Back “Home”
We are back in sunny Southern California, but it doesn’t quite feel like “home” anymore. We may look American, sound American, and, to my wife’s delight, smell American again, but inside, we’re navigating two contrasting worlds. We’ve immersed ourselves in the Kuyu culture, only to now unlearn and relearn the basics of life in America. We planned to return in November, but due to some health concerns, we headed home 6 weeks early.
When we flew out for our region’s annual conference in September, we met with our doctor after months of emailing back and forth about Morgan’s health. We’d tried everything we could, but he advised us to return to the States for more immediate care.
As many of you know, from the moment we moved into Kuyu, Morgan’s health had slowly been declining on multiple fronts. The humid Kuyu environment is a petri dish for mold growth, which has re-aggravated Morgan’s childhood asthma. At the same time, a severe hand rash developed, causing painful open sores and itchy fluid-filled sacks that would then burst and scab over. The pain was intense for many many months, waking her up nearly every night and rendering her incapable of normal household tasks. Combined with other infections and symptoms, we knew the doctor’s recommendation was the right decision.
Over the past month, we’ve consulted with multiple doctors, begun treatment, and feel we’re on the right path to getting the best long-term help. Many of the symptoms have resolved since being out of the bush, so now we are trying to address the underlying issues that caused those symptoms. We are being seen by a great doctor who specializes in neurology and immunology, with extensive blood work scheduled for next week and follow-up results due later next month.
Our family has processed a lot of hard things over the past couple of months and it’s been a whirlwind since our return. The severity of Morgan’s health is a tough reality, but we’re grateful to have a plan and move forward.
In the midst of this prolonged season of health challenges, the Lord’s kindness has been so evident. He has provided all of our needs and met us at our lowest points. The past year has been an emotional, physical, spiritual, and mental battle on multiple fronts.
Despite our routine home assignment turning into more of a medical one, we are still so thankful to be here and enjoying the time of reprieve. We are eager to engage in different speaking opportunities and share about what the Lord is doing in Kuyu, and hopefully to meet up with many of you along the way. This road to recovery may seem long and uncertain, but we are entrusting each step and each day to the Lord. Thanks for partnering with us and lifting our family up in prayer.