Hello~
The
nights are cooling down as summer ends, bringing relief to hot and humid days.
Even
the breeze feels cooler outside. This time of the year is blissful when the
temperature hovers in the 70's. The green of the trees, bushes, and grass has
become faded from the summer heat. Only the last of the roses and Rose of
Sharon bloom, along with goldenrod, marigolds, daisies, asters, and mums. The
dogwood tree's leaves- next to my front porch- are starting to turn reddish and
I can see bright red berries on it. This time of the year is good for planting
spring bulbs. Normally, I would be outside gathering seeds, planting bulbs,
painting outdoor furniture, and making a list of what else is needed to prepare
things for winter. Inside, I would be finishing the canning, making apple
butter, and jams. Opening windows and airing out the house before cold weather
sets in is also something I always loved to do this time of the year as well.
Instead,
I still have to spend most of the day in my recliner. Yesterday, a hen got out
of the pen. I heard it through the open window as Tex barked. I wanted to jump
up and run outside so bad, but instead had to tell Dwight, and let him round up
the chicken. Due to so much rain this year, water washed away some of the dirt
at the bottom of the pen- something I always kept an eye on. I'm thankful I am
able to walk with the walker again out to the front porch after having more
backsets. It is blissful to breathe in the fresh air, stand in the sunshine at
the end of the porch for a minute, and not be cooped up in the house
completely.
I'm
finally getting over a nasty cold that wanted to linger, despite all the cold
meds Dwight kept having me take. In fact, hard coughing flared up my hip that
was getting better, setting me back to my dismay. Sometimes it seems like I
can't win for losing. It is quite discouraging to keep having backsets every
time I just get up on my feet and get going again. It sure keeps Dwight and my
mind buzzing, evaluating what set me back each time in order to avoid doing it
again. I think we could write a book on all the things to avoid doing with
sciatica nerve pain. Meanwhile, I keep occupied writing, critiquing on a
writer's group, doing grant applications for our local animal shelter, folding
clothes or other small chores I can do sitting, and hand-quilting the basket
quilt I'm doing. If I can't use my body like I'd like, I at least can keep my
brain cells working.
At
times, Dwight gets frustrated with all my ideas of things needing to get done
that I come up with. His favorite phrase
is, "Mom, I'm not like you." While I used to work all through the day
and even at night, Dwight has to periodically sit/lay down during the day due
to joint/arthritis problems, and after supper he has to wind down for the day.
On days that he has internal bleeds only basic things can get done and I worry
when he has to wait on me. Dwight is more laid back while I am fussier. It
takes mental fortitude for me when I walk to keep my hands on the walker
instead of reaching out straightening something or putting something up. I
shudder when I see dirty dishes piled up, things taken out and not put back,
laundry needing to get folded and general clutter that my fingers itch to put
in place. I fold laundry a certain way and always kept all the drawers and
closets organized. At least once a year, I would tackle Dwight's room and
closet, much to his dismay. So, it has been quite a learning curve for both of
us. Thankfully, we both have a sense of humor and are able to discuss and talk
things through when we disagree. I'm happier when I can be up on my feet and do
small things, not only just for myself, but because there are always plenty of
things to be grateful for if one look for them. that gives Dwight more freedom
and enables him to work on his knives more regularly.
I
try each day to focus on something to be thankful for when I am not in pain. I
am truly blessed. Even my fat, furry cats give me comfort on bad days, as they purr
and snooze beside me in the recliner. Otherwise, they stay busy poking their
noses into everything.
It
still is difficult to get a call through to Dawn for some unknown reason.
Unlike before, instead of being able to talk with her each week, I can only get
through every other week. It has gone as long as three weeks, which then gets
me, worried. They also have difficulty receiving and sending texts too, which
can make them feel isolated. It is frustrating part of missionary life.
Thankfully, they are all doing OK. The Lord continues to help with their church
and children services. So many teens want to go with them on Sundays to help
out with the mountain services that they have to limit and rotate teens each
week. One factor for volunteering is that those who go get to stay and eat
lunch at their house, which to them is a big thing, as there is more food than
what they can get at home. It’s hard for us to fathom not having enough food to
eat every day- a reality which the island people face. One of William’s friends
flew over recently to visit them. Due to a delay, he wasn’t able to arrive
until 1 am in the morning. Then when he finally got to their island, all his
luggage was missing. So, he and William had to make the 3-4 hr long trip back
to the airport. Talking with Dawn on his third day there, she said the poor guy
was still wiped out and sleeping most of the time between jet lag, opposite
time of day and night, and all the traveling once he got to the island. I’m
sure this is one trip he won’t ever forget. He got to see firsthand what they
experience. Dawn had to go daily to treat and dress a young man’s arms and legs
that were injured from a bad motorcycle accident where he scraped the skin
completely off. Dawn said he looked like a mummy after she got both arms and
legs wrapped up. Thankfully, his arms and legs are slowly healing back up. When
I talked to Dawn last night (her morning) she was quite worn out due to not
getting much sleep the night before. Here a fifteen-year-old girl woke them up around
one o’clock in the morning screaming. She got up and dressed to go see and help,
as sometimes a woman, who comes to their church, will come to their house at
night if her husband had been drinking and beating her. Instead, it was a
teenager, down the road from their house, who was not only drunk but evidently
on some kind of drugs. She would fall down and roll around on the road
screaming and then get up and take off running blindly still yelling. Dawn said
soon there was a group of neighbors, who had been woken up, gathered around
trying to keep the girl from hurting herself while figuring out who she was. It
turned out the teenager was from up on the mountain. Since they can’t just dial
911, it took some time, for a police fellow to show up. Then he went and woke
up a councilman, which took more time, who had to come. After they accessed the
situation, they called, not an ambulance like here, but what Dawn and her
family calls a “paddy wagon”- a pickup truck with a covered bed but open at the
end. Dawn said it took four people to restrain this screaming girl and get her
inside the back of the truck to take her to the hospital. Three people went
along to hold her down and to keep the girl from jumping out the back. They
didn’t get back home until close to four am. Dawn planned on taking a long
siesta that afternoon. Such is a missionary’s life.
Until
next time~
Dorcas
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