The words of an old hymn came to my mind as I was starting this post...
"Be not dismayed what e'er betide
God will take care of you
Beneath His wings of love abide
God will take care of you."
There has been no improvement in Lance's condition. Thank you so much for praying and please don't stop! Lance has a wonderful attitude and says that he just wants God to use him however He needs to. All the nurses fight over him because he knows all their names and how many kids they have--takes a genuine interest in them. That's Lance... He's always thinking about someone else. They are in the midst of a fiery trial but God is taking care of them and holding them tight.
While our hearts are heavy for Lance, God has given us a sweet gift by showing us how He is taking care of Ryan.
Ryan is allowed to have his cell phone now (yay!). I try not to pester him with constant texts and calls. ha. I called him on Sunday afternoon and asked what he was doing. To my surprise, he said, 'I'm at a Christian camp.'
HUH?
How did he get permission to leave the base? He was told he wouldn't be allowed to leave for the first four weeks.
Well...it seems that there is a church near the base that has a ministry to the soldiers. If the soldiers ask the Army Chaplain, they are granted permission to leave the base for this activity. The ministry operates a camp where the soldiers can pay $15 for the weekend and come there for a soft, comfy bed and home cooked meals. They supply spiritual food for the guys too, and allow them to rest and relax in a calm, woodsy atmosphere. Ryan sounded so good--so refreshed--and relieved to be able to be there. I know it is an oasis for him. There had been one spot available by the time he found out about it, and he got it! The camp is available 3 weekends a month and Ryan is going to try to go each time it is available. He said they also gave the soldiers a directory of other camps because they operate near many of the bases in the US and even some in other countries. I cannot begin to tell you how it helped his Mama's heart to know that he has a sanctuary to go to where he can be ministered to. God is so good.
The kids have been really missing him. I hear a half dozen wails a day of, "I miss Ryan." They can't wait to see him again.
