Been a long time....off to Brazil!

Hey all, been a long time since I last wrote, who knows who actually reads this any more, but I just wanted to give a quick update on life. I feel funny writing a blog when I am back in the US, my life is considerably less interesting, but I'll give everyone a quick update. I have been hired full time at Goodwill Industries International to be the full time International Development Specialist, focusing mainly on Latin America and the Caribbean. I am working on a new strategy for international expansion and really enjoying the work. It's been great especially to work on projects for both Brasil and México. Today I am leaving for Brasil, to visit old friends and see my girlfriend, Rubia for the first time in 10 months. I am so excited! It has been far too long since I have seen her. The last time was in March and it is such a surreal thought to be able to see her again. I will be in Brasil for a month, visiting Casa Esperança, the old house where I lived in Sao Paulo and then spending time with Rubia and her family. I am so excited to be able to reconnect with all my friends and family in Brasil and especially to see Rubia. I would like to ask for prayers for the Lopez family, my first Mexican family in La Presa, México. I lived with them for 2 months in my first summer in Mexico City and have visited them every chance I have had since then. Just 2 days ago my brother, Abel, who was only 33 years old passed away of some sort of brain virus. He was like a brother to me and it is just hard to believe he is gone. Pray for his widow, for his brother and his parents. This has been such a difficult year for them as the family has lost two grand children and now Abel. Pray for comfort and peace in this hard time. I will update the blog with pictures and stories from Brasil. Much love and God bless.

Great Trip to Miami

Wow, the past few days in Miami have been so great. I arrived on Wednesday afternoon and quickly found a shuttle to my hotel, which cost more per night than I spent per month in Brasil and more than I make in a week. It was a beautiful hotel and I saw a Lamborghini and a Ferrari in the parking lot as the super shuttle pulled in to drop me off. I quickly found my room, noticed the ocean view, took a shower, got changed and went downstairs for the reception for all of our Latin American and Caribbean guests as well as the Goodwill Board of Directors. The weeks conference was both a Goodwill Board of Directors Meeting and a Latin America and Caribbean Goodwill members summit. I was invited to the conference largely as the interpretor, I was expecting to interpret just a few things and perhaps to have someone else there to do the rest, but I ended up spending the whole conference pretty much just saying everything that was said in English in Spanish and vice versa. As the reception started I used soccer as small talk to get to know the people from two of the countries as I chatted with a couple from Costa Rica and two other people from Uruguay about the crucial World Cup qualifiers, it is amazing how often my love of soccer is useful in meeting new people and just starting conversations. I continued to meet everyone and then there was a dinner for all the parties involved. I ended up sitting with 2 board members, the President/CEO of Goodwill South Florida and a few other people. As the dinner started I first translated a little speech from the CEO and then another from the Chairman of the Board of Directors. The next day I spent the morning translating country presentations for the Board of Directors and the afternoon translating a variety of presentations on different opportunities for the Latin American participants. Throughout the conference I had a great time to get to know the Latin American and Caribbean affiliates of Goodwill as well as the CEO, COO and Chairman of the Board of Goodwill. It was truly an amazing experience for an intern that has been at the organization for about 6 weeks. They were all pretty impressed with my translating and just comfort in front of people and it gave me hope of possibly being able to stay on with a full time job that might let me telecommute for a time from Brasil. I even discussed with the person who would be my VP of that possibility and he didn't completely reject the idea. At one point, one of the Spanish speaking participants went on for about 2 minutes about a complicated diagram without allowing me to jump in with the English, I did my best to understand the diagram instead of remembering word for word what she was saying and upon finishing my explanation got a round of applause from the audience.

All that to say, I don't mean to boast or anything, but it is the first time that I have had any "career success" and I felt good about the experience. My CEO even said that I was "CEO material" for whatever that's worth. I continue to pray for guidance and to take steps of faith and know that God will work things out for me.
Some of the conference participants

the view from my room

Trip to Miami for my job

I am leaving in the morning to go to Miami for the Goodwill Board of Director's Meeting and Latin American and Caribbean Summit that is being held there. I have been working really hard for the past few weeks to prepare for the Summit, translating lots of documents between English and Spanish and preparing information packets for all of the participants. I will be working at the Summit/Meeting as the interpreter between the Latin American Goodwill leaders that are coming and the Goodwill Board of Directors. Definitely stuff that is way over my head, but will be a great opportunity. I will be staying in a really nice hotel in Miami Beach that costs more per night than I spent per month in Brasil. Should be quite an experience. I will update with photos and the like when I get back.

Job Update

Been a while, definitely taking me some time to adjust to a "normal" life. It has been a struggle getting used having an office job and the routine that entails. I am so used to kinda having a crazy random schedule and not spending the day in a cubicle, but I am starting to adjust. Definitely still tough to adjust to life back here in the US, it was nice on Sunday to go to a spanish speaking Bible study and just kinda be able to go back into the latino culture a bit. My job has been going really well, I have been able to do a lot of work in Spanish and even some in Portuguese and am helping Goodwill relaunch back into Latin America, they have some small organizations in several countries, but are now making it a strategic location for growth. My first day on the job I met with the CEO and have been able to take part in several meetings and such mainly as an emergency interpreter and cultural guide when we have conference calls with other countries or talk strategy. I am mainly preparing a variety of documents that will serve as a manual for starting a new Goodwill in Latin America as well as preparing a variety of briefings for our CEO and some vice presidents to prepare them for meetings with key leaders in Latin America.

In a few weeks I will get to take part in the Goodwill Board of Directors Meeting to which all the leaders of the existing Goodwill organizations in Latin America are invited. I will generally just serve as an aid there as well as fill in as an interpreter/translator. I really like what Goodwill is doing, mixing a business model with helping marginalized people. They use the profits from the stores to be able to run job training programs to help create jobs mostly for people with disabilities, but also for others with barriers to employment. Been an interesting first month on the job and I appreciate everyone's prayers as I continue to discern God's will for my future. It has now been over 6 months since I left Brasil and left my girlfriend there, definitely is tough to not be able to see her, but we continue getting to know each other through Skype and trust that God knows what He's doing. I am so grateful to God for this job and the opportunities that come with it and pray just that he would guide my steps.

Starting work tomorrow!!

It feels strange to be back in Maryland or even in the US, it has been two years since I have actually considered it home. I start work tomorrow as the Latin America Member Development Intern at Goodwill's International Headquarters in Rockville, MD. I am a little nervous as its my first "real" job although I'm only an intern. Seems funny to be nervous about starting an office job when I have now on several occasions arrived in foreign countries where I knew no one and have not only survived, but have thrived. Nonetheless my heart is beating a little fast as I prepare for work tomorrow. I think at this point I might be less nervous about arriving in some random South American country than I am about starting a new office job. Anyways, I have had a good time hanging out with my sister and cuñado (brother in law)and my family since I've been back, but definitely miss México and Brasil and just generally living in Latin America. Much love and God bless, got a new cell phone too, my number is 443-929-2985.

Re-entry to the US

Well, it's hard to believe all that has happened to me in the last 2 years living in Latin America and now for the first time I will be back in the US for a significant period of time. I will be working as the Latin America member Development Intern for Goodwill at their International Headquarters in Rockville, MD. It's definitely always a difficult adjustment to get used to your home culture. I have gotten used to being a foreigner in a foreign country, but now I have to start getting used to being a foreigner in my own country as many of my cultural values have changed after two years abroad. Previously normal things seem strange, drinking water out of the faucet seems unusual, flushing toilet paper seems unnatural as I search for a trash can to put the toilet paper in, no longer do I have to hold the flusher down for 20 seconds to make it flush. It's going to be an interesting few months in my life as I continue to sort out what's next and where God is taking me in my life. Thank you all for your continued love and support.

Latino Hospitality and Families

As I enter my last week in Latin America for a while I can't help but reflect on my past 2+ years here. There are so many stories to tell and things that I have learned. There are so many people that have entered into my life and been such a blessing to me, have become as close as family to me and its hard to say goodbye. I have lived with 10 or more families in the last 5 years in Latin America for at least one month each family, not many people can say they have that much family. Each one of those families adopting me as one of their own, took me to birthday parties of random relatives and to funerals of lost loved ones, we chatted about futbol or futebol, talked politics, life, girls, God, the church, economic development and just shared life together. So many people that have forever shaped me, so much that I have learned that makes me who I am today. I think of Mark 10:29,30

"I tell you the truth," Jesus replied, "no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—and with them, persecutions) and in the age to come, eternal life. "

I am on my way to 100 and have received so much from so many people. Just this weekend I went back to Puebla for a visit and just received so much love and hospitality from so many people. I wish I could write about every person and every event that has transformed me, but that would take years. Just to say that I have learned so much about what family is and how to open up your home to strangers and accept them as family. I would say I have over 30 houses across the Americas where I could show up at the door and spend a few months living there no questions asked. I'm learning to love people and to love God and have had many amazing teachers along the way.

Meu Irmãozinho André, my little brother André


My Brasilian Mexican Family

Another summer completed

These past few weeks have been a whirlwind of so many things and I can't believe that the summer is already over. The summer program finished last week and all the summer team went home. I think Spearhead is a unique program because our goal is that people are missing their Mexican families and churches and not the other Americans on the trip. As we had our annual closing breakfast with families and pastors I was once again impressed with this aspect of spearhead the tearful goodbyes were with families and churches and not with fellow students. We will certainly miss each other, but the people that have most impacted us are the many Mexican people that have blessed our lives. I think one of the main flaws of short term cross cultural missions is that the close bonding from a new situation occurs generally with team members of the same culture and not with members of the entered culture. I think this is really what sets Spearhead apart.

As I said goodbye to spearheaders I prepared myself for many a goodbye with my friends and family here. I attended a plethora of birthday parties and goodbye parties and just enjoyed the company of friends and family. I have continually been challenged by the value placed on family here in Mexico and have learned so much about loving my own family and the kind of family I one day want to have from my Mexican families. Also, amidst the festivities the mother of a good friend passed away from cancer and I attended my first Mexican funeral. She passed away in the afternoon on a week day and that same day at 10pm about 70 people crowded into their small house and sang hymns, shared coffee, cookies and memories and spent much of the night grieving with the family. It made me think of the early church and ponder our own culture and how we deal with life and death. I was impressed at how quickly the community came together to mourn and grieve with the family. Two pastors of the church showed up as well as maybe 20 members, most of whom did not know the woman who had passed away very well but were fellow church members with the grieving son. It was an amazing picture for me of love and community.

Tomorrow I am hopefully going to Puebla for the weekend to say hi and goodbye to my Poblano friends, returning to Mexico City monday. I have a doctor's appt tuesday with my surgeon, lunch with a friend after that, dinner with another friend. Wednesday I will be having lunch with one of my families, then meeting a friend for an earlier lunch before the US soccer game. Thursday I will be visiting my Brasilian friends who came to Mexico in March about the same time I left Brasil and then going to Miami friday to spend a week with my brother there before returning up north to Maryland. Much love to everyone and God bless.

End of Summer Program

Hey all, all the summer students are now gone and I am now going to spend the next two weeks resting from a few busy weeks and also saying goodbyes to lots of friends in both Mexico City and Puebla as well as waiting for the Mexico vs. US soccer game. I write a longer blog later, but just wanted to post this video I made that was shown at our closing conference.

Spearhead Summer 2009 from Drew Bach on Vimeo.

Wedding, my back and time wrapping up

Hey all, sorry for such a long time since I wrote. I sit here getting ready to go to church this morning and reflecting on what a roller coaster ride this past year has been. This summer has been no different. I am now 5 weeks post surgery and starting to feel better, I certainly have a ways to go still, but am feeling better and able to be considerably more mobile. I have gotten back into the swing of things with ministry, have been making some church visits and visits to make sure the summer team is doing well. This week is the last week for the summer team, today they will say goodbye to their churches as they will depart Mexico on Friday. I can't believe how fast the time has past. I will be staying here until August 14th to say goodbye to friends and families as well as to be able to stay and go to the August 12th World Cup qualifier between Mexico and the US here in Mexico City. It's always been a dream of mine to see that game here in Mexico City, the US has never won. Please pray for continued recovery of my back, also pray for the summer team that they might finish well and transition back home successfully, not forgetting the things they learned this summer. Also, as a last note I have an internship lined up in Rockville to work as the Latin America intern for the Goodwill Membership Development department. I will be working at their International headquarters there in Rockville and look forward to the experience. It's a 3 month job and then I'm hoping in January to return to Brasil, God willing. Much love and God bless.

Recuperation and getting back to some work

Hey all, just wanted to give you all an update on my recovery. My incision is healing nicely and is no longer painful. I am slowly able to get back to my work of visiting churches and families as well as mentoring and sharing with US students and helping them to continue adjusting to México. Some days are better than others as far as the pain is concerned, but definitely way better than a few weeks ago. Again, I feel so blessed to have been able to have the surgery and have my insurance company pay for it (I think, I go with the Don't Ask Don't tell policy on that one, the hospital has my credit card number and hasn't charged it, so thats a good thing). I am in far less severe pain than before the surgery and slowly getting on my feet more. I still feel pain in my back and occasionally in my legs too. The later which scares me much more as I feel paranoid that the surgery didn't work. I would ask for prayer that I can get back to my work, that I can have peace of mind about my surgery and not be worried that it, didn't work. I would pray for the pain to continue to diminish and that my body would continue to heal. Also pray for wisdom in balancing my ministry and taking care of my body. Finally, I'd ask for prayer for my trip home on Thursday. I'm really excited to be able to come home for my sister's wedding and take part in such a special day, but a little nervous about the travel. Pray for safe travels and that my back holds up, I'll only be home for a few days, but I hope I can see some of you. Much love and God bless.

Spearhead Holistic Ministry Talk

Spearhead Holistic Ministry Talk from Drew Bach on Vimeo.

The Recovery Continues

Not a lot of exciting things to write about these days. I am still on 100% bed rest, I can only sit for a while and also go up and down the stairs once a day. I normally go down to eat with my host family and spend most of the day in bed. I have been reading a little, catching up on some US TV shows I hadn't seen in forever, watching some movies and trying to figure out what comes next. I have been doing some work with Spearhead, making some phone calls, working on some computer projects and the like. I was supposed to give a talk today on holistic ministry, but instead made a video, i'm trying to post it online as we speak, i'll put it here if it works. I see the doctor on Thursday to get my stitches out and see how I'm progressing. I am no longer taking any kind of strong medicine and feel like I am optimistic about things, but it will be a slow recovery. If all goes well I can start running in 6 months or so. Hope all is well, much love and God bless.

Back at my Mexican home recovering

Hey all, thanks for your prayers and support through all this time. I just wanted to let everyone know that I am back at my mexican home resting for the next few weeks in recovery from my back surgery. Still in a fair amount of pain, but my docor seemed pleased with the surgery, no screws involved which is good. At least two weeks of straight bed rest and then another 2 of pretty much bed rest, 6 months to running if all goes well. Thanks for your prayers, emails and messages, it means a lot to me to have friends and family all over the world who love and care for me.

nervous smile before i went to the operating room


some crazy looking device holding my back open

Surgery on Friday!!

Dear friends and family,
Wow, what a whirlwind of a last 5 months or so. It seems like a
lifetime ago that I first felt some minor pain in my lower back when I
picked up a little kid that I was helping during my Brasilian
community house’s reading week. I certainly had no idea where that
pain would take me and the journey it would lead me on. I would
eventually be forced to bed rest, hospital visits, pain killers and no
answers until I finally had an MRI in early March and was diagnosed
with a severely herniated disc in my lower back. I had tried some
therapy that didn’t seem to work and was told that I would need
surgery if I ever hoped to return to normalcy. I anguished in my last
two days in Brasil about having to leave and attempted to stay in
Brasil in order to have the surgery there, but wasn’t able to extend
my visa. Then I was left with several decisions; return to the US and
face the possibility of a $70,000 surgery without insurance, go
straight to Mexico earlier than planned, changing my ticket to not go
to Colombia and hoping to have the surgery cheaper in Mexico or the
plan I ultimately chose to risk that my back would hold up and go to
Colombia for two months, delaying the surgery and working with Dr.
David Befus (former LAM president) and a microfinance ministry in a
small town affected by the Colombian internal conflict. I had an
amazing two months in Colombia, learning a lot and really enjoying my
experience, I learned to trust God with the pain and much about
microfinancing. I enjoyed working closely with Sael, my Colombian
boss, visiting many small towns, giving out loans, assessing small
businesses and giving people basic business training while sharing
with them the good news of Jesus.
About a month ago I arrived in México to once again be a
leader for the LAM’s Spearhead short term program. I visited a doctor
within my first week in the city and was told I needed surgery
immediately, as soon as possible. I will know back track on a
parallel story relating to financing my surgery. In September of 2008
before leaving the US I had attempted to purchase traveler’s health
insurance, I had clicked the final button that said I had purchased
the insurance, but never received a confirmation email and didn’t
remember paying for it on my credit card bill. I thought I didn’t
have insurance and figured that I had tried, but it wasn’t meant to be
and so I’d just save the $350 and assume my good health would continue
and that I wouldn’t need the insurance. When my back problems started
in January I originally ignored them then finally after one day where
my legs both went numb when I was walking in a park and I literally
could not stand up anymore I realized I needed to go to the hospital.
I went to the hospital, got an anti-inflammatory shot that didn’t
really seem to work, got some x-rays and was told by the public (free)
hospital that I would be alright after a few weeks of rest. I took
them seriously and rested for 2 weeks and just got worse. Then, my
ministry partner Fabio, who was the guy in charge of the soccer
ministry I worked for set up an appointment with his chiropractor
friend. His friend named André agreed to see me for free and after
several visits and therapy decided that I needed an MRI. Thanks to a
friend I managed to get an MRI at a discounted price as if I were part
of their insurance plan and paid about $300 for the MRI, my first
expenses outside of medicine. I then traveled to Colombia not sure
what to do with the finances of the surgery when I got an email in the
middle of April telling me my insurance was about to expire in a month
and that I should renew it. I then went back and checked my credit
card bill to find that I had indeed paid for the insurance and called
to renew it for 3 more months.
Now, coming back to Mexico I saw the doctor and then filed
a report with my insurance company to try for a guarantee of payment.
Since I had paid less than $1/day for my insurance I wasn’t very
convinced they would pay for anything, but thought it was worth a try.
After dozens of phone calls, emails and faxes, to my doctor, hospital
and insurance company and 3 weeks of fighting for it I finally
received a call today from my doctor that my insurance had approved
the surgery and scheduled the surgery for Friday. At one point an
independent doctor from the insurance company reviewed my case, he
originally denied the surgery, but then after a rather strong email
from myself about my pain and severity of the situation gave me his
cell number, I called him and talked for about 10 minutes. He finally
agreed to the surgery after I described some of my more severe
symptoms and then mentioned that he too was a Christian and if I
needed something in the DC area when I got home that I could give him
a call. Two weeks later, more phone calls, faxes and emails I
received that call today scheduling the surgery. I still wasn’t clear
on the finances until I arrived home and saw an email from my
insurance company saying I would owe US$174.46 for the surgery. The
surgery will probably cost about $15,000 (compared to 5 or 6 times
that in the US), will be at the ABC Santa Fe (maybe the best and
newest hospital in Mexico City) with Dr. Javier Parroquin (a Christian
doctor, who has operated on several missionary friends, used to work
at the Mayo Clinic and the American Institute of Sports Medicine in
the US and is probably one of Mexico’s best surgeons) all for $174.46.
I prayed for a miracle, hoping for healing, but I think God has given
me a financial miracle instead and in the process is teaching me trust
in him. So many people, so many times God provided for me
emotionally, physically and financially with this back problem. I
just want to thank all of you.
What a mighty God we serve, I have been brought to tears so
many times throughout this whole ordeal. I recognize the surgery is
just the next step and there will be plenty of struggles to come, but
I feel like God has shown me so much. He has broken me time and time
again and shown himself faithful. I feel very much at peace as I
prepare for the surgery on Friday at 4pm (5pm EST) and would ask for
prayers from all of you. The doctor has two options for surgery
which he won’t decide between until he gets into my back, they both
involve removing the hernia, but one involves having to put screws in
my back. Please pray that this will not be necessary and for a quick
and healthy recovery. I am hoping to be in the US for a couple of
days in July for my sister's wedding and then back for a bit in mid to
late August and hope to catch up with you all. Thank you all for your
prayers and support!!
Love,
Andrew

long time, surgery and brasil

Sorry it’s been a really long time since I’ve last written, but my life has been rather hectic and I haven’t had a chance to sit down and type a blog entry. I am in my last stage of a long fight with my insurance company. I finally have all the paper in that they need and am now waiting what they called a “review” of my case. I am hoping it’s a formality, but I’ll believe it when I see it. About two weeks ago a team of 14 students came down for the summer, 11 girls and 3 guys, not bad considering the big flu scare. It is a good team and I’m looking forward to a great summer with them. I have spent the last few weeks visiting families and churches as we prepared for the Spearheaders to come and now am revisiting them to make sure all is going smoothly with their North American house guests. We also are teaching them about Mexican culture and history and taking Spanish classes as well. I am enjoying the summer program and the cross cultural mentoring I am doing, just frustrated by the pain and limitations of my back. I am hoping to have surgery by the end of this week, but I have been hoping that for a few weeks. This weekend I went to Puebla to visit my Brasilian missionary friend who is heading to Brasil for a few months and I wanted to see him before he left. I left for Puebla on Friday afternoon after our meetings and made it there in a few hours, stopped by to see my old neighbors who are crusade staff workers and just had a baby which was nice. As I arrived near Robson’s house I couldn’t remember which was his and called his son who came out of a different house and I was really happy to see Emmanuel and Rosanna who were one of my families in Puebla, she is pregnant and it was so good to see them. I walked into the house and it turned out everyone was speaking Portuguese as Robson has some Brasilian neighbors and it was really cool to walk in there and just speak to them in Portuguese and really feel welcomed by these people I had never met. Shortly after I arrived Emmanuel and Rosanna left and so did Robson’s son and I was left with a bunch of Brasilians I had never met before but were so warm. They brought me some dinner and we talked about Brasilian football as though we had known each other for a long time. Those kind of moments are just really sweet to me as I feel the warmth of the Latin American culture and just being accepted and becoming part of the family. I am praying that I can have surgery this week and begin my recovery. Thanks for all your prayers and support.

Things I'm thankful for...

Today was a pretty good day, but tonight I had two amazing conversations that made me realize how many things I'm thankful for.

I'm thankful for:
-unconditional love and support from my parents and family
-the amazing experiences I have been able to have in my life, getting to be a part of so many people's life in so many different places
-a nice new camera that I got today courtesy of my parents credit card rewards (finally can put some more pictures online, thanks mom and dad)
-the fact that I am learning that people and relationships are way more important than money, jobs and sports, that I will be happy because of who is in my life and not what I do
-learning that being a supportive and encouraging support for my Mexican mamá is way more important that listening to the end of an NBA playoff game on internet radio (well done Cavs)
-pain that reminds me that this world isn't my own
-financial difficulties that remind me that God and people are way more important than money
-a good Doctor that is helping me fight with my insurance and will eventually perform my back surgery
-my extensive family throughout Latin America, my many brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, houses that I have (see Mark 10)
-the fact that with or without insurance I have the support system to have the surgery I need
-an awesome girlfriend, that we can talk about so many things and learn and challenge each other, even from a long ways away
-internet that lets me keep in touch with my doctor, insurance, family and girlfriend, what a blessing to have internet in my house and not have to visit an internet cafe
-the fact that I am slowly learning to trust God
-that I can truly say I go to bed tonight with peace, even though so few things in my life are certain and there is so much instability I am learning that my only real stability is in God
-the fact that I have the luxury of having a dilemma over what to do with my life, what a luxury that so few people in the history of the world have ever had
-mentors and leaders, for Pastor John in Brasil, for David Befus in Colombia, for Paul Johnson in Mexico, for so many people that have invested so much in my life and continue to be an inspiration to me
-amazing friends in the US, in Mexico, Colombia and Brasil too
-the fact that I don't need to fear anything if I fear God, that hope and faith in God sets me free to live and take risks and know that God has my back

I am so thankful for all of you and your continued prayers. I continue my fight with my insurance and am hoping to have surgery next week, but who knows. Love you all!

enjoying Mexico

Hey all, its been a while since I wrote, but it's been a long week, some good some bad. I have really enjoyed being back in Mexico City, it is definitely a home away from home and a place where I have a lot of history and close friends. I have enjoyed visiting pastors and families, making new friends and hanging out with old ones. It has really been fun, the only problem is my back continues to bug me and i'm still suffering from leg pain and the scarier lack of sensation in my legs. I am still fighting with my traveler's insurance who doesn't seem all that willing to pay for my surgery, i think i'm down to my last stand with them and i'd put my chances pretty low of them paying anything, but you never know. So i would ask for prayer for the insurance/money thing and also just for peace about my back and to be able to quickly schedule the surgery and recover well. I unfortunately saw a special about back surgery on cnn at a friends house that kinda scared me and has me uneasy about the how thing. I am just trying to trust God and know things will work themselves out. Much love to everyone and God bless, thanks for your prayers and support.

still waiting

hey all, still waiting for things to come together with my doctor and insurance company. My pain levels are the same as ever and I am enjoying being back in Mexico City and working with the Spearhead program again. Please pray that surgery will go well when it happens and that I will still be able to be involved with the summer program. Also pray that I will have the common sense to rest the necessary time I need to in order to heal properly, this will probably be a struggle for me. Again thanks for your prayers and support.

Surgery

hey all, just a quick update and a prayer request as I am preparing for surgery, possibly as soon as this week as my doctor says my herniated disc is pretty serious and needs an immediate operation, pray for wisdom for both the doctor and I as we make our decisions and for the financial side of it all too. Thanks for all your prayers and support.