Living in community

Nasty winter viruses. Yuck.

One took Mils down just before we were to fly home to Sweden. I vividly remember telling Adi to wash her hands. A.Lot. And, she replied...”what Millie has is contagious?!?”

Fast forward to last Saturday. When I came back from helping Makaela get to Stockholm, Adi was laying in bed crying...burning up with a fever. I’m still not sure if she has what Millie had or just picked something up traveling home from the States. Doesn’t really matter, I suppose. We just can’t wait for everyone to be 100% well again and keep praying that Dennis and I stay well.

Yesterday afternoon, a friend who is a dr here suggested we take Adi to a clinic in town. It’s a little tricky navigating the Swedish medical system without what is called a “person number”. So...from what I understood, this clinic is private...and self-pay. It was a win to not have any confusion over being seen (for the record, we have always been seen before, and received great care...just the financial side gets tricky being from outside of Sweden). 🙌🏻

With Adi still having fever (and a list of other symptoms), I wondered how it was going to be walking to the bus stop in the rain, riding to town, and then walking to find this place. I texted, and then called a friend. I was just hoping we could get a ride there. I felt like I could probably figure out how to get us home. At the very least, I would deal with that once it was time.

Genuine friends sometimes feel hard to find. People, who when they say, “please ask for help if you need it,” (whether you’ve lived in the same neighborhood for years or moved to a new country) - and they really mean it - can seem scarce. But, I promise you, they are there.

Adi and I felt so cared for yesterday. It wasn’t just a drop-off at a clinic.

It was an, “I’m staying with you. I will help you...”

It was: “I’m dropping you off at the door and will park the car. Wait for me by the door and I will show you exactly where to go. I’ve been here before.”

It was: “I’ll listen to the Drs and nurses in Swedish and make sure to translate so you understand everything.”

It was: “How are you doing?” When I was quite exhausted myself and feeling really helpless watching Adi feel so bad.

It was: “I’ll walk with you to the pharmacy and help pick up the prescriptions”

When it was the time she had said she needed to take her daughter to a class, but we were still in the exam room, it was, “it’s okay, I told her we would skip it for today.”

It was: “Do you need to stop for anything else on the way home so you don’t have to go out again?”

And then this morning, it was an early morning text: “How is Adi?”

I can’t tell you how thankful I am. Like I mentioned earlier, a bus ride with a feverish girl felt a bit overwhelming. But...a friend. She is the one who dragged chairs for us into the exam room and is sitting just out of view in this picture of Adi.

We were created to live in community and relationship with others...to help each other. I’m so thankful for friends who show up...and then stay.

One more thing about community...I’ve never seen a group of adults in a waiting room, including perfect strangers, scramble for a plastic bag as fast as when a child says...”My tummy hurts...”

Again, community.

With strangers...and friends. ❤️