First, forgive that this update is long overdue.
Corrie ten Boon once said, “Hold everything in your hands lightly. Otherwise, it hurts when God pries your fingers open.” When I (Donna) sat down to write this update, this quote from ten Boon came to mind. Am I holding on to things too tightly? This is a question I often ask myself. My time, finances, care of our mothers, writing courses, and home are a few of the areas I have recently needed to hold an open hand for God to work.
In March, we changed from ICM to Allegro (for more information, see Change). Anytime someone changes servicing agencies, there is usually a financial setback. We planned for this and had some money set aside. However, when we returned from Kenya in late March, we discovered a hot water leak in the foundation. This leak was the second in less than a year, so we had to redo all the hot water pipes. We paid the plumber with the money we had set aside and much of our savings. We were a bit crushed and went on a spending freeze as we anticipated the financial setback of changing servicing agencies.
But, praise God, the transition to Allegro went better than we could have dreamed. We did not lose any support; in fact, we gained support. We are SO humbled. God abundantly provided, and we have put some money back into savings! A huge THANK YOU to all who support us both financially and prayerfully. Also, a huge thank you to ICM, who went above and beyond to help us in this transition.
We had less than a week to patch our walls from the plumbing work and regroup to spend time with Paul’s 94-year-old mother. She was in the hospital while we were in Kenya. We spent several days helping her. When we arrived home after the seven-hour drive, I called my mother to tell her that we had made it home, only for her to tell me she had fallen, hit her head, and that she didn’t feel well. I jumped back into the car and took her to the emergency room, where she was admitted for several days and then released to skilled nursing. We are now seeking assisted living options for her. If you have dealt with hospitals, doctors, nurses, and care for aging parents, you know that it is a full-time job advocating, keeping meds straight, and making a zillion phone calls and texts.
We absolutely have seen God at work! We are blessed to have families that work together to care for our mothers! A huge THANK YOU to all who have supported us and our moms in this journey.
