Most of this blog is copied from a Facebook post that I know is true because one of the individuals is related to me. A quick background: Visiting missionaries to Kansas fell through a pond ice skating this winter. The mother and son died that day. This is what has transpired in the 6 months since that tragedy.
The Surviving Father writes July 4:
Part of me wanted to hold this and share it with just a few people. But there may be things in it for many of us. Who am I to hold it back?
I had the chance this morning to chat with my lead EMT in the Kansas ambulance. She was part of the two-pronged team of Rescue guys and EMTs that saved my life six months ago. And I'm only now realizing how true that is. K.K. reached out to me on Messenger and was so kind to go through my biggest questions and struggles.
She helped to clarify the situation and brought a whole lot more peace and comfort. She talked about body temperature, and how low mine was, at 83.4 degrees, almost 12 below the usual point of unconsciousness. Which makes me stop wondering why Polly went out on me so quickly. It amazed the ambulance crew I didn't.
She reassured me by commenting how much fight there was in me for them. She also shared the hard reality that Trent had taken in so much water that no matter what I'd been able to do, with all of those "realizations" in the last six months, probably nothing would have helped at that point. That if I hadn't left him when the rescue team demanded I grab the rope, I might not be here either.
K.K. has a deep faith, and a lot of people in the Midwest do. Maybe you have to when life is as harsh as it can be there. They know they can't do it on their own. "Lean on your friends when your knees get weak." she shared. And her last words as we wrapped up, "Turn to God in your darkest hour and he will show you the light!"
Guys, I'm not special. And this isn't just for me. Yup, part of me wanted to share this with just a few people, but this truth is for all of us. K.K.’s encouragement is straight from our Father. Whatever your situation, whatever is tough that you're facing, or may face soon, turn to him. Now when things are good so you'll have the strength when things aren't so good.
And if any of you are deeply struggling, hold tight to him. With all you have. He has all the love and comfort that you need. Breathe. As deeply as you can. Thank you, K.K. Thank you to each of you for holding me when my knees get weak. "Turn to him in your darkest hour and he will show you the light!" July 6 update: Words cannot quite express the overwhelming gratitude I have for R.B., the fire captain who led the rescue efforts six months ago. R. B. boldly reached out to me yesterday even though he certainly didn't have to! He helped with a few other questions I'd been grappling with over the last few months and shared a line with me from a movie he'd seen recently. It was in "Fury," and a line from Shia LeBeouf, quoting Isaiah 6:8. "Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, 'Whom shall I send? And who will go for us? And I said, 'Here am I. Send me!'"
These men and women are known as EMTs, but today I realize that they are also Emergency Soul Technicians. Or ESTs. As the father stated, they boldly reached out to him. They sensed their job wasn’t finished. Of course, the emergency was over and they could have placed that tragedy in a “box” and filed it. However, their spritiual job wasn’t finished. They needed to help bring answers to this father and husband. They had to help him in his struggles and let him lean on them one more time as his knees were weak. They encouraged him to continue looking to God. And this man will know as he continues his missionary work people in the Midwest will be praying for him.
I wonder how many of us are ready to share our faith in our jobs at a moment’s notice? As a lay servant we should be ready. I have come to a deeper respect for these individuals. I like the anonlgy of us letting others lean on us when their knees get weak.
Not only is the father going on to the missionary field in honor of his family but as a testimony that he will answer God’s call to send him back to the missionary field.
Well done EMT/EST K.K. and R.B.
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