Ok, I guess I could substitute stupidity for "manliness" but I think we could probably use these terms interchangalby. Heres the story. First of course, I should preface this story by saying, I am a bit of a hypocrite. For the last two years we have seen many visitors come to the farm and each visitor recieves the same instructions. If you are achy, feverish, and have a head-ache you need to take your malaria medicine. We tell this to every visitor although there are some who do not like to take that advice. Those are the ones who tend to get real sick real quick.
Anyways, back to my story. A couple days ago, I began to have lots of joint pain but just thought it was because I am getting older and am a bit of a wimp. That and I tried to do push ups the day before. I also figured that might be why I had such an intense headache since I get those due to an old neck injury. My wife on the other hand highly recommended that I start on my malaria meds (shes a smart woman!). She told me I was getting the symptoms and that I should practice what I preach and take the malaria meds. But I insisted I am manly, and I DO NOT HAVE malaria (still not sure how getting a sickness is unmanly).
Anyways, the next day some friends offered to watch tendai for us so we could go on a date. Our first "date" in over 2 years, so I of course jumped at the opportunity despite being achey, slightly feverish, with a headache. And what a wonderful date it was. Since we are stuck in South Africa waiting for a visa for tendai, we were actually able to go to dinner and a movie, which was awesome. (Especially since I was getting sick and it did not involve a lot of activity.) After supper, we went to pick up the baby from our friends which turned into a really good visit. However by this time I was like a kid with really bad diahrea holding back with all I had. Not diahrea of course, but the effects of malaria. I was fighting the chills, aches, and headache, but did not want to be a whiner and complain to my wife. I am manly (right, like a man can actually defeat a sickness raging through his body.... It's not a dragon!) and I am not sick and will not complain. Finally however, it was time to go, and I no longer had to pretend I was ok. Of course by now the chills are so bad that I am shaking like a leaf in a tornado. I think I pulled a muscle in my neck, and my lower back, just from the chills. That and my jaw is strained from all the chattering and I don't want to talk (but I think that one Heather might say was an answer to prayer and not the malaria).
At this point I succumbed to pressure and took the medicine, after a long long night of shaking, and suffering, I finally am getting better. I am not sure if this makes me any less manly for taking my meds, but I know I will live another day. Funny thing is, this is not the first time. Last time this happened, I was brought to the hospital when my kidneys wanted to shut down. Hmmm. They say insanity is repeating the same thing over and over expecting a different result. I disagreee. On this premise, all manly men, would be insane! Just doesn't seem right. Anyways, moral of the story. Don't work out the day before getting malaria.. cus it just makes it hurt more.
(Heather's note... despite what the title of the post says, Rick was not near death... he did have malaria, and it did hit him hard, but he wasnt near death. I would never let him get that sick, just to avoid looking like a sissy (which he doesnt... its just medicine for crying out loud!!)
Well for all those wondering what is going on now in our lives the basic answer is waiting, studying and preparing. We are waiting for Tendai's visa. I think we have to have an answer by the 30th, but are hoping to recieve one much sooner. The current process goes like this. We have been told we need a TB test. We do the TB test. We recieve the answer which says Tendai does not have TB. That response gets sent to Kenya where another doctor stamps the results. The results then get returned to Immigration in South Africa, and our application is approved. Lots of waiting.
So now we are working on office work that needs to be done for the mission while we wait here. I am working on making church video's, reworking a youth book for the local pastors, and catching up on other mission related office work. Other then that, we are just praying that God will continue to open the doors for us to be able to come home and we hope that you as well will pray with us for this. God bless. Rick, Heather & Tendai
