A Parent, Part 1

I feel like I need to apologize, again, to those who are still taking time out of their days to check this. The next month I promise to write at least twenty posts. I know some of you already doubt this, and others of you feel cheated by this number, but this is what I promise to you. Now on to the things that you came here to read about:

Last Monday, after bath time, we noticed that Mario was having an allergic reaction. We are still not sure what he is allergic to, but he had hives all over his body. Jen decided that he needed to go to the emergency room just in case something serious could happen. So, Jen, Mario, Carlos, Nathan, and I (I know, the amount of people was excessive, but it kept us entertained.) jumped in the truck and headed towards the city. At the hospital, we didn’t have to wait long at all for Mario to get checked. Let me take a moment for a side note and say that other than Hospital Escuela, the hospitals here have impressed me. At home, people wait for hours to get any medical attention in the emergency room. Also, it was remarkably cheap for Mario to get checked out. Anyway, the doctor looked at him and decided that he needed two shots to get the hives to disappear. Mario did not like the idea of a needle being stuck in him. Jen, Nathan, and I had to forcibly hold him down as the doctor gave him the shots in his behind. I do not have a weak stomach when it comes to needles, but that night I could not look as the nurse stuck the shot in him. You know I think I fully understand why my Dad got lightheaded when I had my toe surgery a couple of years ago. At the time, I didn’t understand why after the surgery I was walking around and he had to lie on the floor so he wouldn’t faint. It wasn’t because he was feeling any pain of his own, but because I was and he loves me. For this same reason, I felt sick and couldn’t look when Mario got his shot. This child is one, which if possible, I would adopt in a moment. He is my son. After Mario got his shots, he didn’t want to talk to any of us. Part of it was because we had playing with him before and told him he would have to get a shot, but then said we were kidding with him. Also, I think he was hurt because we allowed and helped someone put him in pain. I think back and think of time when I had to do something I didn’t want to, but my parents knew was necessary. God is this same way; He knows what we need far longer than we do, and knows that sometimes we have to go through some pain to get it.

The next day, after nap time, I noticed that Mario had had hives once again, and they were worse. The gang (minus Carlos, plus Dorian) loaded back in the truck and headed to the hospital, once again. Just like the night before, we didn’t have to wait very long to get Mario on a bed and for a doctor to examine him. This time, the doctor thought it was more serious than before. He had an I.V. stuck in his little hand (and Mario didn’t cry at all) and started to put a lot of medicine into him. I was so amazed by the amount of fluids that they put in the little guy. The doctor told us that we would have to wait an hour, so that he could see the progress. As we waited, Jen got on the bed with Mario and he fell asleep in her lap. As he was sleeping, Jen said “It is amazing how much love God puts in your heart for a little guy.” How true is that. God fills my heart with love every time I look or think about the kids here. With amount of love inside of me, I know it can only come from God. It is so good to know that if you take the love I have for the kids here and multiply it by a billion, it would still not match the love the God has for me. Though I am only with this kids for another month (and the thought makes me sick), I know that my love for them will not just be left here, but will go with me where ever I go. With God it is kind of reverse- though He never moves and changes, where ever I go, He still loves me. You learn a lot about love and God when you become a parent, even it is for a short amount of time. You, also, begin to appreciate the wisdom and love that your parents have.

Don’t worry folks, this is a three part post. I promise, unless something exciting happens, I will post part two tomorrow.

“I'm absolutely convinced that nothing—nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, high or low, thinkable or unthinkable—absolutely nothing can get between us and God's love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us.”
Romans 8:38 & 30 (The Message)