Life has been busy for the MAF Lesotho team with some longtime families being reassigned to new locations and a new family arriving in a few weeks. What this meant for me was a long-prayed-for opportunity to be moved from my flat (apartment) into a house—yahoo! I was choosing the colors I wanted to use on the walls, where my furniture would go… I had the whole thing mapped out in my head. I was ready and very excited…

And then the unexpected happened.

The security wall around the home was damaged by a moving truck; the painters said they needed four days but it actually took 10; the carpets couldn’t be cleaned until the paint was dry; and then, the morning of moving day… my back went out.

I was helpless, in pain and unable to move let alone carry things.

I couldn’t help but think of the story of the paralyzed man from Mark 2: “They brought a paraplegic to him, carried by four men. When they weren’t able to get in because of the crowd, they removed part of the roof and lowered the paraplegic on his stretcher.”

My MAF teammates and friends sprang into action and literally did all the moving and even steam-cleaned the carpets while I was stuck in my bed. If they met an obstacle, they simply worked around it. It’s humbling when you are served in such a selfless way; even more so when you can do nothing to be of assistance. A few days later, even more friends showed up and helped get things where they belonged after the carpets were dry. There is a picture of them since I was able to be there by then, though they still wouldn’t let me carry anything.

God showed up and demonstrated His love through my “stretcher bearers”— the friends who had the grace to carry me when I couldn’t get there on my own.