“Serving overseas as a small-town boy from America is intense, stressful and humorous! Enjoy a light-hearted story with me from our last 20 years overseas!”
– Matt
A friend in time of need
How do you connect with people and friends? In training people to live and thrive overseas, we have often encouraged them to find two or three areas, interests, or pursuits that they like doing in the new culture. It is a great way to connect with the culture and engage with the local people.
I grew up with track and field and lived next to my high school’s head coach for quite some time as a kid. Doing some sort of running sport overseas has been a natural and great way to get to know the locals that we serve. I have made some great friends and some I have made in the competition itself.
I remember running a local endurance race on the steep mountain trails. It had over 5,000 feet of elevation change in the hilly race. As the race went on, so did the hot temperatures, and those aid stations with drinks and food became even more important. I have to admit that I am almost more interested in an endurance race for the aid station goodies, than the actual running itself.
In this mountain race, the aid stations were fabulous. In stopping at one towards the end of the race, I mowed down on fresh fruits like mango, papaya, etc. However, in my delirious devouring of fruit in my famished and fatigued state, I ate the skin of quite a few pieces of fruit. About a mile later, my stomach let me know of my mistake with feelings of nausea and pain. Combined with the heat, I knew I was in trouble, and the coming aid station (and help) was far down the trail. I had already heard the helicopters throughout the race that were the tell-tale sign of runners who couldn’t finish and were being evacuated.
I was ready to walk back a mile to the last station to avoid a headache for the organization having to copter me out, if I couldn’t make it to the next station. But that was when another runner came up to me. To be polite, he asked how I was doing, not because he couldn’t tell that I was obviously in big trouble. When I explained what I thought had happened, he went right to work. He got my fingers down my throat to induce vomiting to get those fruit skins out and splashed water down the back of my neck. I was 100% better in a few minutes, but still in no shape to finish the race safely. He said that it would be a pity to end the race at this point and said he’d go with me for the last 5 miles or so – and he did!
I re-learned a lesson about friendship that day. It wasn’t so much that I loved doing track and field back in Indiana, but spending time with the coaches and students who were my friends. I also learned that skin on a crunchy apple or hot baked potato is one thing, but stay away from it on mangos and papayas!
Something similar ever happen to you? Contact me and let me hear your story!
mattsmishaps@gmail.com Matt’s Mishaps, PO BOX 114, Grabill, IN 46741
