How is your arm
I just asked Angie this question. Answer: “Fine, thank you. Thankfully it isn’t itching.” She has had a torrid two weeks. Her whole body has come out in a rash that is itchy and unsightly. Yesterday, we went to a reputable clinic in Kiev again and had her (and Elle) tested for 100 different allergens. The doctor said that her body is in “an extreme state of stress” and the first priority is to alleviate the symptoms. She prescribed a few different creams plus a spray to be used in the evenings and some “other stuff”. I’m pretty skeptical of all these different creams, having been there before with Angie and not seen much of an improvement. We’ve been rotating her diet for the last couple of years and managing any flare-ups with a cortisone cream. This time though, her system must have become run-down following a couple of bouts with the flu. We tried the creams with one of them getting “rave reviews”! “Miracle cream” actually healed some particularly badly affected skin overnight spreading out from a small 1cm area. But still, after a week, she is no better generally.
We continue building… and destroying. The small house the guys and I are working on is half-demolished. The nice thing about doing it this way is that we have all the documents for gas, electricity and the building and just need to get the plans changed to reflect the new building we put over the top of the old one. Today we laid the foundations. The five students who skipped classes and worked with us put in some good hard hours and enjoyed the day. Real work is a great supplement to class studies in my opinion. These future builders spend way too much time in the books! Some of their teachers agree with me. :)
Friday night was a good one this week. We had over 30 kids come and hear the gospel again. “Lord, please touch their hearts and draw them into your family!” “Max” came again! He’s in the yellow and black top. Ever since I met him, I hoped that he would meet the Lord one day. It’s weird actually, because with him – in spite of his lifestyle – I feel like he’s a brother already, and he hasn’t to my knowledge chosen to trust in Jesus. Anyway, he is one of many who I am enjoying getting to know better.
Priscilla’s Mom is staying with us for a bit while she gets some things checked out in the Kiev hospitals. It’s been convenient as we’ve been taking Angie in for different consultations.
Oh… I’ve also had a couple of appointments with different doctors. Apparently, my heart is good enough to keep me going for now. I have arrhythmia, but not real bad. There are still some things I should get checked out related so my other organs and possible damage done to them during the period of high blood pressure… but I’m functioning pretty well now and don’t feel a pressing need to get them checked out while the weather is good for building.
Shane and I went for our last wakeboard last Saturday. It was superb once we were up, but the shock of the cold water upon first getting in was intense. Early morning or evening on the river behind a boat… I feel close to God for some reason in these conditions… probably because I appreciate so much the gifts He has given.
Gifts… look for them and we find them spread throughout our days. :)