Needy

I met Heather when I was serving on a chiropractic Clinic Abroad mission trip to Cochabamba, Bolivia in 2004.  She served as a field doctor, chiropractic mentor and interpreter to our group, especially those of us who occupied the Estrogen Room.  It was affectionately named that since two of us who were working in that adjusting area were pregnant at the time.  I remember battling morning sickness between adjusting the Bolivian natives.  That definitely made the experience a bit more interesting.

Heather had attended the same Chiropractic college as I did and after taking her first trip to the country, she fell in love with the people of Bolivia and was called to bring both chiropractic and Jesus to them.  She mainly serves in orphanages and boys' and girls' home in Santa Cruz, Bolivia and she has such a heart for them and for the Lord she serves.  She has been serving in that country for 7 or 8 years now and I have been so blessed to remain in contact with her.  What I remember most about Heather during that trip, aside from her navigating me through the market place and us getting pummeled by water balloons while walking through a crazy street festival, was her sweet spirit and abundant energy.  I immediatly noticed the love she had for the Lord that radiated in her smile.  She took me and a few other students with her to a Bolivian Christian worship service and it was one of my favorite experiences from the trip.

I so enjoy receiving regular email updates from her and about how God is growing her through her service to Him and the people of Bolivia.  The glory is Gods and Heather gives it to him.  She is wonderful woman!

Her most recent update really ministered to me and I asked Heather if I could share it on my blog.  Oh, how I can relate to Juana.  I may not have the same physical needs as this sister, but I am just as needy, and more times than not, just as proud. I am humbled that I serve a God who knows my heart and knows how desperately needy I am, but still holds His arms out to me and says, "Come!" Praise you, Jesus!

From Heather:

I have a friend Juana who needs glasses, she is a 40 year old single mom. I told her about the clinic that would be able to get her glasses for free. She never went to the clinic. I asked why and she said she didn't want to give up a day of work. One day, when they were not full, I managed to get her the last appointment of the day and still she never showed up. She said she didn't know how to get there. I told her exactly how and she still didn't think she could find it. So one more day I got her the last appointment and gave her money for a taxi that would take her from door to door. Still nobody ever showed up at that time. Finally, one day when she told be how she wanted glasses' I told her that I tried and my offer still stood; but she'd have to do her part to get the prescription. Juana proceeded to confess the real reason she never showed up. She'd heard that that was a clinic for the poorest of the poor and she was too embarrassed to confess her need.

I got to thinking about how I treat God like that. His offer to help me always stands, but half the time I'm too proud to let Him know the truth about how needy I am.