A Month Later

Happy Leap Day!

Today marks one month and one day since the unthinkable happened less than a block from my front door.  Since so many of you continue to check in on me and let me know you're (still!) praying for me, I'm hopeful that this illustrates how your prayers these past weeks have been answered and will help make your ongoing intercessions more specific. 

Physically, I'm back to 100%! I experienced some lingering left shoulder pain that's since dissipated, and the last of my scabs is gone. 

Thanks to a missionary friend's sister who made a well-timed visit and the LCMS staff writer that tagged along with last week's short-term team in Peru, I'm only missing two critical items: my replacement drivers' license is, Lord willing, at the post office waiting to be picked up when our secretary Clarissa goes on her next mail run, and I'll drive to the capital Monday to pick up my replacement Dominican residency card. The new purse I got at a local thrift store for RD$300 - now complete with one of Peru's ubiquitous llama keychains - and new wallet I got at Ross on our layover en route to Lima are growing on me. 

What's left? 

1. A portón technician was supposed to come and mechanize my garage gates yesterday, but it's going to be Monday instead. Getting this done always seemed like an unnecessary luxury, but I see now that it's a major security improvement. Until the work is complete, I'll continue to call someone to stand guard when I come home after dark. 
2. Re-keying my car locks. 
3. New glasses. It's probably only noticeable to me, but mine, while wearable, are significantly bent. 

In many respects, life has returned to normalcy. Last night, I had friends over for a movie night. Once the power came back on (like I said, normalcy), we watched La La Land. In the meantime, Courtney and Tirzah (to Courtney's left, holding the flashlight) made popcorn and we started a game of candlelit Phase 10 that I'd be OK with never finishing. 

In other respects, normalcy is something I'm very much still chasing. I was silently rejoicing that someone else with a car came to movie night so I didn't have to come home after dark (after running others home) and call someone to stand guard. I know the missionaries that live on either side of me are happy to do it, but I hate feeling like a burden. I've conquered walking to the yellow office, now outfitted with security cameras, by making a mad dash across the street, but the most dreaded part of any day is walking to or from the green office. I've been avoiding it. Whenever I do it unaccompanied, my heart is racing by the time I reach my destination. It feels silly, and I'm not sure at what point it becomes silly, but much of the time I still request an escort. I'll never think of the sound of an approaching motorcycle, even a harmless colmado delivery boy, again. 

But, poco a poco. 

Satan is trying valiantly to thwart the spread of the Gospel in this and every place. which makes me ever more grateful for those who are walking and standing with me. I feel like I've completely switched gears from playing hostess in Lima all last week, but your steadfast support is what equips me for whatever each new day...even ones that only come up once every four years...brings. 

Until next time, blessings!