Progress-less Miracles

Story time!
When I was very young (because I am retelling this story as it was told to me by my mother because I don't remember it) I used to have a lot of nightmares.  Any time I was too afraid to sleep, I would wake up my mom (pretty sure she wasn't thrilled about this).  She would take me back to my room, put her arms around me, sing a song to or with me, and we would talk about why I was afraid.  And then, we would pray about it.  And nearly every time I would go back to sleep quite quickly.  But, according to her telling, there was one night when we prayed that I mentioned that I was ok because my angel had arrived to guard me.  This kinda freaked her out, and even more so when I pointed to the foot of the bed behind where she sat to a place with another indentation, despite the fact that no one had sat there and my legs didn't reach that far down the bed to muss the covers.
So what does an angel look like?
Well, for the angel in that story, I have no recollection.  But I certainly can tell you what I know now.  Angels look like this:

A coworker who (in my opinion) gives the best hugs in Brazil
And a wise and compassionate bishop

Coworkers and church friends who are welcoming and excited
whenever they see me

A wise woman who, with her husband the bishop, has
offered me a wonderful place to stay on many occasions

The Priest's kid (who normally has
WAY more energy than this) who offered
to make and bring me brigadeiro on a
particularly painful night for me

A great new church family.
They have offered and given help far more than I could bring myself to ask
and also every single time I could

A new friend and neighbor who has
checked in on me frequently,
educated me in my Portuguese and
about my new community, and can
always make me laugh

A woman I consider a friend, who is also a great musician,
wonderful hostess, caring mother,
and energetic coworker (plus many other things!)

                                                                             

A group of coworker that have been patient and supportive with
this whole process, and my trying to explain it in a language that is still very new to me

My fellow missionaries (plus way more I didn't have a decent photo with)
who motivate, inspire, and chat about theology, missionary life, cultural
differences, food, and send puppy videos when I need a lift

My church family back home who have poured out prayers and
messages of support across the miles.

My cousin, whose frequent snaps always make me smile

My sister, who always knows just what to say to make me think or smile and is also an excellent physical therapy resource
And my parents, with wise council for me and loving support, who have likely gained many a gray hair from this incident (sorry!)

And also all you out there who did this (or an equivalent) sending support, compassion, jokes, understanding, and MANY prayers from back home, places I used to call home, and some places I've never called home but where I now know I certainly have family because of the grace of God.

Unfortunately, I do not have photos of 2 other women who have also gone above and beyond in helping me with doctors, transportation, and offering me the same support and welcome that they give their own children (all of whom are roughly my age).  I hope, however, if they should read this, they also both know that I am immensely grateful for all that they've done, and their generosity of spirit, like all the others above, has frequently rendered me speechless (which, anyone who has ever talked with me can attest, should be considered much more than a minor miracle).

I would love to tell you that everything is all better and life will go back to normal, but that isn't how this story is working.  The orthopedic doctor, after my stressful hour inside the MRI coffin of sound, has found not a single abnormality to cause my pain.  So I have a referral and appointment with a rheumatologist soon, but also have full awareness that answers for this are not likely to come easily.

But after all the grace and miracles I've found so far here on this journey, I can say that today I feel hopeful.  I look at what lies ahead of me and know that "I will, with God's [and the Anglican Diocese of Brasilia's] help".  I have already learned so much here, and their love and understanding are teaching me more daily and helping me attempt to break some ingrained cultural expectations I hold for myself that need not apply now, to be replaced with a deeper reliance on grace and Christian community.  So I may not be quickly healing in body, but these people and this experience and everyone out there reading this, I want you to know that you ARE helping my soul heal.


**Also, here is a video I put together of the students' Easter presentations! (English available in captions)