Have you ever had one of those days where you are on top of the world? That's how I was feeling the morning this story takes place. Andrew was away in Cuba and it was me and the kids holding down the fort. It really started with a knock at my apartment door the afternoon before. I thought it was weird since no one is allowed in the building with out first being buzzed in. I opened it and saw a lady I have been working with collapsed on the floor in front of our apartment sobbing. I ran over to her where she was sitting and hugged her. You see I had been working with this woman for over a year and knew of the many problems she was dealing with. The moment I was sitting on the floor with her I heard the CLICK. You know the sound of my front door locking. The same door that was now between me and my house keys! And just a reminder I live in a Latino culture where it is never cool or funny to leave your house with your hair and makeup not all done. So there I was no shoes (slippers), no makeup, no keys and no money with a very emotional woman beside me. The best part was that I couldn't even leave the building until I asked someone to let me out because the front door it securely locked. So once out of the building I was on the hunt for a locksmith. Luckily for me there is one almost on every street corner here. So $200 pesos later and lots of humble pie, my front door is opened, the locksmith made a sale and I was now back in my apartment. Soon the kids were home and fed as well as my visitor with her children. It was soon obvious that this lady was staying for night with her children. Once the children were done their homework and in bed I sat up with my guest and we went over all the things in her life that were not going so well. The morning after is where my story takes place. You see after sleeping on the situation I was convinced in my spirit that the current crisis I was helping this lady deal with was not a calling but a need she wanted to me help bandage. I woke up and knew in my spirit that God was calling me to be honest with my guest and brutally honest at that. I felt like the Lord was telling me that this was not her time to come to the end of herself, to hit rock bottom. And yet there was little else I could imagine she still need to sink even lower before she was truly interested in looking up. So after a long talk I decided to send my friend on her way, but not before I made it clear I would always be there but once she was willing to first be there for herself and move towards health in so many different ways. The top of my list for her was leaving all relationships with the occult and turing to the true God who was waiting and ready to bring reconciliation and healing for her. I knew I was to leave the house and lock all doors behind me so off I went. I was right in the middle of praying to the Lord. I was praising Him for his provision for Andrew who was in another country, me and the kids and even the dog. I was thanking him because I knew I didn't need to depend on anyone as long as I had him to lean on, to seek guidance from. I would be fine. BOOM.
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That's all I heard for a few seconds. And then it was followed by a loud silence. Something hit me from behind and sent me flying forward. You see before this happened , while I was praying I was standing beside a busy street waiting for a break in the traffic for it to be safe to cross the street. Apparently I needed eyes in the back of my head because while looking forward I missed the fact that there was a van right behind me who didn't see me and ran right into me. Praise the Lord I didn't fall right on my face but caught myself with my hands on the pavement. After I clued in to what happened and caught my breath I turned around to see a man in a van. He was a older gentleman and I wasn't positive but he looks very much like the man who bags my groceries at our local market.
He then proceeded to roll down his window and hollered out "Lo siento" and then drove off! Lo siento means , oh sorry. It's the casual oh sorry you say to a strange if you bump into them while walking in a store. NOT FOR HITTING them with your VAN!
Shortly after I walked to our ministry office sat down in a office chair and broke down crying. My adrenaline was pumping and now I was feeling light headed and tingly all over. But not the fun tingly all over but the intense pulsing one.
After a trip to the hospital, a few needles later, exams later and then a visit to a man to make me a brace for my back I was at home in bed. Thanks to my boss/ friend who came with me to the hospital and ran to pick up my new best friends (medication for my neck and back pain). As I lay there not being able to move, I remembered my prayer just 6 hours ago now, "Praise You Lord for independence, Praise You for taking care of me! Hep me to lean only on You.". Well now I needed to get our Alliance intern to move in and sleep over because I was now unable to sit up, go to the bathroom or even reach for tissue to blow my nose. Did I mention my husband was in another country? I was so confused by the timing of this all but not surprised. I am well aware that Christ tells us in the gospels that "in this life you will have trouble." And you know what, that for some reason is one of the Lord's promises I never have a problem remembering. Well eventually things got back to normal, I got off my pain pills and I was back to walking and cleaning and teaching again.
You know I have so many theories as to the timing of things....did it have something to do with the fact that I was deliberately pulling away from a woman who had occult ties? Was it because I called out all of the lies of the enemy the night before in my house and prayed God's truth and promises over my friend? Was it because I was feeling confident for the first time in years and wanted to be able to do more for the Lord and not be hindered by self doubt?
I thought this was a better description of the driver =)
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