that to manage everything in Spanish and make sure he got the care he needed when he needed it but the Lord provided patience and calm for me in the midst of the storm.  I was attuned to how the Lord had provided the last two years of language tutoring in my home and how I was confident and able to navigate a difficult situation in my second (fourth, really) language.  I was also convinced the Lord providentially put that little "hospital" right there for me, for this situation.  An unlikely location, an unknown provider but perfect for the need.  God provided!   

Sanitary cat in the waiting room

Patient room 

Patient at nearly midnight

Saline bag pole...er, nail

Last but not least, the Lord put us on Team La Ceiba in Honduras not by accident.  The same is true of my teammates.  I am continually sure that the Lord handpicked our team.  We love our team.  They are our family away from family.  I sent one voice message to the ladies when I found out Adam was taken to the hospital and our whole team sprung into action.  My kids were picked up and taken care of for the night by teammates. I had medical consultation available to me from another teammate. And I had a teammate by my side for all of the trauma into the wee hours of the morning.  God provided!

I took a deep breath midday Sunday and thanked the Lord for the many ways I saw him arrange the means for this end.  It slapped me in the face, really. It was obvious how I had taken the providence of the Lord for granted. He provided so much for me last weekend as He does every day.  He is a good God who loves me well regardless of my circumstances. God provides.