This past Thursday, I (David) had the chance to go on an adventure. Our neighbor, Eric Lovin, is with Spirit Led Expeiditions, a missions organization out of Elberton, GA.  Eric asked me to accompany him in taking a lady, Nancy to a mission hospital 3 hours away in Curahuasi (pronounced cor-a-wasi). Nancy, a mother of 5 is the sister of  a member of the discipleship group that Eric runs in the village of Chinchero where she lives. Nancy has had two brain surgeries in the past year for “Trichinosis” (also called trichinellosis, or trichiniasis, is a parasitic disease caused by eating raw or undercooked pork or wild game–Wikipedia). The second surgercy did not go as planned and Nancy ended up with severly limited brain fuction. I’m not sure of all the medical exactitudes but at this point she is basically a vegetable. We took Nancy to Curahuasi to seek a third opinion, because the hospital there has an incredible reputation and gives free care to Peruvians. We drove the three hours through the mountains, past landslides and incredibly narrow roads to arrive at the Hospital. After a brief wait (3 hours, brief for Peru) Nancy was seen by the doctors and was told what everyone suspected that there was nothing they could do. I was struck by the doctors care as the entire staff stopped what they were doing and prayed for Nancy. After a brief conversation with the Hospital pastor we were ready to go back.

As we drove home I kept thinking about the unjustice of the situation. (My thoughts) Nancy is 38 with 5 kids, the oldest is 14, she deserves to see her kids grow up honestly I was frustrated at God for not healing. I have no idea why when we pray sometimes people are healed and sometimes people are not. I wrestled with this for most of the ride home back past the landslides, narrow road and beautiful views. I wish I could say that I came to a neat conclusion or had a revelation but all I was left with was the thought of injustice.

We live in a beautiful, harsh, unjust world. Peru sometimes seems more so other places but that’s probably just because we live here. We sat with the family for a while when we returned home as they grieved their mother, I grieved with them. I was able, if only for measure, to share their experience. It’s easy, for us, to think that we are bringing answers/solutions to peoples lives, and while thats often true and there are many practical things that we can and should do. Being reminded of how short I fall is a heartbreaking necessity. 

In our job, we have no option but to be totally dependent on Jesus. Although we forget, it’s good, even if a little painful, to be reminded. To hurt with people is sometimes all we can do. 

“Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”

Galatians 6:2

Loving, fulfilling and imitating Christ. I love my job.