God With Skin On

My prayer when I was so far from Eric was for God to become present in the form of ordinary people who could talk to Eric, pray with Eric, sit with Eric....be there in flesh and blood.  Since I was not able to be there when I first got word, I begged for that.  God be there for Eric- but be a visible, touchable, real human being!

My heart broke in two when I asked him if the farmer was able to come visit him and his response was, "He is in Florida with his wife."  It seems he has his own medical emergency, as his wife's sister deals with her own illness in Florida.   Then my heart broke again when I asked him if anyone of his co-workers had been there for him and he answered, "No, but they might come visit tomorrow."

I envisioned a very sick child all alone in a hospital 3000+ miles from home; a son so sick he stopped texting me because it hurt too much and was far too exhausting.  Knowing my 22 year old very well, "too tired to text" sent alarm bells ringing....what 22 year old is too tired and in too much pain to send a text?   The full alarm went off when we asked him if someone could bring him his laptop, so he could get online to correspond and his response was, "I have my computer, but I can't possibly move my hands or fingers to type."

Alone-- and unable to reach out as kids do these days-- instantly connecting with friends and family with the push of a button.  I pleaded for GOD WITH SKIN ON NOW.   And God showed up...with skin on!

In the form of nurses that hop at the sound of his call bell.  In the form of the chaplain who stopped in to pray for him.  In the form of Dr. Do who has great compassion and was on top of the diagnosis so quickly.  In the form of Dr. Martel, who is an expert on Rat Lungworm.  Eric was not 'all alone' - and we trusted completely that God was near.  But, like Thomas, we wanted to SEE and God did not scold Thomas for needing to see the scars and put his hands in Jesus' wounds and He did not scold me for wanting to SEE Him with my own eyes!

He was there with skin on for me, too.  Kim was with me on the trip-- so I was not alone and had a chauffeur and the support I needed all along the way.  Sally, Jan, Alice, Trieste, Charlotte and so many others from the conference who cared so much for me, stopped to pray for me, a stranger from Minnesota.  For Susan and Penny--who live in Hawaii and had connections to Kansas writers-- to help me navigate my way to the Islands.   God with skin on in the form of Anthony and Marla at American Airlines.  God with skin on in Tony P from Hilo.  Tony who drove me to the hospital from Hilo Airport on Sunday morning and then called me Sunday afternoon to offer me a ride to Walmart.  Ahhh!  Such an angel.  I needed soap, deodorant,  toothpaste, clothes-- and there was a way to get that with ease.  And God with skin on when Russell, the radiology tech., prayed with me and offered a most beautiful request for healing for Eric and blessing on all of us in the middle of the darkest part of our journey.  Russell left me with a profound farewell, "You are here for a reason; you are here for a reason!"

God. With. Skin. On.  Mahalo!