I spent a little extra time on my knees at Eucharist at the church I attend–St. Andrews Anglican in San Ignacio, Belize–Sunday morning, since I’m scheduled for surgery Monday afternoon for a hernia popping out of my “belly button.” The wonderful people at St. Andrews–a vibrant church I’ve come to love–prayed me up, as did Father Juan the Colombian who is the priest–but prayers from all are welcome.
One thing I remember from my Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE)–which is the training and education that all chaplains are required to receive at a major teaching hospital for a minimum of one year–is our trainers/teachers/supervisors instilling this in us chaplain wannabes:
“When you need prayer, ask everyone you know for prayer. Don’t forget that you need prayer in your times of need as much as anybody else.”
I think they emphasized this because preachers and chaplains and any clergy see themselves as all about serving others, which includes a lot of prayer time for other people. When they need prayer themselves, clergy are reluctant to ask for it out from anyone other than their clergy peers out of some subconscious notion that they are so strong–or at least have to present themselves to the world as so strong–that they don’t like to ask for prayer. Preacher types aren’t always good at allowing their congregants and others know that they are just as vulnerable as they are.
For sure, clergy do tend to take care of their own. If I have serious problems in life–if I need somebody to vent to or spill my guts to and go to for prayer–I have any number of fellow chaplains and church pastors I can call on and confide in.
But there is no shame in a church preacher or chaplain or anybody else licensed or ordained to the life of ministry to say to the world, “Hey, I’m having surgery tomorrow, and I would appreciate your praying for me because right now I need it.”
So prayers are being accepted here for this pastor who is scheduled for umbilical hernia surgery Monday at about 2 p.m. Belizean. (3 p.m. Texas time).
Anyone having surgery in the U.S. or anywhere else is someone standing in need of prayer. And maybe more so in Belize, which is by no means known for anything like quality medical care. One heres horror stories about some of the horrendous conditions is some of the hospitals in Belize–and there aren’t many hospitals. If at al possible, expats and Belizeans themselves head to Meridan, Mexico–a major and high-quality medical center in the Yucatan just west of Cancun– or to some of the fine hospitals in Guatemala and especially Guatemala City, for critical medical care.
And yet I am plenty confident in my surgeon and in the hospital where my relatively minor surgery will be. That’s because it will be in the capital city of Belmopan, which has one of Belize’s better hospitals and some of the better surgeons because it is, after all, a capital city. (And I always point out that “city” is relative in a country with only 300,000 population.)
Still, surgery and a minimum of two nights of recovery here is cause for a little anxiety even for me, who learned in chaplaincy training to monitor and manage anxiety and stress better than the average person.
And I am only human, and humans can’t help but be a little concerned any time they go under the knife.
So I’ll be out of pocket a couple or three days–the hospital has no wifi for internet–but will be mindful that a lot of wonderful friends and family and fellow clergy back home are lifting me up in prayer, as well as a lot of wonderful Christian people and clergy I’ve met here in Belize.
And my anxiety is relieved to a great extent by the fact that a wonderful Belizean friend who is a very compassionate and nurturing Christian will accompany me to the hospital and hang with me until she has to catch a bus home Monday night.
So it’s all good and God is good . . .
And I do believe in the efficacy of prayer.
And your prayers for me are welcome and appreciated.
I will pray for your successful operation Rev. Paul.
Thanks, Twiggie. Hope all is well; haven’t talked to you in a while.
Tonight you had very powerful women sending you prayers of healing…including me. I hope everything goes perfectly tomorrow –even better than if you were here. Can you call Amy who could pass on that you’re doing fine to the rest of us? Big hugs and best wishes for a positive outcome.
So you guys had a great night for howling at the moon! lol Yeah, i’ll probably have my companion who’s going with me email or call ames when I’m in recovery and probably call ames tomorrow night. thanks for the prayers from your group! Means a lot to me actually.
Knowing the best will result. Keep smiling and laughing and you will get through this!
This is a little awkward for me – a non-religious person – but please know that I am thinking of you and pulling for your successful surgery. Good vibes sent your way, mi amigo.
Prayers for a successful surgery and recovery. This is a unique opportunity for you to tell them to make your belly button cute and a perfectly shaped “inny” for Jello shots…..you have to make your own fun in Belize….
You girls of the Jitterbug Cult are always thinking.
Usually about Jello shots and such.
Cultist Lisa suspects I’m secretly getting a “tummy tuck.” That ain’t happening.
Hey, that is something to consider. It’s really maddening that I weigh the same as I did when I graduated from high school (155-160) but everything has dropped to my gut.