A Restful Day

3 February 2013

There wasn’t much sleeping going in our RV on last night since Kaleb coughed more than he didn’t.  I can’t believe there are still coughs left in him to cough.  It seems his guts should have come shooting out of his throat by now for all the coughing he’s done.  Poor kid.  His whole body is paying the price as he’s exhausted from exerting all that energy, his throat is raw and he has no appetite.  And we all could sure use a good night’s sleep. 

No matter how many spoons of honey, cups of hot lemon and honey, throat lozenges, cough drops or glasses of water he drinks… prayers… nothing helps.  I did notice in the night when I kept my fingers across his throat, he didn’t cough, so I was awake most of the night just lightly holding his neck so he could get some rest.  Today I wrapped a wool sock around his neck and that helped a bit until he got too hot.  He can’t even carry on a conversation because he just has to stop and cough and cough and cough.  It’s just so wrong.

My coughing is less and less but a little more bronchial in nature than Kaleb’s, but  at least my energy is improving.  Kaleb is still waning, mostly because he hasn’t eaten much.

Yvonne, Kory and I walked down to the “ranch house” where the three cooks for the larger group serves their meals.  They were having morning devotions down there on their covered porch, so we joined them.  Afterwards they went into town and did the set up for their vision clinic at the Free Methodist church.

The local Catholics here believe they will go to hell if they step foot in a non-Catholic church, so they are intentionally holding the vision clinic in a protestant church, just to get them in the door.  Funny.  The work group has been collecting glasses for months and months and they have thousands of second hand pairs they will be giving away.  I guess Alaska Airlines lets them have unlimited luggage if they tell them they are on a humanitarian mission, so they filled a small trailer with all the stuff they brought.

We went out to lunch with Bob and Yvonne and a few others from the RV park.  Kaleb felt well enough to get dressed and come along, but then just sat in the restaurant the whole time and coughed and only ate about two bites.  At least he tried.  Otherwise, it was nice.

The sun was calling my name today and I really wanted to go for a walk or do something outdoors, but Kaleb’s condition kept me home.  We all just sat around in the RV and read the afternoon away.  I read a very short, but interesting book called “Speaking of Jesus” that was recommended by one of our pastors.  It really struck a chord with me as it talked about what a horrible word “Christian” has become and how it means too many different things to too many people, so rather than calling ourselves “Christians” we should just be saying “I’m trying to follow the teachings of Jesus,” which represents more accurately what our relationship with God is all about.  Assuming we are really doing that, of course.  I loved the book as it validated many things I’ve been thinking over the years myself.

Tonight we attended church with the Free Methodists in town with Bob and Yvonne.  Kaleb stayed home alone, figuring he’d be too disruptive with all that coughing.  He was right about that.  The service was translated for the benefit of the 30 plus Americans in attendance.  The pastor was a passionate speaker and it was a good service.  The church was packed.  Not sure if it was a coincidence or not but their opening song (in Spanish, of course), was “Open My Eyes, Lord, I want to see Jesus…” which I thought was funny because of the eye clinic coming to town.

We had Kaleb go outside tonight just to look at all the stars in the sky.  It’s incredible how many there are out there, and visible with the naked eye without all the light pollution around here.  It’s our last night in the desert and tomorrow, hopefully, we’ll be back in the good ol’ U.S. of A. and on our way east toward Space Camp, which starts next Sunday.  Who knows what this week will bring in our travels, but I’m certain there will be plenty of schoolwork for Kaleb along the way.