I’ll start with the “more” part of the title. I would strongly suggest you read this at brendamatthews.missynew.ws where I can set up the formatting. When the post is sent to you, it seems to be put in a list format and I don’t know how to correct that.
Since I last wrote, I’ve been out to TEAM’s ranch/campground Rancho El Camino (The Way Ranch) 
In the last letters I’ve mentioned the church, El Faro, the Tuesday morning ladies’ prayer and Bible study, and the Wednesday evening meeting which right now is teaching on how to prepare a sermon/Bible study. I hadn’t mentioned that the church has cell groups as well. One meets here at the Thiessens’ home and we’re continuing to meet while they are in Canada and I’m here looking after the property and dog – German Shepherd. 
We meet Thursday evenings and enjoy a time of fellowship after, which is when the photo was taken. I really enjoy this group… and all the others!
I want to really thank you for your prayers! I think the Lord has led me to what will be my apartment. It meets my requirements for ministry use and, this is an extra God threw in, I can see the sea – even though it is in the distance. This morning I went to talk over the contract and here we change the focus of the story a bit, but I hope you pick up on all the ways God prepared my path. As they say, there’s a first time for everything and this morning I experienced another first. Down the corridor from the office there was a little unmarked step down less than 2″ in height that I didn’t see, but it was enough to twist my ankle and send me to my knees (literally) with my hands finally breaking the fall. On the way down I heard a noise I didn’t like in my left ankle and a split second later I had incredible pain in both knees and that foot. I don’t know God’s purpose in this yet and may never, but I know He is in control and that all things work together for my good and will bring glory to His name.
A man was there who helped me to my feet. I assumed that if I could put a little weight on the foot, I hadn’t broken anything and just had a bad sprain. I limped to the meeting and the men very kindly helped me into the office and afterward back out to my car. I drove back to the house because the cleaning lady was about to arrive, but, instead of cleaning, she was a HUGE help accompanying me to a clinic. Having a smart phone, I could call people to find out what I should do and where I should go and even see how to get there.
I parked on the street (because I didn’t know they had a parking lot!) and Mony helped me hobble down the street. As she went in to find out where I should go, a car passed and the man who got out offered to get me a wheelchair. He came out with a wheelchair and a doctor and they wheeled me straight into x-rays and took them. The first ones showed that there was nothing wrong with my ankle, but they could see something in the foot. 
Those x-rays clearly showed the fracture at the beginning of the bone that ends in my little toe. Apparently the sound I heard earlier was the tendon pulling the corner of the bone away. The doctor wheeled me over to a room to put ice on the foot while we waited for the specialist to arrive. 
The specialist explained the x-rays and what needed to be done. He then set my foot, with the hopes that the bones will rejoin, and put the cast on. The same x-ray technician who first got the wheelchair then wheeled me out all the way down the street to the driver’s door. 
Of course, I had to pay first and that cost an arm and the other leg, but I’m hoping insurance will cover it!
Back in the car, I called a missionary friend from the English church (there’s no one else from TEAM in the city until the Dresselhauses arrive the end of next week) who located some crutches for me, so we picked them up and Mony helped me get back in the house and it was time for her to leave for her next job. The couple from the English church came to help with a couple things here and have offered to come back for the next few days. I let the pastor and my cell group know because last night’s lesson touched on suffering and the fact that we are never alone, so they are praying for me. I’m just putting into practice what we learned!
So, I have many things to be thankful for. There were people available to help at every point and I was attended to quickly and — just a few days ago the temperature has started cooling, enough that I’m not sweating all the time. But you can imagine that I have some concerns. I normally take the dog out to the street (very little traffic) to play fetch for 30 minutes first thing in the morning and last thing at night (for cooler temperatures). I can’t imagine how I’ll do that. Cleaning up after the dog is another item I can’t imagine doing because he uses a lower area over a low wall, but I’ll have to figure something out. I was able to give him food and water and to get my own lunch and set up my office area to keep my foot up so I can work at the computer, but I’d appreciate your prayers to be able to adjust and not have another accident (like a crutch slipping or the dog knocking me over). I haven’t had to and don’t plan to take any pain medication, but in the afternoon my back, knees and wrists started aching and the too tall crutches are making me aware of my armpits, so I’d appreciate prayer for the healing of every part affected.
Please pray that the bones do heal so I won’t need surgery to insert a plate. I go back in four weeks for another x-ray to determine how to proceed.
Oh, yes… in all this, I was able to share a lot with Mony, a non-believer, and as she left she sighed that she wished she had my joy — so I could reinforce what I had said earlier and could comment that it comes from knowing Jesus is with me and caring for me. Maybe I got a tiny glimpse of a little bit of God’s purpose.
Hobbling joyfully,
Brenda
