After being sick most of the night, I know that I’m in no shape to go anywhere today.  I haven’t had any contact with anyone since last night.  The wifi is still out and I have no way to communicate with anyone.

     Eventually there is a knock on my door and it’s Kindri coming to check on me.  I learn the everyone else on our team (except for Kindri) is sick too.  Teri hasn’t “popped” yet, but isn’t feeling well.  We agree that we must continue praying.  It feels like after such a great start of worship in Sintaro that there is some spiritual warfare in play here.  Kindri leaves to collect supplies and I continue to rest.

     She returns awhile later and has some Sprite (we cleaned out the hotel’s supply!), crackers and IV fluids.  Here you can just walk into a pharmacy and buy those kind of supplies!  How blessed am I that I am traveling with a nurse and she is still healthy!!!  She hooks me up and I take a liter of IV fluids. She comes back to check on me and says I have a little more color in my face.  I don’t feel significantly improved yet, and I tell her I think the color in my cheeks is because I’m hot.  She opens the door to my balcony to let a little fresh air in, and then she begins the second liter of fluids.  I began to doze and then heard a strange animal sounding noise and opened my eyes to find a monkey just outside my open door!!  I grabbed the IV and popped out of bed and quickly shut the door!  My second biggest fear of this trip is that a monkey would come into my room and steal my passport!  My adrenaline is pumping, but I fall back into bed, exhausted from the effort.

     After a bit, I need to use the restroom so I grab the IV bottle and go. Walking back to the bed, I notice that there is blood backing up into the IV tubing. As I’m trying to get settled  back in bed and put the bottle back up in the makeshift holder (between the wall and the headboard of the bed), I accidentally pull out my IV.  Great.  Now there’s blood and IV fluid dripping everywhere.  I can’t get the IV line to stop dripping and I focus instead on putting pressure on the back of my hand to stop the bleeding.  The wifi is STILL down and I can’t contact anyone.  I grab the phone in my room and call the front desk pleading for them to connect me with room 605 (Kindri’s room).  There is a language barrier and he doesn’t understand a word I’m saying.  Tears are filling my eyes and I’m ready to cry. He says, “I come up”.  I’m not sure what good that’s going to do, but I wait and wait, and when no one appears, I somehow manage to throw some semblance of clothing, grab the IV bottle (crimped in my hand to stop the flow) and walk to the next building to find Kindri.  I walk up one flight on stairs and feel like I’m going to pass out.  Fortunately, there is a couch there and I stop and rest.  After a few minutes, I proceed to Kindri’s room.  Poor thing, she’s been trying to nap and has already been interrupted once (by the front desk who came to HER room!), and now I’m a mess at her door. She stops the IV flow (I was just too distraught to realize how simple it was), and walks me back to my room.  We both decide that after a liter and a half, that’s probably good enough. I collapsed back into bed and fell asleep again.  I can’t believe how much I have slept–a sure sign that my body needed it..

     A few hours goes by and there’s another knock at the door.  Kindri has come again, and this time Caitlyn and Cynthia are with her!  They are up and about, but still feeling weak.  They stay for a few minutes and then Cynthia decides she’d better go lay down again.  We decide we’re all going to continue to rest through the night and hope to leave for the village at 8:30 tomorrow morning.  We will take it slow and easy, making sure everyone stays hydrated and doesn’t overdo it.

     I lay back down for awhile and heard my phone buzz.  Finally, the wifi is back up!!! It’s s-l-o-w, but it’s at least working.  I text my husband, who I know must have been really worried to have not heard from me in so long.  Sure enough, I have several texts and emails from him wondering what’s going on.  I also have a number of emails of prayerful support.  What a blessing to have so many standing in the gap!

     Despite all that has happened with health issues, I’m still so thankful to be here.  I’m anxious to experience more, and share the stories and pictures.  Please continue to be praying for our health and safety, that we would be able to learn more of the needs of the village, to be effective ambassadors of God’s love and provision, and to Him be all the glory! Amen!