Are we ready for this?

My mom’s in isolation.

Last night, she and my dad got back from a 3 week serving trip to China. She had been sick for days there–fever, no energy, barely able to leave their hotel room. This morning, they were ordered to the ER for tests. And, now, infectious disease has been brought in and she’s in isolation as they run all sorts of tests and do ultrasounds and try to rule all possible diagnoses out. All I can picture are those guys in white suits from ET with tarps and masks. But, it’s my mom and dad in the middle of it all instead of a weird looking yet endearing alien.

I’m sure she’s fine. I’m a little anxious and quick to answer all nonpolitical phone calls; but, I’m sure she’s fine. Just waiting to hear that for sure. They’ve ruled out meningitis. They think it’s viral. She’ll be fine.

The wife of the other man serving there? She’s in the hospital too today. During the last few days of their time there, a kidney stone gave her the enlightening experience of spending some time in a the No. 1 people’s hospital where they were. Fortunately, with the help of some percocet (possibly horse tranquilizers?) they purchased at a 7-11 for the equivalent of $1.60 she managed to get on that plane and get home with my parents. But, she’s back in the hospital now too.

And, here I am, asking myself, Really? Are we ready for this? We’re already in this. My mom’s in isolation for goodness sake. But, are we ready for this?

Mark heard the call last May. Since then, we’ve been testing it, talking, praying, considering. At every point, that call has been confirmed. We’ve taken small steps forward, still testing, making sure. And, He’s led each step to another step. And, so we keep walking forward, getting more certain as time has passed and feeling the energy build as we know we were on the verge of something big.

As I run around today with my cell phone attached to me, fielding texts and calling my dad and getting my home ready to host a big dinner for people serving right here in our own area…all while all the kids have been home and some national event today required me to get out there and get my voice heard…I’m asking the questions we need to ask.

Are we ready to step into this thing? 

And, the only answer I can come up with is that we can’t not.