Lessons applied at 6,000 feet

There are so many lessons to be learned from injuries like this. The biggest one seems to be the reminder (that I had started learning earlier in the week!) that GOD IS IN CONTROL! Of course God desires that we plan and prepare, but all the while surrendering final control to him.

I feel so blessed over these last few days to acknowledge that God has been in control. He has brought me through the worst of it and he will soon bring me through all of it.

Dara did a fantastic job in explaining the incident. I won’t say more except to add the picture above. Josh is pictured here, as he does the initial climb to set the rope. (And then we realized the rope wasn’t long enough for the entire route!) I had just unclipped from the top “Protection” spot and started down when I fell. I was connected to the “Protection” spot on the right, which gave me just enough room to smash into the ledge and break my femur before coming to a stop.

I was so thankful that Josh was there. I couldn’t have endured the pain hanging out waiting for the rescue team to get there and get up to me. Josh was able to do a solo descent with me hanging on to him, and had me on the ground and ready for the ambulance as soon as they got there.

I stayed awake through it all, faces and voices drifting through the haze of pain and then the drugs that they induced. People who knew me and loved me were there for me the entire time. One of our students turned out to be on the same floor in the hospital as she delivered a baby boy that same day! So students and friends continued to surround me the entire weekend.

I came home Sunday evening, and have been further blessed by the many calls and emails. I have crutches, and am as mobile as I want to be! The doctor just says not to put more than 50% of my weight on the bad leg for the next 6 weeks. I can’t physically do even that yet, but I am working on it!

Wireless internet and a laptop makes communication amazingly easy! So we look forward to keeping everyone up to date on the progress.

We are so thankful that God provided for us to sign up with Samaritan Ministries just a few months ago. We called them and they say we just need to submit the bills as soon as they come in. Anything we turn in by the end of July will go into their September newsletter, and we should start receiving compensations by mid September. Please be in prayer that all of those details go smoothly. We were amazed to find out from the hospital that if we could pay the bill in full (credit card or however) within 30 days, the bill would be reduced in ½!!!

With God in control (lesson fully learned now!) we are confident that all the details will come together.

Thanks for all the love! Each one of you are appreciated, each one of you makes a difference in our lives.

Peace of Christ,
Wade