The Ultra-Spiritual Missionary and her dog

You know, if I wanted to impress you that I'm a really great missionary I'd do a "Day In The Life" blog entry. I'd choose to highlight a Sunday because, in this missionary's life that's a day laden with spiritually meaningful activity.

But instead, taste with me some of our more mundane life stressors. Before anyone is tempted to think crazy thoughts such as life as a missionary in East AFrica MUST certainly be continually exciting and perhaps even "glamourous," permit me to infuse a bit o' ridiculous reality.

We own a spayed dog (we are responsible missionaries at the very least.) In the last two years she has developed a very common side effect of spaying--incontinence (extreme glamour). Our good friend Dale, a vet in TX, bless him, provided us with more than a years worth of medicine to control the problem. Back in November I noted the medicine would run out mid-January and knowing there is "no hurry in Africa" I immediately contacted the vet here in Kampala. She said it was on order and to call back in December, which I did. "None yet, call back in January." I called two days ago and her assistant delivered GREAT NEWS -- they had it in stock! But, yesterday the vet herself called me to say that her assistant was mistaken and the order was still missing. I had just given Bubbly (the dog) her last tablet. StReSs level INCREASE! Yes, we have cement floors and no carpet, but that is not enough to chill me out at the thought of cleaning up "accidents" for an indefinite amount of time!!!!

I shot a panic email to the Z's, fellow New Hope missionaries scheduled to fly this Friday. Then I called Dale in TX to make the request for the medicine. No one answered the phone, but I left a message and sent a follow-up email. He never heard the phone message, but saw the email within the hour. Within four hours he had sent the med FedEx to the Z's and I'm looking at NOT having to clean up any accidents (of THAT type at least) for the next year!!!! Hallelujah for God's miracles especially amongst the little things in life!!!!

That was about 5 hours of stress I endured not because I was praying for a child, or mentoring someone, or tending to the sick, or teaching or preparing a Bible study lesson, but because I was out of the medicine needed by our canine with a pea-sized brain. Yup, being a missionary means just one exciting thing after another!!!