Hello! Since going on the race I have really fell in love with the game of soccer. It helps when everyone in Latin and South America love it. So that is often how we connect with kids here. Thus we play fútbol mucho. However, as you all May have known, one day while playing soccer in Nicaragua with some children, I hurt my ankle. I am not really sure how it happened except that there was a cement slab and I fell on it maybe by tripping on a rock but also from a ten year old kid. Either way I hurt my ankle. It was quite sad for me because I knew I would not be able to play soccer with the boys in Nicaragua for the rest of my time there 🙁
Insert my friend Eliezer. He is on staff at LASM and works with the boys in the classroom. He teaches them Bible, English and lots about mindset. My first memory of him is walking to get a 5 gallon jug of water. My friend Morgan and I went. They were pretty heavy and we had to stop 3 times on the way back due to being tired. Haha Eliezer gave us a hard time. Eliezer is like a brother to me and teases me like my brothers do back home. When I hurt my foot he said oh we can just cut it off right? Lol this is something my dad would definitely say. My teammate had also brought me a coke that day and he goes is that the medicine? Haha I love his humor and that specific day when I hurt my foot, it brought me a lot of joy and got my mind off what happened.
After going to the doctors in Nicaragua they said I had a hairline fracture and recommended a cast for 3 weeks.
It was challenging for me in a lot of ways, to ask for help and not participate fully in ministry. It also brought up lots of questions in regard to healing that I am still talking to God about. 
However, during that time in Nicaragua with my hurt foot, I had the privilege of working with two boys with disabilities.
One of the boys was Julio, who was the brother of one of the boys in the classroom. I don’t have a picture of him, but I only worked with him for two days before he got sick and had to stay home. I made a bunch of materials for him and did not get to use a ton of them. He was a joy to work with and I just remember feeling at home and comfortable working with him. Julio loved playing with the broom and running around.
Now meet Hassón, aka Jason in English.
He is a little boy that came to the ministry for only 3 days right before we left. He was PURE JOY and so so smart and determined. His favorite thing was balloons, and knocking things over. I ended up getting to use the materials I made for Julio with Hassón, so it worked out.
These boys showed me so much in the short amount of time I got to work with them. There is definitely a need for resources and help for children with disabilities abroad. It broke my heart for the community because I wanted to provide so much more. I thank God for bringing me these two boys and wonder if I had not hurt my foot if I would have even met them?
Anyway, after being in a cast for three weeks and arriving in Colombia I went to see an orthopedic doctor who told me I could start walking on it. Yay! I was very excited to be making gains after three weeks of being in a cast. This was also good news because the ministry we were at in Colombia is called Ciudad Refugio and it has many stairs. The city of Medellin Colombia also has a lot of hills. So when I arrived in Colombia it was difficult to get around with crutches and very tiring. 
Now, I have been out of a cast for three weeks. The first week I was limping around because that’s what happens when you haven’t moved the muscles in your foot in three weeks so it was really tight. But now i am walking without a limp and I just wear a brace and sometimes a compression sock. Come to find out they really love compression socks here (Colombia) for things. My ankle is still not completely back to normal yet, and still gets sore when I’m on it a lot and a little swollen. I have been continuing to stretch it as it is still tight and not as flexible as my left one.
This past month in Colombia, It was cool to be in a place (Ciudad Refugio) where so much healing occurs for people and to be healing myself!
Overall, I am thankful for the healing that has come and hopefully will be back to playing soccer in no time. 🙂 That is the update on my foot and a few good things that came from it.
Thank you all for your continued support and prayers!
Till next time,
<3 Cass
Cassady, I had a friend who was born in Peru to missionary parents. Due to complications at birth, her left side of her body did not work real well. She learned sign language, then spent her life ( until cancer), working with the deaf community in the Amazon area of Iquitos, Peru. The deaf are considered worthless and usually become beggars. Because of the villages being spread way apart, a deaf person might not ever meet another deaf person, and they just use their own made-up signs. She spent years finding deaf people, bringing them together to meet others, teaching them basic sign language, and leading many to the Lord. She also worked in a church for the deaf ( the pastor was deaf), translating into Spanish for the hearing people because many of them had family members that were not deaf. God used her disability as a door to help the deaf in Peru. Side note- I got to visit her and see this ministry back in 1996.
Another part of that story is that I had an uncle who worked with Wycliffe Bible translators for many years. Right near the end of his life, he had reached out to my friend because his organization realized that the deaf community needs a Bible translation in “their” language. I don’t understand what all that means, but I do know that God loves those people and they need to hear from Him too. My friend and my uncle were just one small part of reaching a community that needs to hear about Jesus.
Yes, soccer is huge! We see kids in Mexico, kicking around anything round! ?
It is currently November 14th and we are in Pullman, seeing Gretchen.?? Last night we happened to go through some old pictures, and of course, there you were! There was a really sweet picture from homecoming at your parents place with sweet Lucas in it. ??. We’ll be driving back to Mexico at the end of the month.
Also, I like it when you are able to post a few pictures on FB or be tagged in a teammates video – like about your travel day. Thanks for making the effort to keep people updated and I do pray for you.
“…and wonder if I had not hurt my foot if I would have even met them?”
All things happen for a reason (the Lord works in mysterious ways). Are you almost a third of the way through your experience? What stories you will tell, and how each person you meet will remember you. Short memories will last a lifetime.
I remember when your Dad and I were in a train station somewhere in Europe… tired from a night train of travel and trying to get our local bearings. A man came up to us and asked, in English, “what do you need to find?” We told him and he said, “come on, I will guide you.” Then he walked us to the street we wanted and disappeared into a crowd shortly after we thanked him. He served in this small way, selflessly. Sometimes a simple kindness goes a great way to restore a feeling of confidence. I am also pleased to learn that you have people there that tease you 🙂 – Be safe.
Right Char? They surely did radiate Joy! 🙂 it will be exciting to see them again one day in the kingdom. Also cannot wait to see you soon at debrief! 🙂
Scott, so true! The Lord does work in mysterious ways! 🙂 It is cool how those short interactions can be so sweet and that we can remember them forever! We are 4 months in and have 7 more left. Time is sure flying by!
Hey Bro,
Yeah, I honestly feel there is a greater need abroad. Or at least the places I have been. There are just not a lot of resources out there that are accessible for families and different communities. It is sad. I have also noticed that there is still a lot more stigma around it in other cultures. Surrounding disabilities that is. Things I prepared for Hasson were papers that I printed of tracing materials and then I would use this sticky stuff that worked as laminator sheets so you could use a whiteboard pen on it. I also made some sensory toys, so like he enjoyed balloons and I filled a bag with sand for him. He had enough motor control to write and then we also played games where I would have him say colors and such. Miss you and love you so much! I hope your thanksgiving was good! 🙂
Becky! That is incredible. We never know the small or large impact we are making just by doing something small. Thanks for sharing that. I know, soccer is huge in Latin America and South America! How was your time with Gretchen? I also sometimes get memories of Gretchen and I either at homecoming or tennis. Good times for sure! I hope thanksgiving for you guys was good. Thank you again for your support and prayers! 🙂
I love how despite your predicament you were able to serve! Especially sweet is that you ministered to a couple boys who you might not have been involved with otherwise. That boy seems to radiate joy. Won’t it be fun to see him again in the kingdom!
Cass,
So glad to hear about your healing process and some of the wonderful people you have worked with. I do not think I have ever really had to use crutches on stairs but I bet it would really suck! Haha. You have worked with children with special needs in the US and abroad now. Do you feel that there is a greater need abroad or in the US? Also, what kind of materials did you prepare to work with Hassan?
Miss you and love you much!!