Miracle On The Mountain Top

On Easter Sunday, our son, Chris was lying in a bed in a flee bag hotel in Lima, Peru deathly ill. He had just arrived with his 18 mechanical engineering students and another professor from BYU for two weeks worth of humanitarian projects to be done for the villages near Machu Picchu. With a viral infection complicated by immunizations for a future trip to Africa, an ear infection that ruptured, a sore throat that sounded like strep and possibly altitude sickness, he was in bad shape.

One loving visit later from a Stake President in Lima who is an MD and they had eliminated some of concerns and had a good diagnosis. To cover infections and pain, the doctor himself went to get medications from the pharmacy around midnight. Two of his students gave him a Priesthood blessing for restored good health and many people started to pray for him. He began to immediately feel hopeful that he would live, after all. He told Missy he had never been so sick in his life. With bed rest, on the third day he was able to return to work and by Saturday he was doing this long rigorous hike around the ruins! Nothing short of a miracle!

We had been pretty worried about him and it really brought back memories of when he was in Brazil on his mission and when the missionaries would get sick, the communication was so poor. That feeling of not knowing, is not a comfortable one. It stretches you as a parent for sure and deepens your faith, but it is not easy.

What a blessing it is to have access to information now that is almost instantaneous. And when this picture came via e-mail yesterday with the simple caption, "Dad you would have absolutely loved this!" I knew two things for sure.

First, our God is a God of miracles and we all receive them all the time. We just need to see His hand in our lives, when He answers our prayers and grants us tender mercies and miracles. We must be grateful and share testimony of His goodness. We are so thankful and grateful for Chris' recovery and we know where that healing came from, without question. And it wasn't the pharmacy.

And secondly, this boy knows his Dad pretty well. Jim was envious to the core the minute he saw the picture. In fact, he was as green as Shrek! {But much better looking ;) }

I wonder how long before the two of them will be plotting and planning to try to figure out a way to go there together. And I hope they do, as long as I can stay home and water the plants, etc. What a blessing for me to have given birth to a son, for this man of mine, that is so adventurous. It would have been a cruel trick played on him if he was just stuck with me! {I must have been in the restroom in heaven when they were passing out the attribute of being adventurous.} Poor guy, I shudder to think...

And as for Chris, I always tell him that his nickname should be Chip because he truly is a 'chip off the old block.' If we were only to be allowed one son, I am so glad he and his Dad have so many things they enjoy doing together. They love to work and play together... life is good!

A big thank you to those of you who prayed for Chris to recover quickly so he could accomplish his work in Peru. And the hike around the ruins was purely, icing on the cake. Sending hugs to you all.

Chris back in the saddle again!

Students built this wall and are working on the roof.

Students on the roof!

These photos just came in as I was ready to send Chris the link to the post. Not sure what else they are doing here but it looks fun and I am sure it will improve lives. If we ever wondered why he went to Brazil on his mission, we don't anymore. Things happen for a reason!

Son, we are so happy you are completely recovered!