A sense of helplessness and a blessing

I'm feeling much better now, but this Saturday morning, I was suddenly wiped out with a loss of energy and an apparent stomach bug.

As the team leader, this sickness was my greatest fear as we had not quite yet built the veteran team member base to recover for me if I was unable to go.  Since sickness happens quite frequently when anyone travels from home and, especially, in a developing country, the mission team has a protocol document in place for other pre-designated individuals to takeover in my absence.

Fortunately, my sickness was just for the day and Deacon Al and Susan were easily able to handle the duties for which I needed to be absent.

The day began by visiting the Hermano Pedro Hospital, which provides the indigent and society's discarded a place to receive quality medical care and attention.  The hospital is run by the Dominicans with both religious brothers and sisters active in the daily administration,  Many of the doctors working daily are rotated in on weekly shifts from the US (and Houston, specifically) through various organizations, such as Faith in Practice.

After the hospital tour, I felt the need to go back to the hotel and Deacon Al and Susan led the rest of the team to visit the relics of Hermano Pedro at San Francisco church as well as to do some shopping in the market.

Alas, this is were my helplessness really hit me.  While the team was out for the day and I was resting in the hotel, I knew that I needed to complete some shopping to purchase items for use by the mission team back in Houston.  While I was able to walk to the Central Park to purchase a phone card recharge, I had very little energy to do much else other than sleep.

Yet, when the team came to visit and check-up on me at the hotel, they generously offered to do what I could not.  In one direction, Elsa, Nathalia and Victoria headed to the market to make my needed purchases there.  In another direction, Errol and Alma took a jitney cab to another store to purchase all of the coffee that we need for gifts.  [Their adventure was quite impressive as they took a similar jitney cab back to the hotel while carrying 70 pounds of coffee over a very bumpy cobblestone road.]  These folks were saviors for me in my moment of need with nary a complaint or hesitation.

Additionally, I had everyone step in to take care of me, including Adam, Frankie and Silvia checking in on my regularly as well as Lynda making sure that I ate the right things for dinner.

While I know that I am overlooking someone else's help in my list above, I just feel that my brief illness was more than just being sick, but instead it was practical learning on being able to allow others to minister to me.