I realized Thanksgiving weekend was the third anniversary of
my first blog. And to no surprise and
gratefully I might add, Jay has become our resident blogger. However, I have a couple building up inside
me. Today, I will share one.
Jamil and I were blessed to spend the day together. It was a day filled with unanticipated
painful immunizations.
As we left the
ranch this morning, we were expecting the TB test to be checked and a physical
exam for our immigration status to move forward to the next stage. However, the nurse let us know she could not
do the exam until he had his Hep A, Hep B, Meningococcal, and flu vaccinations. So, we were given directions to the Cleveland
County Health Department. The nurse told
us to come back at 1:30pm and she would work us back in for the exam. (Dilemma:
North Pole City had been gracious enough to make an appointment at 1:30
today for Jamil to see and meet Santa.
They do this for special situations.)
I told the nurse, but I would change the Santa pictures. She was so sweet. She recommended that we go ahead and go to
North Pole City and then to come back to the clinic when we were finished. So, off to the health department we
went. The staff was friendly and we were
called back within 15 minutes. One
problem: They were out of the menningococcal vaccine. So as Jamil was getting his 3 somewhat
painful injections, I was on the phone to our pediatrician’s office in
Edmond. Of course, it was his half day
and I’m calling at 11:45am. The sweet
triage nurse said she would check with the doctor on call and get back with me
at 1pm. (Did I mention the Santa
pictures?) The nurse at the Health
Department said that sometimes a pharmacy will have this vaccine, but I should
call to check first. Yeah, for the
Walgreens in Norman on Main!
They had
it! Only downfall, they don’t accept our
insurance so I got to pay a pretty penny for this fourth painful shot!! I called off our pediatrician’s office and
off to Wendy’s we went for a hamburger and Frosty! (The smallest Frosty I’ve
ever seen. However, they did give Jamil
two!) He enjoyed both.
We were now on our way to North Pole City to see Santa. I had called Meredith Crowder to see if we
might stop by Newcastle on the way back to the ranch to meet the girls. I told her we were going to North Pole City
at 1:30. She said they had talked about
going there today too. With all of our
unforeseen detours, I hadn’t talked to her again.
The very kind lady who had set our appointment was at
Santa’s Spot and said we’d be next. This
sweet Santa takes time with each child or children. He gets to know them before a single picture
is snapped.
I was impressed. As our
children have gotten older, we have explained to them about the true Santa
Claus, St. Nicholas, when the time came as they matured. We decided to explain this to Jamil since he
is thirteen. We’ve told him about how in
the United States Christmas can be more about Santa (who is known to live at
the North Pole and fly around the world in a sleigh with reindeer), than the
birth of Jesus. First, Santa, realizing
Jamil was 13 was giving him some wisdom about working hard and saving money for
a car because 16 isn’t too far away. He
asked Jamil what he would like for him to bring him for Christmas. This sweet Santa, after learning Jamil was
from Uganda(where a good Christmas was enough families having the finances to
pool together to have meat at their Christmas meal) and this was his first
Christmas season in the United States, eloquently explained the story of
St. Nicholas.
Santa noted that St. Nicholas
was a young boy whose parents died from a plague and was adopted by some religious
men, monks, in Turkey. He also pointed
out that Turkey is a country not too far from Uganda. He then explained how the monks owned an inn
with stables and worked hard. Nicholas
took over the business and found himself with more wealth than he needed. He saw others in his village in need. So, he began giving gifts at Christmas anonymously. He did not want any credit for this good deed
from man. Santa went on to explain that
sometimes, because here in the US there is so much “to do” about Christmas,
often its true meaning is lost for many.
Christmas is truly about the birth of Jesus. Also, the first gifts were special gifts
given to Jesus by the wisemen. Santa
asked me about Jamil’s medical condition.
After I gave him a quick version, he asked Jamil if it would be alright
with him if we prayed together and he place his hand on Jamil’s head. Jamil said, “Yes.” As the prayer ended, I heard Meredith call my
name. So, we got to meet the girls, and
get a few more pictures with Santa.
Jamil was able to speak to the Crowder girls in Luganda.
We headed back to the clinic in Norman and finished the
exam. The results of this exam are the next step in our legal process with Jamil. We can now officially apply for his permanent residency.
On the way home, Jamil asked me if
I had Santa’s number. I think he
realized he forgot to tell him what he wanted for Christmas. I told him we could send him a letter. A little later down the road ,Jamil and I
talked about how we are not promised a life without detours and pain. But, there are some really precious moments
in the midst of it as well. The most
important is the Presence of the Lord through it all. A Glimpse of Things Unseen, is a book
worth your time to read, by Mark Buchanan.
I’m not finished with it yet, but the Lord has used it as I have been
struggling as I see a young boy switching cultures. Switching from a culture of contentment,
respectfulness, colorblindness, yet intense poverty in Uganda to one of discontentment,
materialism, and racial tensions here. This biblical book reminded me God has put
in us the reason we are never truly satisfied because this is not our
home. I pray, Lord let me choose to let
Your light shine through me as I pass through this temporary place of bitter-sweetness,
to my true home. For each of us, there is an opportunity, which was given to us
to choose over 2000 years ago, beginning in a manger in Bethlehem.
Jill
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