Pleasure spiked with pain

3688 kilometers, Pyhäranta, Finland

Arrived safe and sound in Pyhäranta (Holy Beach) without any major incidents. Dropped by Lahti to visit Petra who utterly spoiled us with delicious food (which was quite expected). Driving took a bit longer than expected, but finally we arrived at the address we thought was correct, but assumed we has got it all wrong, as the "house" turned out to be a huge mansion-like residence right on the water. We tentatively walk up to the house and ring the bell, almost expecting a butler to ask us for the purpose of our visit. Instead we are greeted with hugs and ice-cream. Beats any butler I've ever met.

Our friends are exploring communal living for the summer and mix work, meals and prayer in an interesting mix. They are usually around 10, but tonight we have a midsummer celebration, expecting around 40 people to show up. We even sent some hand-made invitations to some folks from the local elderly home, so we may even be more than that.

So far we've just been resting, pretty much doing nothing but reading, eating, praying, eating, rowing out to an island, having saunas, eating and swimming. Bliss.

However, this morning, we were rudely shaken out of this bliss, as Misty and Scot's son Evan (4 years old) woke up sick, and soon was didn't respond to any exterior stimulation at all. Here is where the Finns impress me. Within 10 minutes of our phone-call the ambulance as well as the local rescue patrol arrive (remember, we are in the sticks). They decide they need advice from a doctor, so after another ten minutes a helicopter (not kidding!) flies in with a doctor who does some further tests. 7 people all in all. Turns out Evan had really low blood sugar for some reason (as I know a thing or two about that, I should have been able to read the symptoms), and after a shot of glucagon he was doing better. Because we have no idea why this happened, they are bringing him to the hospital in Turku for observation and further tests. During all of this we have been praying and have been quite worried, so if you are the praying kind, please pray for protection and clear answers for the Bowers.

However, we are sure everything will turn out OK in the end (God has it sorted. If anything, he has proved that to us this trip). The only thing that saddens us is that we won't be able to say a proper goodbye to Misty and Evan if they stay at the hospital over night, as we need to head up alone to Oulo early tomorrow. Misty and Scot are heading over to Sweden early next week, but all that depends on what the test results are. More later.