Learning To Trust

 

My Dear Friends & Family,

I hope that you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday!! Since I have been back in the USA I have had quite a busy time. I have been to Georgia twice, and visited Colorado and Ohio. The rest of my time has been spent at home outside of Buffalo, NY. I have been trying hard to reconnect in person or over the phone with many of you. I am also still trying to put together a trip to visit the Nyack area.

My last two weeks have been quite eventful. On the Saturday before Thanksgiving I went to the ER because I was having an allergic reaction. Over the past month I have also had a pain in my lower back that would come and go.  Since Thanksgiving week that pain increased and has stayed. On the Wednesday before Thanksgiving I again was in the hospitals’ ER from that pain and from feeling feint. I had many tests, and had x-rays taken on my lower back.  Both the tests and X-rays came back with no answers. They couldn’t tell what was wrong with me.

On the same day that I first went to the hospital, Pastor Walter Malaza was hit by a car while he was in South Africa. Pastor Walter is one of my closest Swazi friends, as well as our main partner in ministry. He is the man with the vision and oversees the 8 Neighborhood Care Points that minister to hundreds of orphaned children daily. Walter has a broken leg, as well as a separated shoulder and damage to one of his arms. He is stuck in the hospital for 6 to 8 weeks. I have seen many road accidents in SA and Swaziland, and in my mind it is a miracle that Walter is alive. With me having taken ill, and that Walter was hit by a car around the same time – I don’t see these events as a coincidence. We know from Scripture that the enemy prowls around like a lion looking to devour us.

Currently I am still having a constant nagging pain in my lower back. I also feel pretty weak. Yesterday a big blessing happened as I was able to get an MRI.  I am now awaiting the results for that, which will take a few days. So my Brother’s and Sister’s I am in need of your prayers.

Please stand with me in the Lord in the following ways:

In Thankfulness – I am incredibly thankful to be alive. I am also so thankful that God’s hand was with Pastor Walter. I am so glad to have Jesus; to be one of His kids. Life is hard enough, let alone when you are feeling sick. I am so thankful for the presence of the Lord in this time. In the long wait at the ER, through the constant nagging pain, in the MRI tube, or in my frustration – I cannot even imagine going through all this without His love. I am also very thankful for His love through the Body of Christ. Whether it’s prayer, a hug, an email, or a timely word from the Lord – God has sought me out and blessed me through Brother’s and Sister’s around me.

In Asking for Healing – please ask the Lord with me for healing for Pastor Walter as well as for myself. I am asking that the Lord would heal me so that I can be back in Swaziland as soon as possible! I would really like to be there before the first of the New Year! Actually, I really want to be there before Christmas, as I have a special gift for a Special girl. 🙂

In Trust for His financial provision – All of these doctor’s visits and ER trips have happened without health insurance. I have been trying to get health insurance for months. Because I am a missionary and don’t get paid a lot (on earth) I only qualify for Medicaid. So, I am waiting to be approved for that and have all these expenses covered. But red tape and all, it could take up to about 90 days to be processed for Medicaid.  I am just trusting all of this to God. God has always provided! He has provided through many of you to support me and come alongside me in ministry. I am so thankful for that my support is at a level where I can return to minister as soon as I am feeling better.

That my heart would be “with the Lord” in this time – I don’t know how else to say it. This is a difficult place to be in. I so want to be back in Swaziland right now; and I don’t really understand what is going on. Please pray with me that my heart would be yielded in trust to the Lord Jesus. Everything within me wants to be serving Jesus in Swaziland – I miss my relationships there and miss all of “my kids” there.
Honestly, I am really heartbroken to not be there right now. I’ve been crying a lot. Please pray that I would learn what Jesus wants to teach me through all of this. God’s timing is not mine, and His ways are higher than mine, I know that. But it’s still hard for me, and I need His grace to trust Him in all this.

It may be storming now, but I am “in the boat” with Jesus

His Love, His Reality, really makes all the difference!

Thank you so much for your love and support

I am truly living a life I never dreamed possible…

Dennis