Answered
Thursday, October 23, 2008 at 10:40AM “God works in mysterious ways.”
I have heard that statement a number of times in my life but sometimes, it seems the only response.
Last weekend I was working a Via de Cristo weekend on the music team. I have written about Cursillo and VDC lots of times so I will not bore you with too much info about them but one thing you need to know is that all of us working are called “Team” and the people attending the weekend are referred to as “Pilgrims.”
On Thursday night when VDC begins we all meet and greet in the dining area until we officially get started. I was hanging out making sure I had all my music ready to go and was talking to a few people I had worked with on team in the past but who were just there dropping off pilgrims who they sponsored. I love Thursday night at VDC!
“GEORGE!”
I looked around to see who called my name and saw my friend Tammy who I worked with over a year ago on team.
“George, I was praying that you would be working this weekend! I really want you to meet our friends. We sponsored them and they are so great!” Tammy was so excited.
I followed her over to a few people sitting down against the wall.
“George this is Trevelyn. Her and her husband are pilgrims!”
I shook hands with Trevelyn who already seemed like someone I would get along with. She had a very real energy about her. We talked for a few moments and she told me that she wanted me to meet her husband.
“I am worried about him. He was really nervous about coming up here because he is on an insulin pump and get embarrassed about it. Tammy told me you are a Type 1 also and on a pump so I thought that maybe you could talk to him and just… I don’t know, talk to him about it?”
Her eyes were welling up with tears. I wanted to meet with him first because he was a pilgrim and I did not want to bring up something like diabetes if it would make him uncomfortable. I agreed to go meet him but I told her, “I will sit with you guys when we eat and when he sees me bolus then maybe we can start the diabetes talk then. I don’t want to make him uncomfortable.”
She totally agreed and went to meet him.
Lars was wearing a very cool hat and sported a soul patch. I already liked this guy. We talked for a few minutes and I told him I was playing on the music team all weekend. He thought that was cool since he plays Harmonica and Saxophone. He said, “So I am guessing you aren’t going to play any Leopard this weekend huh?” Oh man, I love this guy! HE ROCKS!
That was all for that night but the next day at lunch I sat down with him, his wife, and my sister (who was also on the music team with me).
As soon as I sat down Lars asked, “So which pump are you on?”
I thought, “Woah! Okay! This is going to move a lot faster then I thought.”
It turns out we are both using Minimed 722’s and he also went on to tell me that his 6 year old son is using the 722 too. His son was diagnosed at 4. We shared ups and downs. Frustrations and day to day stuff. We swapped horror stories and it just felt good to have this extra layer of connection besides our belief in God.
Lars said, “We are so fed up with the way most diabetes education is and how frustrating insurance that we are starting our own non-profit organization. We will have to let you know when we get it up and running so you can sign up on the website!”
“Really!?! I would love to help you guys out in any way possible! I mean, I don’t know what I could do but I am willing to help in any way I can! You have to understand that this…” I had to look away.
I looked at my sister who smiled back. My eyes were welling up and my heart felt like it was going to overheat with joy. My voice became a whisper when I said, “I have been praying for an opportunity like this for a long time.”
We all smiled and cried together. It was amazing.
Tammy prayed that I was going to work this weekend.
God was the one working.
