弟兄姊妹

親愛的弟兄姊妹，平安。 10/9/2014

非常感謝大家的代禱。靜虔與Hanna於9/28日平安回到台灣。Hanna回台灣的隔日就到林口長庚醫院看皮膚美容醫師，這位醫師是我們的學長及學姊的教會姊妹，經她介紹，又看桃園長庚醫院的皮膚燒傷科醫師。經醫師的診斷，Hanna的復健情況良好，傷疤看來也不錯，接下來就是繼續穿壓力衣一年半，也要繼續復健，不要直接曬太陽，皮膚會癢及流血是自然現象，痛的時候就吃止痛藥。一個月後再複診。感謝主，接下來，除了復健及每天不斷擦皮膚再生藥外，就全然仰望主。至於靜虔的情形，醫生照了X光後，發現有輕微的骨刺，但不用開刀，背部及手臂會麻痛，主要是疲勞及固定同姿勢太久，需要合適的復健，若疼痛的話就吃藥。感謝主，神垂聽我們的禱告，沒有難擔的事臨到。

由於照顧Hanna，這學期的教會實習，我們就用過去的三年宣教，向學校申請減免教會實習，並以加選選修課來彌補實習學分。請為我們禱告，在我們下次教會實習時，將會是與我們將來服事的工場有關聯。

懇請繼續為以下的事項代禱：

1. Hanna皮膚傷疤的復原禱告。

2. Hanna的腳關節疼痛及復健。

3. 為靜虔的復健禱告。

謝謝大家的關心與代禱‧

上帝祝福您們！

James&Rebecca

昨天﹝週五﹞下午Hanna終於出院了，今天下午就搭飛機回台灣。感謝讚美主！六個禮拜過去了。您們的禱告，神的醫治與憐憫，在Hanna這次的燒傷上，就成為神在她身上的恩典的記號。

在她的email﹝以下﹞提到，離開醫院有百般的感受：曾經每天只能面對牆壁及天花板、生與死的交戰、對面鄰居沒有勝過而離開，深感難過、疼痛到幾乎不能呼吸、從頭學習坐、站、走路、自己吃飯及上廁所。又看到自己漸漸康復、大家的關懷、還有醫生護士們的看顧。頓時間，醫院好像是過去一個月來的家。

經過這次事件，Hanna有如另一種的脫胎換骨，她更知道感恩，能呼吸就是恩典。感謝這次關懷她的人。無論是禱告、當地南非姊妹弟兄們的付出、奉獻、鼓勵、醫療團隊、學校安排、國際SOS包括肯亞的老師及學生，還有是自己的媽媽陪伴，讓她多感謝媽媽在那裡。願神大大的祝福您們。

當她們母女回台後，首先要做的是，她們個別在週一及週二看醫生。請繼續為

1. Hanna在台灣復原禱告﹝感謝主，醫療保險還付60%醫療費﹞。

I hope this week has been a good one for you all. It certainly ends well for me because I am going home!!! My doctors are pleased with my progress, and are finally discharging me today! My mom and I leave for Taiwan tomorrow, Saturday, at 5pm :)

I've got my two pairs of full-body pressure garments (in brown and beige), which quite frankly, I don't mind wearing because of how much it makes me feel like a superhero. I'm sure most of you will have the pleasure of seeing me strut around in this new skin in the next year and a half.

All of my pain is gone, except for this new biting itchiness, which I can best compare to the constant annoyance of mosquitoes biting at the skin. This is not fun by any means, but will continue as my nerves heal. My almost-daily nosebleeds, another matter, has ceased to be an issue since my doctor burned (ironically) the blood vessels in one of my nostrils. I am grateful that is over.

I admit I am hesitant to leave this place I've called home for more than a month. Everyday here, I've lived between rooms and walls that carry untold stories of life and death, of first and final breaths, of deep pains and sweet recoveries, of great sorrow and immense joy. Here, I've celebrated new lives of patients discharged to go home after successful operations. And I've wept at the closing of the curtains of fellow burns patients who did not make it, with conditions worse than mine.

Here, I've had my own story written, personally ushered into the emergency trauma unit in more pain than I thought I could handle, taken into the care of the ICU where, with an incredible community, I would slowly relearn to sit, stand, walk, feed myself, and use the toilet, somehow believing every painful operation was for the better. In the general ward here still, I've regained my ravenous appetite, picked up a sweet physical therapy routine, seen old friends and made new ones, and relearned the goodness of God-given autonomy (like in being able to give myself a shower).

In between these walls, I have been constantly reminded of how fragile life is. It only takes the obnoxious roar of the emergency helicopter making its entrance and leave several times a day to remind me that I am not in control of my own life -or able to protect another's. I don't like being reminded of our fragility, but the truth is that I have learned of my need to be reminded. It keeps me on my toes - not in a fearful paranoia, but rather, in a constant gratitude. It makes me look my mom in the eyes each day, hug her tight, and say "Mama, I am so grateful to have another day with you". It gives me the courage to get out of my comfort zone, and with a smile, testify to God's goodness for giving me life. It makes me slow down, remember the wonder of painless breathing, and the gloriousness of God-given community around me.

My recovery has been an absolutely communal thing, and I trust that my life will continue to be as well. I hope that you know that your prayers, care, and support have not only carried me in my physical healing, but also in my emotional and spiritual well-being. Everyday, with little exception, my nurses and doctors of all beliefs comment that they see a peace and joy within me they wish all their patients had. Perhaps it's that God made me very much a people-person as I greet people with a big smile, or perhaps its the anti-depressant pills my doctors have been secretly giving me. Regardless, I'd like to believe it's the Spirit of God breathing new life into me each day. Thank you for being a part of the recovery process, and a part of God's work in my story. Please continue to pray for the transition, as doctors warn that going back to daily life may take some time and be discouraging. Also, I still get nervous around anything that might burn me -from cigarette butts and boiling water, to gas stoves and electrical switches. Please pray that more than I remember the incident, I will remember God's goodness to me in it all.

Please also continue to pray for my mom, who needs to see a doctor immediately because of the ongoing pain and numbness in her left arm. She has been such a trooper- as well as my personal superhero.

As I leave, would we continue to remember the sick, those in hospitals, the elderly, and especially those who can not afford to be in hospitals. I am reminded daily, that without the insurance I had, I would not be able to walk today-at best. Please pray for wisdom for our doctors everywhere, and for compassion for treatment to reach those beyond our walls.

Lastly, I praise God for being able to touch African ground! Even though my time spent in hospital(6 weeks) has been triple the time I have spent outside, this continent continues to radiate to me with its rich cultures, communities, and people. My time in Kenya was incredible, and the gas explosion by no means negates that. South Africa, also, continues to be one of the most beautiful places on earth in my eyes because of its diverse community. I leave with no regrets, except that I couldn't see more of the community and learn more from the perspectives of the people here. God-willing, this will not be the last time I am here! Also, I must give thanks for the Taiwanese South African Church community who took my mom and me under their wing when we did not know a soul here. Our God is so good. Please keep me posted, and definitely looking forward to seeing you all around at some point.

Ps: Did you know that I shared the same burns ICU, and the same doctor as a certain Mr. Nelson Mandela? Very very cool.