November 16

My head was still spinning as I laid down on my mat to sleep.  -And no wonder - we had driven on these bad roads for 10 hours that day and now it was one a.m.!  If I thought I was tired of riding in the truck, just think of how BletJaw felt because he did all the driving!  Let me back up and tell you about it.The first 6 hours of driving was done  so that we could speak with a builder for just 15 minutes!  We had heard he was building in this far-away village and knew it was important for us to ask him quickly because otherwise he would be booked with more building projects ahead of us.  He arranged to visit us and look at our building site on the 25th. He seems to be the only one who is willing to come this far out and build.We arrived home starving hungry at about 7 p.m.  Just as we sat down on the floor to eat, a man came up by motorbike and asked us to please go to WST to help a man who had just gone crazy one hour ago.  Upon questioning the man we found out the craziness was caused from abdominal pain. He was pulling out his hair, yelling and running around etc.  OK.  I packed an IV, medicine for poisoning etc in my backpack and we were off in the truck again.  We had difficulty finding the right place in WST so the man on the motorbike came and picked me up with my backpack so I could get there faster.  (That is always a sign that things are bad).  Away we sped in the dark, on an unfamiliar motorbike and an unfamiliar driver to an unfamiliar house and a sick man whom I knew nothing about.  Yet the peaceful familiarity of God's presence is always there!Upon arrival I found the man in terrible pain with a ridged abdomen, no bowel sounds and rebound tenderness!  This man was suffering from an acute abdomen and may be  having an appendicitis attack, or worse yet, peritonitis.   I was very happy when Breck, BletJaw and Emily joined me.  They were praying. And Breck assisted me with the IV.  I asked the men nearby to please make ready a  blanket or something to carry him in.  This was an emergency and we must take him to MeDooGlow clinic.The men tied a hammock to a pole of wood and carried him quite a ways down a difficult pathway to the truck. We looked much like the picture on the front of the "Where There is no Doctor" book.What a wonderful opportunity to pray!  Many villagers were all gathered around the truck, wondering what was wrong with the man and why we were in such a hurry.  We prayed for the man, for the dear people gathered around the truck, and for a safe trip.  We left at 8 p.m.  Breck was able to do patient care, managing the IV for 2 bumpy hours in the back of the truck.The man was sent on to Omkoi, a hospital that does not do surgery, so from there he will go to Chaing Mai for surgery.  We will not be able to hear anything about him until he returns home.This is just one of many emergency runs to MDG.  Somehow these bad situations always form a strong bond of friendship between us and the villagers.  They learn that we love them and we always pray for them. God has sent me to a place where I am so blessed, and I am so happy to be doing His work here.  I see God in control of all these situations.  He plans our days so that we are available when we are needed.  No life is worth living apart from God's will.  Oh! Please dear Saviour, keep me in your control and perfect will, because I am so helpless without you!