This weekend I had the opportunity to attend a class taught by an Army Medic, he’s spent 30+ years specifically training our soldiers to be medics on the battlefield. It was a great class and when our friend told us about it all 3 of the boys and Josh voted I should attend because I am always the one caring for them. 

It was about 4 1/2 hours and we covered a ton of information. It was helpful information to be learning with thoughts of being in the heart of Africa and how our lives will look so different from here. There is no 911 in Burundi. I saw an “ambulance” once in Burundi when I was walking to visit a widows home. It was a cot like stretcher 2 men were carrying on their shoulders as they walked to the nearest hospital or possibly the nearest bus station to get the patient to help. In Burundi there is 1 doctor to every 20,000 patients. 

Thankfully for us there is an amazing hospital about 40 minutes away from where we will live. There are multiple American doctors and their families living on the compound. You can check out what they’re doing here. I encourage you to check it out, it’s quite amazing. I stayed on the compound on my first trip to Burundi in 2009 and it’s incredible to see all the changes and improvements to train the next generation of Burundian doctors and help the community. 

Something that hit me hard during the trauma class was hearing 4 different trauma events which my husband miraculously lived through. Most people know his story or at least part of it, and as his wife I have heard the depths of it. But after more than 12 years of knowing him this was the first time I heard the physiological side of the events. 

Josh has told me for years that the doctors would say, “Josh, you should not be alive.” Well, in this class they discussed what happens physiologically in different trauma situations and what typically happens: shock, bleeding out, not able to get help in time, etc. In the instances they discussed there were 4 times I sat in awe that my husband was alive because he lived through traumatic events and God chose to save him miraculously. He physiologically should not have been alive. 

1 instance was when Josh set off a pipe bomb in his hand. The shrapnel should have hit him anywhere (besides his hand) causing serious wounds, but it didn’t. He blew open his hand so he should have been in shock, he wasn’t. He should have bled out because no one was there but he grabbed a towel, probably did not wrap it tight enough and had a 30 minute drive to the hospital. With a serious wound like that you bleed to death in 3-5 minutes. 

I joke sometimes that Josh’s guardian angels are going to be clapping and cheering when he arrives in Heaven, because he kept them so busy and they’re exhausted. I don’t know ALL the reasons God saved Josh so many times, but I know I have the best husband in the world and part of what he is today is because of the miracles from those yesterdays. 

13 years ago this month Josh and I met and began communicating through e-mail while I was in Burundi for 2 months. We had NO idea AT ALL what lied ahead of us. What an incredible, crazy, wild adventure it has been and as Josh says, “the best is yet to come”. 

Being able to attend this trauma wound class was just another way I see God’s hand preparing us to go to Burundi. He is equipping us in ways we never anticipated and I’m so thankful. I hope I never have to use any of the training, but with 3 boys and a perhaps accident prone husband the odds are ever against me. I cannot live in fear of what could happen, I cannot stay comfortable because of the dangers in the uncomfortable, and I will not stay when God is saying, “Go.” He’s the same God that saved my husband 1 million times and counting from deadly peril. He’s the same God that carried Samuel through 5 years of health issues. He’s the same God that brought this specific family together and He’s the same God that will sustain this family come what may. 

Thank you to our sweet friends Matt and Marina for putting this class together and all your love and support for our family going to Burundi. You’re a blessing!

What do you need to trust the Lord for today? Do you believe and trust that He will provide and prepare you? From much experience, I can promise you, He will!