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It only hurt a little bit!!
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Today was the day that the trip to Haiti began to really feel like it was going to take place! An hour long drive to go get my shots gave me lots and lots of time to think. “So, you’re really doing this. You’re going through with the trip. If you get the shots, you’re committed to go. There’s no backing out now.”
And, so my conversation went on and on like that through the entire drive to Pittsburgh. Oh, I wasn’t afraid of the shot. I’m a toughie when it comes to things like that. My fear is facing the unknown. Going into a land that is foreign to me is not what I would call an “exiting trip.” It’s an adventure, but not a pleasure trip. I sound terribly selfish, don’t I? Like I said many times before, God has a lot of work to do with me. I love the comforts of home so much, and I’ll be the first to admit it. I miss my comfy bed and I didn’t even leave yet!
The nurse at Passport Health greeted me with a smile. “So, you’re a little nervous about this trip?” How in the world did she know? “Your face looks pale. Here…have some water. Let’s get you good and hydrated before you get your shots.”
This sounded like a plot of some sort. I was in deep trouble. Out came the notebook she had prepared for the trip. It even had my name on it! Yikes! Too, too real!!! The nurse took her time and went over every possible detail of the trip she could think of along with explaining every shot that was needed for this trip to Haiti.
One thing seemed to pop off of the page as we were going through the booklet, and I couldn’t seem to get past it. The entire land of Haiti was colored in brown. “What’s that mean?” I knew it had to mean something important! “If you don’t take your malaria medication, you most certainly will get malaria.”
It hit me like a ton of bricks. Here I was fussing and asking a ton of questions trying to avoid as many vaccines and prevention medications as possible. Why? Because I just didn’t want to take the medication. No other reason. And, that’s when it all hit me. Those children — the ones we’re going to visit. Those precious children are hoping upon all hope that we will bring them the vaccines they need to prevent whooping cough, malaria, measles, mumps, worms, meningitis, and flu. They are praying for the same medications that I was tossing aside simply because I didn’t want to take them.
“Okay, God. You’ve done it again. You’re really digging into my heart, aren’t you?”
With tears of shame streaming down my face, I gladly received my shots. I said prayers of thanks for the availability of the medication. I thanked God for such a special nurse. I thanked God for the car that got me to the facility where I could receive the medication. I thanked God for the financial means to pay for the vaccines.
I humbly and gratefully thanked God for my many, many blessings.
And, so it is now forty six days until departure for Haiti. Today was a good day……a very good day.
Love,
Clara
PS I might be a toughie when it comes to shots, but I’m not kidding when I tell you that both of my arms are sore!!! Where, oh where, is that bottle of Tylenol?