For those of you who follow my blog and don't read e-mails... (there are some added bonuses hidden here as well :-)
We are all safe and doing relatively well-at least were until I left the house for the week. Now that I am gone for the week, a few health concerns have come up; ask for His hand in the following things:
-Debbie has a large cyst on the back of her neck and has had a lot of pain from a couple falls.
-Anmol, the youngest boy-age 7, has come down with a cold and was recently exposed to mumps-so tomorrow they will be coming here to check things out just in case.
-Mariam gained the weight she lost back and seemed to be doing very well, but all week since the morning I left she has had bouts of reflux in the middle of the night. There are a couple of things that could be causing it and we just hope and pr it isn't anything serious! You can also pr that the medication I suggested to Debbie would help tonight.
On a more personal note...
Oh if only I had time to tell you all in detail about what I witnessed today!!! All I can say is that we all should be so thankful if we have not been sick here or had to deliver a baby here ( I know I am)! You also can ask Him that somehow my presence and way of interacting with people would in even some small way make a difference in the lives of the patients and the way the staff here veiw health care. As I was discussing with my roommate (she is from S India but has been here for several years, and oh how wonderfully thankful I am for her!), the nurse-pateint relationship here is so very different... her response was, "yeah, there is none!" It is so sad, but so true. I can't change it, but I do hope that the way I interact with patients and families, even though I speak and understand so little of their language, would somehow represent Him.
I have been so encouraged and blessed by the people He keeps bringing into my life here. Just when I am feeling alone with no one who understands what I am witnessing for the first time, He brings along someone who understands it exactly! Not only has He blessed me by the staff at the home in the past couple weeks, opening doors for friendships there, He has blessed me in huge ways in just a couple days here. My roommate here, for one, is just one of those people who is always brightening your day-and we relate on so many levels! We listen to music and sing every morning and night, and reason through our philosophical and psychological debates. On top of her presence and friendship, we met another girl who is a med-student here from Wisconsin. Meeting someone from home who is here on her own and come for a similar purpose is so refreshing! His timing could not have been better!!
Other than that, my request for you all is pr for my heart to be willing to apply myself and focus on what He wants me to do in the remaining time here, not being distracted with anticipation of returning home, but to focus and see His will accomplished in me for this time. Ask that I would open my mouth and let Him fill it and speak through me. I have been struggling a lot lately to understand His ways and have peace in what's next; to be honest every day is a battle to trust where He is taking me and what I am doing here, and yet every day He shows me clearly I am right where I belong!
I hope my updates reflect in some small way how much I am learning and being blessed here. I could probably write a novel every week, but then you would all be so tired of me. I know they are always filled with requests, but truly we are so thankful for His provision in every day, and I think in the midst of the daily battle, He has been drawing me into closer relationship with Him and teaching me so many things that will carry on far beyond this year-no matter where He leads!
I am so thankful for every one of you! I miss you all, but I know He wants me here and is giving me what I need for each day. Hope to update you before I am here again the end of February, but please do not be concerned if it is until then. April is just around the corner!
With love and gratitude, Nikki
P.S. Luke 9:23 is our verse of the week in our study, and boy is it hitting home! I was having a conversation with my roommate here at the hospital yesterday (Republic Day in India) about human rights and forgiveness. She is planning for a seminar where she has to address people who are trying to fight for their own rights, and she was trying to reason where one minoritiy here has to draw the line for another's rights; I can't quite recall where the two got started or connected, but it ended with me saying "that's why we are called to bear each other's burdens..." and she added, "and carry our crosses." Just some food for thought....
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Monday, January 17, 2011
Behold, Believe, Be Raised!
I have good news and more requests for all of you...
Mariam’s back and adjusting pretty well. The biggest challenge is getting her sleep schedule back in order and helping her with bowel movements-so painful after the week at her home with different food and sleep patterns. She has been in a lot of pain and not sleeping as well. One of the vitamin supplements we are trying with her-Pediasure, has some probiotics that should help, but she was off of it the week at her parents so we have to get her back on track now. Praise, she only lost 1 Kg, and though she is a little overwhelmed by the stairs each morning, she is adjusting pretty well to the new surroundings.
We are almost fully unpacked, though still several boxes in storage-I think they will still be there when I leave . The electrician’s work is almost finished, painting done, and a few more small items the carpenter finished today. The hot water geeser that my roommate, the boys and I use is not working quite yet, and we have not had a very strong or fast internet connection since the move. It is hard to get some of the work I need to done-as far as research is concerned and to update you all-so pr that it will get better! Thankfully, the week I am at the hospital each month I should have better access, so I can do more then in my free time.
Requests:
-Our stairs inside are not the safest; we have already had two accidents-thankfully not worse than a nasty bruise and a pulled nerve for staff, but please pr for safety for the children, and especially Mariam as she sleeps upstairs and cannot brave the stairs alone.
-Mariam-health (especially bowel problems, rest and continuing to gain weight and improve immunity; getting her to swallow her medicine can be a problem as well, and there is so little to mix it with here that she likes (we need instant pudding or applesauce, which we don’t have here; and it has to be warm)
-Continued direction for each day, to trust Him and believe that He is at work in me here, and to trust in His plan for me after I leave (there are so many unknowns); time and the resources to research, plan, implement and reassess the vitamins schedule
-Staff: one person just quit and another who is just not following through (of the staff that come weekly to help with the intervention center for children with disabilities-Debbie trains them and they run the program); there is a need for people who are on fire for Him and for His children-especially those with disabilities. I really think someone (a third person) needs to live here to help the staff I will be leaving behind. I don’t know if I will be coming back for quite a while (if at all), but I see a great need for someone else to come and offer assistance and support. If you are a nurse, teacher, student or anyone with a heart for children in crisis and sharing His light with them, I encourage you to earnestly pr about coming (whether short or long-term). It will change your world!
- Again, my time here is coming to a close quickly and I don’t want to miss a thing; every week goes by and I think, what have I accomplished and how much I still want to do? There are always things that come up, and with the move several plans have been changed. I trust Him completely in what He wants to use me for, but I also don’t want to be lazy in completing what I came here to.
-Restarting SS: we need a big enough space and safe place to bring the children and our rooms are too small for all 30 kids; we also need the energy and time to continue it with all we are doing to finish the house, care for the children in the home and restarting the intervention center program next month
-Pr for each one of these children in the home to continue to learn from our devotion time and love the Lord; there are a variety of causes of behavior issues which makes it very difficult to assess them (so many factors: environment, abuse, malnutrition...)- My desire is that they come to know the Bread of Life and share that with a nation that needs so desperately to hear!
-Joshua, the 5 yr-old with Autism should be coming next month. We do have another young girl (orphaned) coming to live here (maybe just temporarily)-she is 20, pr for her arrival and transition here; and pr for both her and our live-in person, Richa to come to know Him.
-I go to the hospital again next week and will be there 1 week each month now until I leave in April!
Now to explain my title for this post...
Last Sunday I was blessed and encouraged by a message from John Piper, and my home church at VBC. I am learning so much, about His will and promises, and about His purpose for me here. The message from JP was from John 6:27-40, and was a humbling reminder of my purpose on this earth and here; it is titled “Behold, Believe, Be Raised” and is from a message on the 22nd of November 2009. It challenged me to place Him at the center of satisfying my every desire, and remember that His will is made perfectly clear in these lines. My last post I mentioned Ephesians 1; I believe this passage in John 6 is His answer to me, for this time, of what His will is-that I am kept in Him and satisfied with Him, and that this truth is clear to those around me. Please ask Him for that with me! Romans 8 and Mark 6:33-38 have also been key players in my fight for faith and seeking to fight against my own selfish unwillingness to give all I am and have for building His kingdom-no matter how hard it can be at times! I have found myself looking at Mark 8:33-38 time and time again, and asking myself daily, am I really willing to lose my life for Him? Am I demonstrating that in my heart attitude as I live out His will for me?
Lastly a message from my church, given on December 19th 2010, from Rom 10:21 moved me to tears as I visualized His hands stretching open, and I saw and felt Him running to embrace me! I was moved with compassion for those who need to know the love of the Father, and overwhelmed by His love for me. May you feel the same today, that it is never too late to turn to Him and surrender all to Him because the reward is worth it-the assurance that you will be kept by Him and for Him for all eternity-nothing could be better than this! Yes, “ I believe; help my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24).
Mariam’s back and adjusting pretty well. The biggest challenge is getting her sleep schedule back in order and helping her with bowel movements-so painful after the week at her home with different food and sleep patterns. She has been in a lot of pain and not sleeping as well. One of the vitamin supplements we are trying with her-Pediasure, has some probiotics that should help, but she was off of it the week at her parents so we have to get her back on track now. Praise, she only lost 1 Kg, and though she is a little overwhelmed by the stairs each morning, she is adjusting pretty well to the new surroundings.
We are almost fully unpacked, though still several boxes in storage-I think they will still be there when I leave . The electrician’s work is almost finished, painting done, and a few more small items the carpenter finished today. The hot water geeser that my roommate, the boys and I use is not working quite yet, and we have not had a very strong or fast internet connection since the move. It is hard to get some of the work I need to done-as far as research is concerned and to update you all-so pr that it will get better! Thankfully, the week I am at the hospital each month I should have better access, so I can do more then in my free time.
Requests:
-Our stairs inside are not the safest; we have already had two accidents-thankfully not worse than a nasty bruise and a pulled nerve for staff, but please pr for safety for the children, and especially Mariam as she sleeps upstairs and cannot brave the stairs alone.
-Mariam-health (especially bowel problems, rest and continuing to gain weight and improve immunity; getting her to swallow her medicine can be a problem as well, and there is so little to mix it with here that she likes (we need instant pudding or applesauce, which we don’t have here; and it has to be warm)
-Continued direction for each day, to trust Him and believe that He is at work in me here, and to trust in His plan for me after I leave (there are so many unknowns); time and the resources to research, plan, implement and reassess the vitamins schedule
-Staff: one person just quit and another who is just not following through (of the staff that come weekly to help with the intervention center for children with disabilities-Debbie trains them and they run the program); there is a need for people who are on fire for Him and for His children-especially those with disabilities. I really think someone (a third person) needs to live here to help the staff I will be leaving behind. I don’t know if I will be coming back for quite a while (if at all), but I see a great need for someone else to come and offer assistance and support. If you are a nurse, teacher, student or anyone with a heart for children in crisis and sharing His light with them, I encourage you to earnestly pr about coming (whether short or long-term). It will change your world!
- Again, my time here is coming to a close quickly and I don’t want to miss a thing; every week goes by and I think, what have I accomplished and how much I still want to do? There are always things that come up, and with the move several plans have been changed. I trust Him completely in what He wants to use me for, but I also don’t want to be lazy in completing what I came here to.
-Restarting SS: we need a big enough space and safe place to bring the children and our rooms are too small for all 30 kids; we also need the energy and time to continue it with all we are doing to finish the house, care for the children in the home and restarting the intervention center program next month
-Pr for each one of these children in the home to continue to learn from our devotion time and love the Lord; there are a variety of causes of behavior issues which makes it very difficult to assess them (so many factors: environment, abuse, malnutrition...)- My desire is that they come to know the Bread of Life and share that with a nation that needs so desperately to hear!
-Joshua, the 5 yr-old with Autism should be coming next month. We do have another young girl (orphaned) coming to live here (maybe just temporarily)-she is 20, pr for her arrival and transition here; and pr for both her and our live-in person, Richa to come to know Him.
-I go to the hospital again next week and will be there 1 week each month now until I leave in April!
Now to explain my title for this post...
Last Sunday I was blessed and encouraged by a message from John Piper, and my home church at VBC. I am learning so much, about His will and promises, and about His purpose for me here. The message from JP was from John 6:27-40, and was a humbling reminder of my purpose on this earth and here; it is titled “Behold, Believe, Be Raised” and is from a message on the 22nd of November 2009. It challenged me to place Him at the center of satisfying my every desire, and remember that His will is made perfectly clear in these lines. My last post I mentioned Ephesians 1; I believe this passage in John 6 is His answer to me, for this time, of what His will is-that I am kept in Him and satisfied with Him, and that this truth is clear to those around me. Please ask Him for that with me! Romans 8 and Mark 6:33-38 have also been key players in my fight for faith and seeking to fight against my own selfish unwillingness to give all I am and have for building His kingdom-no matter how hard it can be at times! I have found myself looking at Mark 8:33-38 time and time again, and asking myself daily, am I really willing to lose my life for Him? Am I demonstrating that in my heart attitude as I live out His will for me?
Lastly a message from my church, given on December 19th 2010, from Rom 10:21 moved me to tears as I visualized His hands stretching open, and I saw and felt Him running to embrace me! I was moved with compassion for those who need to know the love of the Father, and overwhelmed by His love for me. May you feel the same today, that it is never too late to turn to Him and surrender all to Him because the reward is worth it-the assurance that you will be kept by Him and for Him for all eternity-nothing could be better than this! Yes, “ I believe; help my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24).
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