Stills shot on location in Rombo, Tanzania during the filming of Wazi.

WARNING-some images are intense!

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7 screws, 1 plate, 1 tension line, 2 buttons. When I hurt my self I go all out. Nine days after the injury, I went into surgery at Barton Memorial Hospital in South Lake Tahoe. Two weeks since the 2 hour and 5 minute surgery, I now have my stitches yanked out of my skin, the most painful process since the actual brake. Followed by my forth set of x-rays and my forth cast. Switching from Dr. Bannar, who did an amazing job on repairing the brakes in my tibia, fibula, torn ligaments, and ankle fractures; I am now in the care of Dr. Nickels in Ventura who is just as competent and I take great confidence in his care and knowledge. I now continue my 6-week elevation and no weight or pressure, but will be cheating a week because I am young. On the fifth of August I will be freed from my hard cast and placed in a walking cast for an additional four weeks, followed by extensive physical therapy and limited movement for a total of 6 months. In a year or two I can have the hardware removed. In the mean time, the most difficult thing is doing nothing, which is imperative, because if my ligament that is torn from my ankle to my knee does not heal properly, I will never be able to hike or do the active things I love again. So please pray that it heals perfectly, I stay still, and that I don’t feel too left out not being with the rest of the team for post production.Photos to come of the x-rays.

Mother and grandmother waiting during surgery

Good news from Dr. Bannar

Awake after surgery 

Out

Patched walls, makes me question which country I am in

Getting out of the hospital

First check, one week after surgery

Photos provided by Kathy Marquez, thanks for the place to stay during recovery

Death is all around us, but I guess it doesn’t become real until it happens to someone we know. I am in a village where there is a funeral daily, thousands died in China during the earthquake, and yet I am not brought to brokenness and mourning until it happens to a friend. How numb are we? If it hurts this bad to lose one, how much does it hurt God to lose millions?

Blessed with taking a break from work and regaining some sanity. We went to Mochi to celebrate with the Peace Core. We heard the most amazing stories from their experiences while in Peace Core within the different villages, and I realized that each of them has lived and worked through some much more challenging and difficult lifestyles within a much longer period of time. I could not imagine living the way some of them did for years, and here I am wondering how I am going to get through 2 months. I was relieved to find out that the waves of being overjoyed or completely miserable are very common and if anything I don’t experience as many waves as some of the Peace Cores have.

On the bus ride back I sat while a young man stood beside me. I thought how strong he is to stand for hours and never even show discomfort upon his face, let alone dare to speak a word of complaint out loud. This made me so sad for the society I normally live within, in constant complaint of something, and I dare to say that none of the things we complain about in the States are worthy of being spoken. Rejoice in everything and do all things without complaining pierce my heart as I reflect upon the words of the Apostle Paul. To pound the reality of how privileged we are I witnessed men and women volunteering to shovel the dung of cows, poultry, and pigs with their bare hands.

This week I met the bravest young man named Amodaious. He is fifteen but his appearance deceives one into believing he is eight. He is living in a hospital bed, while AIDS steals his life. Never again should I dare to think my life is difficult after knowing the most inspiring soul.