I had a nasty fall in Costa Rica last week. We were digging up a field by hand (shovels, picks, and wheelbarrows). It's where they will pour a slab for a new sanctuary. Anyway, it was terrible hard work, especially for a 55 year old female. We had a team of 15, but only 4 were men, and one of them was doing electrial wiring somewhere else on the complex.
Anyway, on Monday of last week, I fell while digging and landed on a rock or a hard dirt clod, just under my left knee. I immediately got a huge lump and it was SO painful. But I kept on digging, because I felt like I should, since my team was out there. By Wednesday, the pain was terrible and I had to go to the E.R. They xrayed it and said nothing was fractured or torn, but I have some pretty bad nerve damage. They told me it would take about 3 months for the surface numbness and the burning inside to finally go away. My leg is black and purple all the way from my knee to my ankle now - it keeps getting more bruised. Weird.
So.......I want to know if I qualify for a bonafide missionary now???? I have been to an E.R. in a third world country with a missionary injury.
I just want to be Sis. Alvear when I grow up!!