Bethany, her brothers and sister – hanging out at the Rehab Hospital
Uganda.
That’s what was on my girl’s calendar, for the summer before her freshman year of college.
When the announcement was made that our student pastor would be taking a group of students to Uganda to work with former church members who live and minister near Jinja, Uganda, with the Macedonian Call missions organization, there was not a moment of hesitation.
Of course, she would go.
It never even occurred to her, that she wouldn’t go. It never even occurred to her that she might not be able to go.
It never even occurred to her, that she couldn’t go.
Bethany jumped right in to fundraising, training and planning for the trip. While I have not been to Uganda, I have been to Kenya and various other locations on mission trips. Knowing a little bit of what the team would experience in Uganda – and, knowing a little bit of how God would use this team, I couldn’t wait for my girl to “go”.
It seemed to be the most natural and expected thing.
And, if that wasn’t enough confirmation, Bethany will be attending The College at Southeastern Seminary for her freshman year, starting in August. The Southern Baptist Convention has 6 seminaries, all of which preach and teach the importance of missions and emphasize the truth of Matthew 28:19-20 – but Southeastern Seminary is known for its strong emphasis on “going”.
A few weeks ago, she joined some of her team members for a road trip to Richmond, VA, to get their Yellow Fever shot. Currently, Yellow Fever immunizations are hard to come by; the US is experiencing a shortage of the vaccine. When one of the team members located an agency who had some on hand, the group jumped at the chance to knock this requirement off of their lists of “to-dos”.
A week and a half later, the unexpected happened.
I was in Canada, when Bethany called to tell me something weird was wrong with her legs. They were refusing to move right. She was at work when tingling and numbness began in her calf of her right leg, spreading up into her hips, then down into the other leg. And they weren’t moving correctly – they were “jerky” – she could take a few steps, but only with great difficulty.
Her brother gave her a ride home, and she tried to rest, thinking that the weirdness would go away. When it didn’t, dear friends took her to Urgent Care who sent her on to the Emergency Room, while I flew home. The doctor at Urgent Care was concerned, and threw out some scary and permanent words.
I felt so far away.
When I arrived at the ER, she looked perfectly fine – until I watched her try to take a few steps. At that point, I knew that something was seriously wrong. As the night wore on, her blood pressure tanked; she passed out and fought nausea. The doctors admitted her.
She spent a week in the hospital, receiving IVIG treatments while battling an intense cerebral spinal fluid leak headache and nausea, followed by a week at the rehab institute for Occupational and Physical Therapy, before returning home with a (temporary) wheelchair and a (not as temporary) cane…….
…..and, a diagnosis of Guillain-Barre Syndrome, potentially from the Yellow Fever vaccine from two weeks earlier….
…..and the directive from her doctors, that she would not be able to go to Uganda….
and a recommendation, that she not go to countries requiring anti-viral vaccinations.
Breaking my girl’s heart.
At least, at first.
She wants to “go” and make disciples…..she is called to “go”and share with others who Jesus is, as we all who are Christ-followers are. And those few moments when she feared she would not be able to fulfill the Great Commission hit her hard.
But once I reminded her that there are many countries and peoples group that she can “go” to that do not require anti-viral vaccines, her soul was settled again. Her youth pastor informed her that El Salvador – a country that our church has a connection to – does not require anti-viral vaccinations, and she was overjoyed.
She could still “go”.
Over the next two weeks, I watched her work hard to gain back motor control of her legs, so that she could get back to life as a senior in high school and participate in prom, her spring choir concert, class day and graduation.
But I also observed something much more remarkable, over those two weeks….and then through the third week. And now, into the fourth week.
I watched her “go” and share the love of Christ, without leaving her hospital bed.
Even when in deep pain, and struggling with nausea and fear, she treated each doctor, nurse, aide, and member of the nutrition and housekeeping staff with a smile, respect, joy and gratitude. She explained to those taking care of her that she was disappointed to not get to go to Uganda, but that she would still be able to share God’s love in other parts of the world. She kept her witty and sarcastic sense of humor, making all those around her laugh till our sides hurt – she was a ray of sunshine in a place that sees much more sadness and grief, than joy. She thanked each person who helped her, even those – and maybe especially those – who did not have pleasant attitudes. She gave the many flowers she received to other patients who had not received any. And, she asked us to purchase donuts for the nursing and aide staff.
I then watched her “go” to the rehab institute, for another week of displaying God’s character to all who came in contract with her….even to the nurses who gave her deeply dreaded daily shots to her stomach, and the ones who struggled to find good veins for blood draws, therefore needing to “fish” with their needles. Never once did she display frustration; instead, she thanked them, smiled pleasantly, and offered to share the chocolates friends had brought her.
The day she left, she once again gave away her flowers and balloons, to rehab patients who had few visitors.
On one particularly challenging day, she brought up Uganda. We talked about the team that would still be going and how disappointed she was – and then she told me she’d like to donate the money she had raised to her teammates who may not have received full funding yet. When we learned that the team was fully funded, she donated her portion to be used by the missionaries in Uganda, to meet whatever needs they may have.
In that way, too, she was able to still “go” to Uganda.
She loved her neighbors…her nurses, aides, doctors, visitors, mission trip teammates – and even Uganda, from far away……and also this mom, as I stayed in her room each night.
Bethany had displayed a deep understanding of The Great Commission by loving her neighbors as God has loved her (John 15:12), throughout her hospitalization and recovery.
Her spirit and actions over the last three weeks had reminded me that I, too, am to “go” every single day.
In my workplace, as I parent, in my neighborhood, at my church.
And, to the nations, through mission trips, like those conducted by 127Worldwide, or through giving to International Missions through our local churches.
And – I thought of other people I know, who “go” in both traditional and non-traditional ways…..The senior adult women who gather at my church every Monday to pray, “go” in those holy sacred moments….our homeless ministry at church take water and blankets and food and Christ’s love to those on the streets….and our students will fly to the other side of the world in just a few short weeks, loaded with soccer balls and energy, prepared to share the gospel in Uganda.
Each of these embody Matthew 28:19-20:
Two days after her release from rehab, I watched her “go” yet again, as she and three of her sweet friends sang an arrangement of the hymn “How Great Thou Art”, at their public high school for one last choir concert together. In doing so, they worshiped, publicly declaring how Great He is.
And in those moments, Bethany lived the truth of James 5:13: “Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise.”
Then Sang Her Soul, Indeed
Just beautiful!
Thank you for reading, Roberta!
Blessings, S