Blog

A lot has happened in the last week, and it would take me thousands of words to recount it all. Rather than focusing on the frustrations of airport staff referring to me as an “it,” nine hours of leg spasms across the Atlantic, and the ongoing struggle of navigating American medical supplies, I’ll give you a few snapshots of the celebrations I’ve had traveling and arriving in America this week. When I left my apartment Wednesday morning, I was praising God for the gift of friends and families in Kandern who are willing to help me out when I’m still so dependent. I tagged along with another family going on the same flight as me to London from Basel, and I was struck with how blessed I am to have parents of my students who are willing to take care of me. As we figured out how to get me transferred to my next flight, Terry commented, “We’re all part of the same family,” which would stick with me when I met my various family members at DIA on the other side of the globe. As an airport attendant wheeled my bags behind me, I heard my dad shout my name and within seconds I was surrounded by my dad, my best friend, and some of my Embassy church family. I spent the next couple days in Colorado Springs with relatives before driving back up to Denver to spend the night with Nathan and Nicole who had met me at the airport with their kids. Spending the day with this couple was so good for my heart. This trip involves a lot of emotional reunions as people who have followed my recovery online are seeing me for the first time. The Lee’s house is far from handicapped accessible, but they welcomed me in knowing that whatever I couldn’t do myself they would help with. Praise God at this point all I need is someone below me on the stairs to carry my stick and give me a little mental support as I account the distance I need to lean and how to place my weight. While I couldn’t roll around on the floor with their young kids, I could still laugh with them and watch these two precious boys run around their backyard. Sunday morning, I rode with the family to the Embassy, my sending church. I’ve never lived in Denver, but five years ago, I was connected with this church family, and they sent me out as their missionary two years ago. I love being connected with these people who are so in love with Jesus. I was so excited to listen to Brandon’s timely message yesterday on learning to lament. It’s an important message for the church this week in particular, but it’s also an important message for me as I lament my loss of mobility on this continent. Without ignoring the lamentation, I can still celebrate the chance to hug Brandon and Derrick. These are people I wish everyone on earth had the chance to meet; when you talk with these tough looking dudes, you discover two men passionately and deeply in love with Jesus and eager to share the message of hope and salvation with the hurting world around them. Thankfully, I’ll have the chance to spend time with my Embassy family again next week as I share with them some of what God has done through me over the last two years. I wasn’t able to stick around too long this week though because I had a long drive back to Colorado Springs for my cousin’s wedding. Fortunately, the wedding was a little behind schedule because Rachel and I got stuck in traffic on the way back, but I was really grateful for the chance to catch up with one of my best friends who has also spent time living in Europe years ago. Rachel helped me manage through the wedding and reception without being able to walk around easily. She packed my wheelchair back in the car when we discovered that the family pictures were being taken on a grassy slope that was inaccessible to me and we drove through the Garden of the Gods before heading to my aunt and uncle’s house for the reception. She stuck by my side as I celebrated my cousin though a little less mobile than the rest of the attendees. It was hard for me not to be able to keep up with everyone around me in a place I’m so familiar navigating able bodied. Not only am I allowed to grieve that, but it’s an important step in my recovery. This barely covers the surface of my week, and I’m gearing up for five more weeks of the same. Dozens of people are welcoming me back with open arms, but we’re all learning to navigate my new physical state; that’s okay. That’s important and healthy. As I’m in America, please keep praying with me for more healing. I’ve said it before, and I won’t stop asking: I want everything. That includes a lot of emotional healing as I meet with people who I haven’t seen since my accident or I encounter old places that I haven’t experienced as disabled. Along with my emotional recovery, I’m anxiously awaiting God’s next move in my physical progress. My greatest frustration remains the bathroom complications, but I am still looking for return of all function. Just as Jesus said the man born blind in John 9 was disabled so that the works of God might be displayed, please join with me in asking God for his work to be displayed through my complete recovery.