Dear Friends and Family,
Two are better than one because they have a good return for their work. If one falls down the other can help him up.
This verse was read at our wedding. I have read it at others wedding. I often have come back to it as a foundation to marriage. At no time have I seen it clearer than during the past 6 months.
As most of you know, on May 30th I broke my leg in a moto-cross accident. It did not seem like a big deal until I was strapped down in the helicopter being transferred from a small hospital to Hershey trauma center. Over the next 3 weeks in hospital I had 4 operations on the leg. They tell me that the breaks happened in one of the worst places possible (tibial plateau). With it all came compartment syndrome, which was why I had to be airlifted and then unfortunately some blood clots. I have been back in hospital a few times since, once for a manipulation to break up the scar tissue and give me m
ore range of motion, then just recently to have a filter removed that catches any clots. They tell me I reached the point where the filter is more dangerous than the clots that I still have. Long term is still a bit unknown. I have a great physical therapy team that is very aggressive in helping me regain motion and strength. Probably the big question you are all asking is “will you be able to ride again” (if you are not asking this question, but assume that I would not be that foolish, Joyce will be pleased.)
In the midst of all this we finalized the adoption of Saiyeh!! We have a party scheduled for December 2nd at 2pm, to which you are all invited. Saiyeh has been so excited about everything being over. I was talking to her about her latest school report card, which showed a few areas she needs to work on. I asked her how she felt about it, and she said “well Daddy, it did have my new name on it, so that is really great”. That piece of her identity means far more than I imagined. We are so grateful to God for answering our prayers, rejoice with us!
Joyce has been carrying a heavy load both running the household and in ministry. She continues to pour into women at the church and in the community. She was recently elected head of the parent’s association where Saiyeh and Melanie go to school, quite an honor as it is a bilingual school, recognized as one of the top schools in the city. She will once again be organizing the Christmas Toy Sale as an outreach into the community. I do not know how she manages with all she has along with the girls and me stuck at home (I really am like having another child in the house).
We have been so blessed with not only prayers and encouraging calls and letters, but with many people coming over to help out. Our great friends in Hershey took care of the girls and Joyce on the frequent stays there. A friend comes over and takes care of our yard; others have been helping with the upkeep of the house and provided meals. Others have taken care of the girls to give Joyce a break. Also Joyce’s family and my mother have done so much for us during these times.
As for me I have slowly been involving myself in the ministry. I have been attending some meetings and helping work through ministry issues. I have been resuming my role on the board of a local health clinic, especially in the area of their development of a new site. I find that I can function quite well in small bursts, though I am easily drained. I spend 3 or more hours a day on physical therapy and then some time after each session recovering. I also have resumed my seminary class which is the most difficult for me, though my good friends in the class do take care of me.
People often ask me what God is teaching me through this, or what I have learned. I have learnt what an amazing person Joyce is and how selfless she is and that our children are a blessing. I have learnt some valuable lessons about friendship, real friendship, and what that means to us. I have learnt about community and especially about humility. It has been so hard accepting people doing things for me that I once could do for myself. I think that perhaps I am becoming a little more patient and a little gentler with those around me. I have also been reminded that God is God. By that I mean that I often cannot figure Him out, but that doesn’t mean He can’t figure me out, or that He doesn’t care. I do not know if there was a greater purpose in this accident or if it was just part of living in a fallen world, but I do know that God misses no opportunity to teach us, and I hope that I am learning His lessons.
Love,
Coz for Joyce, Saiyeh, Melanie and Emma
Prayer requests and needs:
- Healing for Coz's leg and that the blood clots will dissolve and not be an ongoing problem
- Strength and patience for Joyce as she continues to carry the extra load
- We owe around $11,000 for Saiyeh's adoption fees, quite overwhelming, but not impossible for God
- We need a new roof as we had multiple leaks into our house after this last rain
- God's continued guidence as we serve him
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