I Can Explain: How my husband almost became handicapped while helping the handicapped

God has given my husband the gift of serving as the Bible talks about in 1Corithians 12. If you need something done, just ask him.

One way he serves in our church is by participating in the ramp group. This group of men, mostly in their sixties, seventies, and eighties build ramps for those who’ve recently gotten out of the hospital and are now in wheelchairs. It’s an amazing ministry.

Recently they worked at an elderly lady’s house. The lady has seven German shepherds who went to doggie day camp that day. But apparently, the dogs love to dig. There was a foot-deep hole in the front yard that was covered with grass. Of course, my dear spouse found that very spot to step. He tripped, rolled a couple of times, and continued to work.

When he came home, he complained about his left shoulder hurting. I performed the usual first aid such as pain pills and medicated rubs. Thankfully, he had no broken bones, but it could’ve been bad.

But—that wasn’t all of the story. The same afternoon after the fall, he had a doctor’s appointment which he kept. Afterward, he got in the car to leave then hollered “Ouch.” He swatted in the direction of his arm, opened the driver’s door, and shooed a wasp out. Sure enough, the insect had bitten him twice, on the same injured arm.

The next day, he said his shoulder didn’t hurt. So, you guessed it. He went back to the construction site to join his buddies for day two of the project. So far, my phone hasn’t wrung with any reports of injuries.

In any case, I’ve determined blood could flow from my husband’s limb, or an entire bee colony could chew him up, and he’d merely apply a bandage or rub on “after the bite” and continue with his project.