March 14, 2008 – 11:00 (GMT +5:30) – Singaraya Konda, Andrha Pradesh India
Yesterday morning after 10 days of mild fevers, chills, headaches, coughing, and diarrhea, I added vomiting for the first time to my list of symptoms. At that point I decided I was getting worse, not better, and had better go see a doctor. When I write out all the symptoms like that it sounds a little absurd to myself that I didn’t go see a doctor earlier but the symptoms were really very mild, my biggest problems being simply an extreme lack of energy, constantly sleeping, and having almost no appetite. Mostly, all that my stomach seemed able to handle was fruit juice. Until yesterday morning I had assumed the problem was simply that my body had finally gotten sick of all the rice and other Indian food and revolted on me. As I said however, after ten days of this and then vomiting on top of it, I decided it might be a good idea to visit a professional. To tell you the truth even after the vomiting I half expected the doctor to look at me like I was a silly American and tell me there is nothing wrong with you, you just need to eat more. So in a way it was a bit of a relief to hear him say I had a mild case of typhoid fever and hepatitis. He said it was a good thing I came in when I did because we caught it in the early stages and it would have only gotten worse. Then he gave me about ten different pills to take at all different times of the day. The Lord worked through the pills and I immediately began to feel much better. To tell you the truth I hadn’t even realized just how sick I had been feeling until I realized how much better I was feeling now. Consequentially I haven’t been able to write much over the last week or so, or really do much of anything except sleep, watch National Geographic, and save my energy for the nightly services. But the few things I did type out I’ll include in this blog below. I will certainly be more careful of the food and water around here, but thank the Lord that the sickness was as mild as it was and didn’t really interfere with the work.
After two plus weeks out in the fields, I return with too many thoughts and impressions for me to even attempt to articulate, but one more than any other – How vast the work, and how limited our resources. There is so much more that could be done, except we lack both the man power and the financial resources. Faced with the immensity of the work there is always the double danger of despairing to the point where one hardly wishes even to get out of bed, and on the other hand taking such a casual attitude that you never really roll up your sleeves and get to work. Always in all things that Lord has given us such a fine line to walk, one wishes for once he would put a rock face on one side so that we might safely walk far away from the ledge. Of course he has given us a rock and only one rock against which to lean and rest and find safety far away from all the dangers of this world. “for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.” 2 Tim 1:12 “Behold, I lay in Zion A chief cornerstone, elect, precious, And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame.” 1 Peter 2:6
March 7, 2008 – 16:29 (GMT +5:30) – Bapatla, Andrha Pradesh India
I wanted to mention also the other night that at the village of Appikatla (where they catch the rats) there were a number of the members sitting out their with the bibles. At first my reaction was, great I’m glad to see they have bibles. Later I realized wait a minute, they can’t read, not even in Telugu. Jyothi informed no they can’t read but they know it’s the word of God and want to hold on to it.
March 8, 2008 – 23:46 (GMT +5:30) – Tenali, Andrha Pradesh India
Yesterday, as we were coming home from our nightly service, the Indians seemed to be in high spirits. They were laughing about something, and not just laughing but side peeling gales of laughter. Curious, I asked Jyothi what they were so amused about. He said that all week they have been eating chicken curry and rice, tonight no chicken just curry and rice. I don’t get it. I think I won’t bother asking in the future.
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Therefore since we have a hope which will by no means disappoint us and a King who is most certainly not dead let us continue forward in the strength of God to the praise and glory of His name, eagerly counting the days till we will join those who have gone before. Amen
In Christ Jesus,
Matthew Ude