Here is the next part of Nate's story through other email updates written in 2007.....
August 2007
Nate has been released from the hospital after two weeks and it looks like finally we will be able to go home to Mozambique to settle in in the next few days. We had only been in Africa 10 days when this accident happened so we are looking forward to unpacking the rest of the way and settling into ministry. We know things are not going to be easy with Nate requiring constant care but we also know that God knows that and all we can do is be GRATEFUL that he is alive and still with us.
Update: Well it has taken us over a week to return to Mozambique due to needing to wait to have our passports brought to us from Mozambique and to have our new visas granted. We are so grateful that Jeff & Libby Foster have allowed us to graciously stay in their cottage for free. It ss a challenge in Zimbabwe. The cottage was without power all day, every day. It returned between 9-10 pm so that is when we tried to cook food for the next day or else we would cook over the open fire outside. Marc walks about 45 minutes each way into town in search of food and things we need like soap, TP, etc. It's not an easy task as there was not much on the shelves in the stores and if there was something like milk or bread it was gone within seconds as the mob of desperate people fight for survival.
September 2007
We managed to get back to Mozambique from Nate's doctors appointment. We are troubled by the fact that the doctor says according to xray that his left femur bone has slipped and did not heal properly. It has already formed new bone and is joined under the knee, not lined up properly which will cause problems in the future.
October 2007
We have gone to see Dr. Kitcat, Nate's surgeon in Zimbabwe. It was a longer trip than we expected it to be. We thought we were going in for a day, having his casts removed and then returning to Mozambique, but that was not to be. He removed his left leg cast only and has said we must return to him for at least a week in order for the right leg cast to come off and for him to be fitted with a "moon boot" (an air cast boot) and have physical therapy. He was pleasantly surprised about how much range of motion Nate had in his left leg although that bone did not heal properly. He can bend it about 85 degrees. We are not sure how much of that he will be able to regain if any but we are continuing to pray for God to heal him completely. We will return next week to have the other cast removed and see how that leg is doing.
October #2 We have returned to Zimbabwe. Things are going down hill here fast. Food is becoming increasingly more difficult to find and in some parts of town the electricity is off all the time now. We have decided to stay at a guest house in town instead of in Dr. Fosters cottage for a couple of reasons. The guest house has electricity almost all the time and is in close walking distance to town and the doctors office. We have seen doctor Kitcat and Nate has had his other cast removed and been fitted with the moon boot. He can still not bear weight on his left leg at all and walks with crutches. We have had a physical therapy session which basically only entailed teaching Nate how to walk on crutches. It does not seem we will be receiving any true physical therapy here so we have information from Marc's family via internet and will do exercises with him ourselves at home to improve some range of motion and build back his lost muscle mass. We are still praying about what we should do long term for his best chance at full recovery. We are so grateful for Dr. Kitcat but he does not specialize in pediatric orthopedics and the situation economically is declining rapidly here in Zimbabwe. Even the hospital is having to run on generators.
March 31, 2011
March 25, 2011
May We Never Forget
This is an email I wrote back in 2007. Wow, this brings back lots of memories and floods my heart with gratitude all over again. How easily we forget the mystery, treasures, and mercy of God. May our lives continue to honor and praise Him all the days of our lives. And to think the story got even better, but that is for next time....
"Well, where do you begin recording the hardest last 5 days of your life. As most of you know and for those that don't we are sorry we have not had time, opportunity or energy to get ahold of you yet. This past Sunday afternoon, our little one Nate fell into a 20 m or 60 + foot dry well. We were visiting friends at Maforga mission with the American team from Teen Missions and having lunch at the directors home. The kids were all playing in the yard when we heard a horrible crash. Our first thought was that something large and metal had rolled into their truck. But within seconds kids were screaming and Micah came running with a look of horror on his face saying Nate fell.
Once we made our way around the corner of the building it became obvious to everyone that this was bad and that Nate had not just fallen but had crashed through some tin roofing that was placed over the opening to an old well and had fallen over 60 feet to the bottom. We heard him crying and moaning so our first reaction was that at least for the moment he was alive but we didn't know for how long. I remember seeing the look on peoples faces like there was no way he would ever come out of that hole alive.
Everyone first reaction was to pray. We had attended church on the property just a couple of hours before and the message given by Simon Mudiwa who is the coordinator of the work for Teen Missions here in Mozambique was that when bad news or bad things come our first response must be to pray and call out to the Lord. Thank you Lord for that word and your perfect timing. You see there was nothing else we could do except call out to the Lord and beg for Nate's life to be spared. It all seems to be somewhat of a blur as you can imagine but things moved quickly and efficiently. The Lord has made provision for every need in the situation. There happened and by happened I mean God ordained that there would be two nurses there with us that immediately started gathering needed supplies and making provision for treating him, some of the men began gathering ropes and vehicles to be used to pull him up.
A man from South Africa who we had just met immediately set to making a harness like rock climbers use to lower himself into the hole to get Nate. We have found out since he has never been rock climbing or tied those knots before but God moved his hands exactly as they needed to go in order for him to be lowered and for the harness to fit Nate to be brought out. The director Roy immediately called his friend, a pediatrician in Zimbabwe to make sure he would meet us at the clinic and asked that he get his friend Dr. Kitcat, the best surgeon in Zimbabwe to work on Nate. It only took a few minutes to get Nate out of the well and honestly we were scared about what we would see once he was out.
He was talking but mostly moaning and screaming. We had no idea how he had gone in and how he was going to come out. He was pulled out and placed on a board as a backboard. It was obvious he has fractured his right and left leg and probably fractured his left arm as well. There was blood coming from his nose and mouth. He was beginning to show signs of shock and we knew it would be a miracle if he survived let alone survived without any head injury or spinal damage. You cannot fall the equivalent of 5-6 story's without angels carrying you and survive. After what seemed like an eternity he was splinted put on a stretcher and placed in the back of a pickup with Marc and a nurse. Andrea, Micah and others rode in the front. We met up with Simon from Teen Missions with a vehicle that the strectcher would fit into on the main road as we raced to the border. It is an hour and a half drive to Zimbabwe's border.
Andrea, Micah and the director and his wife rushed on ahead to get visas as we know it normally takes 1 1/2 hours to get visas at the border. Marc, Nate, the nurse and Simon came behind. We cleared the border in record time and the van with Nate in it arrived just in time to go through about 10 minutes behind. We then went to the clinic where the doctor came, checked him, took xrays and established his injuries. He was unsure if he had injured his neck, back, head etc but dealt with what was in front of him. Nate had shattered his right ankle and snapped the left thigh bone right above the knee rotating the socket and making them completely out of line. He has dislocated his left elbow and apparently nothing else obvious. The doctors were most concerned about shock and as his BP fell all we could do was continue to pray and ask God to undertake for him.
Perhaps one of the most difficult things I have done in my life is to sit by his bedside listening to him groan and cry out in pain begging someone to please help him to make the pain go away. As a mother that is heart wrenching but all I could do was put him once again into Jesus' hands and beg for mercy. God was merciful beyond anything that we will ever comprehend. He has taken what the enemy meant for harm and turned it into a testimony of His grace and glory. The surgeon performed surgery on Monday morning. It took about 3 hours or so and helped to relieve his pain greatly. He has been drugged for the first few days but is now coming around and it is becoming obvious that he is his normal self. He has his sense of humor back, his rambunxious nature, and inability to sit still. He is in bed. His left leg has a full cast with a metal pin through it which they had to use to put his leg back in position. His right leg has a cast from his toes to his knee. His right arm is in a sling for three weeks. He will be in bed at the hospital for at least two weeks and then we are told it will be about another 8-12 weeks in casts. The doctor seemed reassured that he will walk again and be active without any trouble.
We say all of this to say we want to give God all the glory and honor for saving our boys life and for using him as a testimony to all of the doctors and hospital staff that hear us tell them it is only by God's grace that He is alive. They ask us over and over are you sure it was a 20 m fall. Yes, we tell them, God saved him. May we always give God the glory for each part of this event.
We are doing ok here in Zimbabwe. The pediatricican that first saw Nate has a small cottage that he has let Marc and Micah stay in free. Things are not good here as far as it is difficult to find and buy basic things like bread, soap, etc because of the crisis that the country is in financially. The doctors have been gracious to us and have been completely giving and compassionate. The first five days in the hospital cost 46, 000, 000 zimbabwe dollars. Because of the insane inflation that is about 266 usd. At the bank our money would only be worth 250 zim per 1 usd but everywhere else it is worth 180, 000 zim per 1 us. It is a crisis situation but at the present time we feel safe and know that we can trust the Lord for this part of this journey as well. We are able to receive US funds through Andrea's sister via Western Union wire transfer so that was a blessing as we had no US with us until this morning.
Please continue to pray with us for Nate's recovery. Please praise the Lord for His goodness and faithfulness to our family. May He be glorified through all of this.
With love and appreciation for everything,
Andrea ( and the family) "
"Well, where do you begin recording the hardest last 5 days of your life. As most of you know and for those that don't we are sorry we have not had time, opportunity or energy to get ahold of you yet. This past Sunday afternoon, our little one Nate fell into a 20 m or 60 + foot dry well. We were visiting friends at Maforga mission with the American team from Teen Missions and having lunch at the directors home. The kids were all playing in the yard when we heard a horrible crash. Our first thought was that something large and metal had rolled into their truck. But within seconds kids were screaming and Micah came running with a look of horror on his face saying Nate fell.
Once we made our way around the corner of the building it became obvious to everyone that this was bad and that Nate had not just fallen but had crashed through some tin roofing that was placed over the opening to an old well and had fallen over 60 feet to the bottom. We heard him crying and moaning so our first reaction was that at least for the moment he was alive but we didn't know for how long. I remember seeing the look on peoples faces like there was no way he would ever come out of that hole alive.
Everyone first reaction was to pray. We had attended church on the property just a couple of hours before and the message given by Simon Mudiwa who is the coordinator of the work for Teen Missions here in Mozambique was that when bad news or bad things come our first response must be to pray and call out to the Lord. Thank you Lord for that word and your perfect timing. You see there was nothing else we could do except call out to the Lord and beg for Nate's life to be spared. It all seems to be somewhat of a blur as you can imagine but things moved quickly and efficiently. The Lord has made provision for every need in the situation. There happened and by happened I mean God ordained that there would be two nurses there with us that immediately started gathering needed supplies and making provision for treating him, some of the men began gathering ropes and vehicles to be used to pull him up.
A man from South Africa who we had just met immediately set to making a harness like rock climbers use to lower himself into the hole to get Nate. We have found out since he has never been rock climbing or tied those knots before but God moved his hands exactly as they needed to go in order for him to be lowered and for the harness to fit Nate to be brought out. The director Roy immediately called his friend, a pediatrician in Zimbabwe to make sure he would meet us at the clinic and asked that he get his friend Dr. Kitcat, the best surgeon in Zimbabwe to work on Nate. It only took a few minutes to get Nate out of the well and honestly we were scared about what we would see once he was out.
He was talking but mostly moaning and screaming. We had no idea how he had gone in and how he was going to come out. He was pulled out and placed on a board as a backboard. It was obvious he has fractured his right and left leg and probably fractured his left arm as well. There was blood coming from his nose and mouth. He was beginning to show signs of shock and we knew it would be a miracle if he survived let alone survived without any head injury or spinal damage. You cannot fall the equivalent of 5-6 story's without angels carrying you and survive. After what seemed like an eternity he was splinted put on a stretcher and placed in the back of a pickup with Marc and a nurse. Andrea, Micah and others rode in the front. We met up with Simon from Teen Missions with a vehicle that the strectcher would fit into on the main road as we raced to the border. It is an hour and a half drive to Zimbabwe's border.
Andrea, Micah and the director and his wife rushed on ahead to get visas as we know it normally takes 1 1/2 hours to get visas at the border. Marc, Nate, the nurse and Simon came behind. We cleared the border in record time and the van with Nate in it arrived just in time to go through about 10 minutes behind. We then went to the clinic where the doctor came, checked him, took xrays and established his injuries. He was unsure if he had injured his neck, back, head etc but dealt with what was in front of him. Nate had shattered his right ankle and snapped the left thigh bone right above the knee rotating the socket and making them completely out of line. He has dislocated his left elbow and apparently nothing else obvious. The doctors were most concerned about shock and as his BP fell all we could do was continue to pray and ask God to undertake for him.
Perhaps one of the most difficult things I have done in my life is to sit by his bedside listening to him groan and cry out in pain begging someone to please help him to make the pain go away. As a mother that is heart wrenching but all I could do was put him once again into Jesus' hands and beg for mercy. God was merciful beyond anything that we will ever comprehend. He has taken what the enemy meant for harm and turned it into a testimony of His grace and glory. The surgeon performed surgery on Monday morning. It took about 3 hours or so and helped to relieve his pain greatly. He has been drugged for the first few days but is now coming around and it is becoming obvious that he is his normal self. He has his sense of humor back, his rambunxious nature, and inability to sit still. He is in bed. His left leg has a full cast with a metal pin through it which they had to use to put his leg back in position. His right leg has a cast from his toes to his knee. His right arm is in a sling for three weeks. He will be in bed at the hospital for at least two weeks and then we are told it will be about another 8-12 weeks in casts. The doctor seemed reassured that he will walk again and be active without any trouble.
We say all of this to say we want to give God all the glory and honor for saving our boys life and for using him as a testimony to all of the doctors and hospital staff that hear us tell them it is only by God's grace that He is alive. They ask us over and over are you sure it was a 20 m fall. Yes, we tell them, God saved him. May we always give God the glory for each part of this event.
We are doing ok here in Zimbabwe. The pediatricican that first saw Nate has a small cottage that he has let Marc and Micah stay in free. Things are not good here as far as it is difficult to find and buy basic things like bread, soap, etc because of the crisis that the country is in financially. The doctors have been gracious to us and have been completely giving and compassionate. The first five days in the hospital cost 46, 000, 000 zimbabwe dollars. Because of the insane inflation that is about 266 usd. At the bank our money would only be worth 250 zim per 1 usd but everywhere else it is worth 180, 000 zim per 1 us. It is a crisis situation but at the present time we feel safe and know that we can trust the Lord for this part of this journey as well. We are able to receive US funds through Andrea's sister via Western Union wire transfer so that was a blessing as we had no US with us until this morning.
Please continue to pray with us for Nate's recovery. Please praise the Lord for His goodness and faithfulness to our family. May He be glorified through all of this.
With love and appreciation for everything,
Andrea ( and the family) "
Figment of My Imagination
Ok, so apparently the Spring I thought was so quickly coming and nearly here was instead just a figment of my imagination because this is what this past week has looked like around here. NOT Spring!
March 21, 2011
March 20, 2011
I Will Bring Praise
This morning while worshipping at church I could not get away from these words:
"All of my life,
in every season,
You are still God.
I have a reason to sing.
I have a reason to worship."
It was if God's voice was whispering to me that He knows this is a different season for me
but He is still God and wants me to continue singing and worshipping Him through it all.
March 18, 2011
God's Resonsible for the Increase
This is an email we received a couple of months ago from our Mozambican friend, Antonio. When we originally met Antonio he was a Bible school student, then a staff member at the mission base we were overseeing. He was a great blessing to Marc and we have maintained a relationship with him even though we were no longer working together when last in Mozambique. What a blessing to trust in God, the one that gives increase and promises that no seeds that are planted will return without a yield. I am not sure I am capable of truly explaining how uncommon and how wonderful it is to hear Antonio, allow God to birth a vision in Him to care and minister to his own people.
"Hi Dear Pavkov’s,
Greetings with peace of the King of kings!! We are fine. It has passed a long time that we don’t communicate.
I would like to thank God for opening the opportunity for us to meet as one family. Also, I want to thank you for impacting Mozambicans especially me. I learned a lot from you guys. It's about one year since I left working with my former mission and am now working with the Sena tribe in Sofala province. I am a teacher of the Bible School training offered under Africa wa Yesu Mission (Africa for Jesus). Also, I have received a vision from God. The vision is to minister to ELDERLY’S HEARTS especially vulnerable widows. I’m taking it seriously. The vision is to impact them in three different areas: spiritually, morally and physically. In Sofala it is different with Manica province (where we were based and met Antonio). The land is not good for production. People suffer with hunger. You can have no idea howdifficult it is for the widows to be surviving . Those are real widows whose husbands died during war conflicts and some with different kind of illness.
So many of them are rejected with their relatives. Witchcraft and those things brings bitterness in their lives. Please pray with me. You know to start some thing is a challenge. I don’t speak theSena language. I have to find someone to translate for me. I don’t have the resources to support the vision. I HAVE to focus on teaching the word of God, telling them the position that they have in God. Bible studies will take key place, feeding them with word of God, prayers, helping them to grow in spiritual stuff. I have to deal with their culture and habits. The idea is to help them with physical needs like food, house for those that doesn’t have, clothing them, and taking care of them. We cannot just minister the word then say go in peace, while they are in need."
"Hi Dear Pavkov’s,
I would like to thank God for opening the opportunity for us to meet as one family. Also, I want to thank you for impacting Mozambicans especially me. I learned a lot from you guys. It's about one year since I left working with my former mission and am now working with the Sena tribe in Sofala province. I am a teacher of the Bible School training offered under Africa wa Yesu Mission (Africa for Jesus). Also, I have received a vision from God. The vision is to minister to ELDERLY’S HEARTS especially vulnerable widows. I’m taking it seriously. The vision is to impact them in three different areas: spiritually, morally and physically. In Sofala it is different with Manica province (where we were based and met Antonio). The land is not good for production. People suffer with hunger. You can have no idea howdifficult it is for the widows to be surviving . Those are real widows whose husbands died during war conflicts and some with different kind of illness.
So many of them are rejected with their relatives. Witchcraft and those things brings bitterness in their lives. Please pray with me. You know to start some thing is a challenge. I don’t speak theSena language. I have to find someone to translate for me. I don’t have the resources to support the vision. I HAVE to focus on teaching the word of God, telling them the position that they have in God. Bible studies will take key place, feeding them with word of God, prayers, helping them to grow in spiritual stuff. I have to deal with their culture and habits. The idea is to help them with physical needs like food, house for those that doesn’t have, clothing them, and taking care of them. We cannot just minister the word then say go in peace, while they are in need."
March 15, 2011
Spring
It is 54 degrees today as I sit looking out our office window. It seems Spring has just about come. Winter has nearly passed and the deadness is almost a thing of the past. Trees are beginning to bring about new green buds. Water is raging in the river behind our house from melting snow. Both of these speaking of new life. Often, I am so like these dead trees and parched land that desperately needs sun and water to bring it back to life. Trees need sunlight to warm it and breath new life into it. I need Jesus, the Son to do the same for me. Land needs water. I need the water of the Holy Spirit to quench my weary heart and make living streams flow. March 13, 2011
Imagining Grief
I imagine grief to be a wave of emotion that completely blindsides you, washes over you and overwhelms you or sometimes a sensing of a low rumble heading your way and you trying to brace yourself for its arrival. Although I have not suffered great grief in my life by losing a loved one, I feel I have been met face to face with loss. It is heart wrenching and most often comes out of nowhere and I find myself caught, unprepared.
There is Rosa, our orphan that died last year, literally starving to death. I cry for her. I wish things were different and that we had reached her in time to make a difference. I am frustrated that all she needed was food. WHY did this baby die of hunger merely because her father was too poor to care for her? It angers me. I wonder if anyone even notices she is gone from this earth. I remember and my heart breaks for her.
There is Farofa, the little one I so desperately feel in love with and imagined making part of our family. I cry for him. I wonder if he is alive, has enough food, is healthy, has a warm place to sleep, still able to attend school, and has someone to give him a hug everyday and tell him they love him. I love him and am sad that I can't.
My heart is for the orphan. I see their suffering. My heart longs to care for them. They are so alone. They desperately need love and compassion. They need to be remembered, not forgotten. I long to walk beside them and shelter them against this cruel world. I want to feed them, clothe them, shower affection on them, encourage them, and share with them God's great love and passion for them.
I don't know how to process these loses except to pour them at the feet of Jesus. Thankfully that is the best place for this heartache to be. Here is is safe in the arms of the one who loves and cares the most.
My heart is for the orphan. I see their suffering. My heart longs to care for them. They are so alone. They desperately need love and compassion. They need to be remembered, not forgotten. I long to walk beside them and shelter them against this cruel world. I want to feed them, clothe them, shower affection on them, encourage them, and share with them God's great love and passion for them.
I don't know how to process these loses except to pour them at the feet of Jesus. Thankfully that is the best place for this heartache to be. Here is is safe in the arms of the one who loves and cares the most.
March 11, 2011
Our Latest News
Choosing to Live Grateful
Most of us come to points in our lives where we struggle to see the blessings that surround us and instead focus on the shortcomings. Maybe it is in physical ways like material items, relationships, health and finances. Maybe it is in our own personal attributes like talents, giftings, and the purpose for our lives. Regardless, what we believe, even lies, can cause us to see ourselves as something different, something less than what we truly are and what God made us to become. When we have this clouded vision we cling to discontentment and find ourselves focusing on all the wrong things.
These last few months have been a struggle for us. We have felt like fish out of water, not sure where we belong or what world we are supposed to fit into. Although, we are confident this is where we belong for now we still have questions. At times we feel inadequate, incomplete, incompetent, injured and overwhelmed. But like so many times before, God in His magnificent grace, has drawn us to Himself and shown us that in our lacking He is more than enough. When we turn our eyes on Him we find He is the fulfillment of all that we need. He is waiting to carry our burdens. We simply must choose to shift our eyes from the temporal, circumstantial things to the eternal, God breathed things.
We’ve been discovering that finding this place of rest and peace come from choosing to live GRATEFUL. Each time we face an unknown we are choosing to see the blessings, to walk in contentment. We are striving to remember that His Word tells us that He will never leave us or forsake us. NEVER. When we face new challenges and struggles brought on by life and sometimes even our own weak flesh we are choosing to look to Him because he has met our needs like none other can.
Living GRATEFUL comes naturally when we understand that we are NOTHING without His grace. We recognize our deep need and weakness so His power and plan are not lost mingled amongst our flesh. We choose to walk by the spirit and not the flesh and remain grateful for His great love and grace that makes it possible to find joy amongst heartbreak and peace amongst confusion.
We want to thank you for your love and prayers that have lifted us up and helped us adjust to this new path. We are so grateful for those that walk along this journey with us. We do not know what the future holds but our prayer is that God will be glorified in all things.
Prayer Points
· Intimacy with the Lord.
· Wisdom raising the boys.
· Discernment for ministry involvement.
· Fellowship in home school.
· Godly friendships.
· Diligence for Andrea as she pursues Medical Transcriptionist training.
· Health, Provision & Safety for friends in Mozambique.
We’ve Moved….We’ve been blessed to find a great rental house for a great deal. Our family has enjoyed opening boxes that have been gathering dust for months.
Our new address:
The Pavkov Family
10 Lookout Circle
Penacook, NH 03303
Home Phone #603-753-2530
We’ve Moved….We’ve been blessed to find a great rental house for a great deal. Our family has enjoyed opening boxes that have been gathering dust for months.
Our new address:
The Pavkov Family
10 Lookout Circle
Penacook, NH 03303
Home Phone #603-753-2530
March 6, 2011
Cooking Stateside
So, one of the things I have really missed not having our own place, like most woman would I imagine, is not having my own kitchen. I enjoy cooking and baking because it makes me feel as though I am caring for my family in a tangible way. In Africa, you learn to be creative and resourceful as many ingredients are not available. You also learn to cook and bake a lot from scratch because there are not many prepared items and what few they have are usually outrageously priced. So I thank Africa for teaching me to love to cook and bake. Tonight is the first night I am making a real meal since landing in our new place. On the menu for this evening.......
Honey Teriyaki Chicken Breasts
Rice Pilaf
Fresh Garlic Pepper and Herb Roasted Green Beans
Garden Salad
and for Dessert
Brownies topped with Cherry Vanilla Frozen Yogurt
I am pretty popular around here tonight. Haven't you heard that a way to a man's (our young man's) heart is through his stomach. VOILA....I am firmly planted in all three of my men's hearts tonight.
March 4, 2011
Moved
Lately, I have been thinking hearts need a home as well. I am finding that at times mine feels like it is stretched out across the ocean, still attached to Africa and the people we left behind. I am not sure that I will ever lose that sense and maybe I am not supposed to really. When I look back over my life, I can see attachments of my heart scattered all across the globe because of the people I have been privlidged to share my life with to this point. What a treasure, even when it's painful. I thank the Lord for each one He has placed in my life. I am realizing that home for my heart needs to be with the Lord alone. Not a place, not a people, but in Him. He gives me the gift of loving others, discovering new places, but only so my heart can grow more toward Him.
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