During Elbita’s stay in the hospital, she experienced God’s love. She was in the ER all day and later that night was put in a room that was large with a nice window view of town. About 15 minutes later she was taken to get some tests done and returned to her room about 1 hour later. She was just getting settled in when the nurse told her they were moving her to another floor because they needed that room for someone else. She asked why they couldn’t put that person in another room since she was already there. She was moved from the orthopedic floor to the burn section. She was concerned that she would not be seen as often by the orthopedic doctors.
She arrived to a smaller room around midnight. The nurse and nurse assistant greeted her and asked her how she felt. Elbita told them she felt disappointed and the nurse said “God will take care of you”. That reminded her who was in charge of her situation. First she talked with the assistant nurse who told Elbita that her job was not important. She was very tender with Elbita who told her she was important to her. The assistant left and the nurse came in and Elbita identified herself as a missionary because she remembered the nurse’s comment about God. The nurse praised God for bringing Elbita and Lester here to share God’s love with others. The nurse said she had been praying for missionaries to come to Umea and explained that her coworker was a new believer.
She was the only patient on this floor that night and they talked about God then the three of them prayed together until 2 in the morning. Among themselves they joked that the reason Elbita was moved to their floor was in order for them to meet her. They said it would be funny if Elbita got moved back to where she came from later that day, but that they were blessed by having her there. Later that day a nurse came to tell Elbita that she was being moved back to the same floor where she came from.(The nurses that prayed with Elbita had gone home from their shift and were not aware of this). To Elbita’s surprise, she went back to the exact same room.
Elbita only had the first name of the nurse, and she tried to contact them while still in the hospital without success. She was discharged after spending 5 days in the hospital. After a few days, by the grace of God and with only the nurse’s first name, she was able to löcate her and called her. The nurse was surprised but glad to hear from her and they have agreed to get together soon.
God works in mysterious ways. Elbita was feeling bad about being moved, but God had other plans. He is still at work, even in the hospital to bring together His children so they can meet, rejoice, and build relationships.