Forced rest
I started getting a scratchy throat 2 weeks ago. That turned into a fever and I think the worst, most persistent sore throat I've ever had, lasting 3 days. Swallowing was torture--I was actually learning to avoid it. Only a double dose of ibuprofen made it tolerable. It looked irritated, not infected, but I started on amoxicillin just in case. The sore throat went away, but I've still been fighting bouts of low-grade fever for the last week. All together I missed 5 days of work, and was only 50% when I was working. I know that calls for medical attention, but to be brutally honest I am not much for going to doctors. I'm better now.
So for better or worse, while I have had some forced rest over the last 2 weeks, it only meant Judy had to work harder. Last night she exclaimed, "The Well is my entire life." Yeah, I know.
There have been some extra discouragements lately. We've been hit by some bouts of extra immaturity with some of our students. One teen left a few weeks ago for a parent's nightmare in his upper 20's with a 6th grade education, ample tattoos and no solid work record. What does she see in him? We don't know. Then last week Pui, the 16 year-old who was gang-raped in November and has been staying with us, ran off, or snuck off, for a guy as well that we have never met. At The Well Center 1 we've seen some disheartening meanness and rudeness, prompting Judy to suggest that maybe we should shut the place down and make everyone rent rooms outside.
None of this is new--it's just one reason why things never stop for us. Yet even in discouragements like this there is always light. Pear, who turns 14 on Tuesday, is growing more solid and adorable each day. Gai and Miaw, a young couple we've worked with for 3 years, most of that time separated, are doing great and were remarried last Sunday. Another student we love very much returned last week after a 9-month absence. The young husband of one of our teen girls became a Christian 2 weeks ago. Prang and Michaela in Buriram are seeing amazing things happen practically every other day. More on that in another post, maybe tomorrow.
And of course, sickness makes one especially grateful for health. Pain-free swallowing is a beautiful thing.
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