Gallup, NM, Church of God Navajo Camp Meeting
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The first mission trip Maerita and her mother travel by car to Gallup, NM. They ministered to the children at the first Church of God's Navajo Camp Meeting. It was outdoors at Red Rock Park in Gallup. The surprising fact they learned was monsoon rains hit every day with no warning. They were adored by the children and adults. Maerita took her clown character PC. Everyday, for the children's services Maerita would dress up as different characters for the Bible Stories. They taught the children songs with actions. One day, the anointing was so strong, they had a powerful prayer time rebuking trauma off the children and helpers. The last day, the children and Maerita put on a program for the adults. Then PC made balloon sculptures for all the children. You can see the slide show on the Children's Ministry page.
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Sint Maarten (Dutch) Mission Trip
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Maerita went on a mission trip to Sint Maarten in 2002. She sang nightly, during a week revival at Pastor Emmanuel's church. Therefore,she knew the island of Sint Maarten was tiny. It measures 8.2 miles from North to South boarders and 9.2 miles from West to East boarders. According to the Sint Maarten website it is the biggest smallest island in the world. The island is run by two countries France on the North side about 20 square miles and The Kingdom of the Netherlands or Dutch on the South side 13 square miles.
On September 5, 2017 just hours prior to the monster Hurricane Irma hitting Sint Maarten Maerita called the Christian Fellowship Church office phone. She talked with Jasmine the secretary, and said she would be praying for their protection. Mama Mae and Maerita held the Sint Maarten beach towel as a point of contact praying for the church. They watched the NOAA National Hurricane website for hours as the storm approached and the eye passed on top of the tiny island only 37 square miles. The winds were clocked at 225 mph with wind gusts of 300 mph on Sint Maarten the island was devastated. When they were able to contact Pastor Emmanuel he told them their church received the least amount of damage on the entire island about $10,000. Christian Fellowship Church was a shelter for 100 people and no one was injured or killed when all the large windows and doors blew out. This was a miracle! |
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After the hurricane passed it took almost a month later to contact the church due to the phone lines being down. Maerita felt they should go to Sint Maarten to help the church with the recovery process. Maerita and her mother drove to Buffalo, NY in a lake effect snow blizzard and were stranded and had to delay their flight. They stayed at a cousin’s house for two days because all flights were delayed due to the snow blizzard. Finally, it was clear and they went to Buffalo airport and flew into Atlanta, GA that also had a snow storm. That is where they caught a flight to Sint Maarten in December 2017. This was Mama Mae's first Mission Trip and she was so excited. Friends and family had donated the money to purchase her airline ticket. Communicating back to the USA was a challenge because, not all the telecommunication services or electricity were restored on the island. The airport was operational during day light only because all the runway lights were destroyed. At that time, the island was not open to tourists because 90% of the buildings were damaged or destroyed. Mama Mae and Maerita took supplies and helped the church clean up from the hurricane. The local Value Home Center in Harborcreek, provided $100.00 of supplies and Heart Print Ministries purchased more than $100.00 of items to take to Sint Maarten to help them rebuild their homes. Upon arriving at the island they were shocked at the devastation. They saw ships in the middle of the road and houses totally destroyed. The Pastor said, "the church was so excited they came from the United States to help with the recovery process." |
Maerita, Jasmine and Mama Mae
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Mama Mae helping clean up the church
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Mama Mae and Maerita were part the clean up crew at the church
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Enjoying the warm sunshine
Simpson Bay
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Maerita sang during revival services and preached on a Sunday morning. Maerita and her mother Mae walked around the resort area and prayed for everyone they met. Mama Mae was 86 years old and a big hit on the island with everyone. She explained how it was her first Mission Trip and how we had prayed for Sint Maarten during the hurricane.
Maerita and Mama Mae heard horrifying stories of the trauma people endured from Hurricane Irma. Grown men would cry and explain how terrifying it was watching cars fly thru the air like tinker toys, and end up in piles in the parking lots. One lady told us how she and her children held a rope on the door handle so it would not blow open during the storm. There were people who also told of miracles of living through the hurricane and how the only room they were in was left. Many of the hotels, resorts and houses were destroyed and a lot of repairs and rebuilding was taking place. It is so important to pray off trauma people experience during a natural disaster or war. Maerita and Mama Mae prayed over a bookstore and everyone they met during the trip. The electric and phone service was sporadic at times. It was a wonderful trip praying for everyone and handing out all the supplies. People were so thankful to God for sparing their lives in the midst of the storm. There was a maintenance man who worked at the resort whose home was totally destroyed and he was rebuilding it from scratch. Maerita took a jar of her dad's roofing nails and gave it to him along with a hammer, apron, tape measure, hat, tarps and cross necklaces for his children but; most all the solar flash light so they could have light at night. The man was shocked and grateful for the items he needed that God provided. Look for the picture of the man on the ladder building his house. |
Guard at Simpson Bay
Simpson Bay Maintenance Man using the tools we brought from the USA to repair his house.
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Maerita sang during the revival services and this little girl sat next to her.
Breakfast
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Front Desk worker at Simpson Bay
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Elnor Simpson Bay Bellman
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Maerita, Jane Henderson, Mama Mae
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Mama Mae & Maerita Dec 17, 2017. Maerita preached Sunday morning.
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We bought souvenirs
THE ACCIDENT
Maerita being transferred to the French hospital.
On December 18, 2017, the day before they were to leave the island, Maerita and Mama Mae went to a Christian bookstore to pray over it. Afterwards, they went shopping for souvenirs to take home.
They stopped by the church to take a few more pictures before heading back to the hotel. That is when Maerita fell down the church cement steps and fractured her left leg femur bone; also hitting her left arm, head, cutting her right leg bruising it and severely spraining her left ankle. They rushed her to the hospital on the Dutch side of the island and because she did not have Medical Travel Insurance they shipped her to the French side of the island for hip surgery. Maerita could not move her leg, move her knee, foot or move her toes. After surgery, Maerita prayed Ezekiel 37 over her bones to live. She believed God not to be crippled and to be able to walk again. Alone in a foreign hospital is very scary and lonely time. |
Pictures of the damage from category 5 Hurricane Irma to the island. The winds were clocked at 225 mph with wind gust of 300 mph.
Total HOSPITAL STAY on both sides of the island seventeen days.
From the moment Maerita entered the hospital she laid hands and prayed for EVERYONE, doctors, nurses, maintenance men, kitchen workers, housekeeping staff, and patients. She asked about where they were when the hurricane went over the island, hearing stories of miracles and terror. Then Maerita prayed off the trauma from the hurricane and all the bad experiences they went through. The French side did not have any blankets or pillows. A doctor performed surgery and put two screws in her left leg and hip. After five days, in the French hospital, she was transported back to the Dutch side hospital.
Maerita was in the Dutch hospital, isolation room, Christmas Eve when an earthquake hit the island. It was quite scary hearing everyone scream and run into the courtyard. Maerita was in bed laying flat on her back. She remembers looking up at the ceiling praying for God to protect her that the building or roof did not cave in. Spending Christmas and New Years in a foreign hospital was very lonely, sad and depressing. Naomi was the kindest and most compassionate nurse in the Dutch hospital. She brought Maerita tea and a cracker in the middle of the night on her first night in the hospital before she was moved to the French hospital. The hospital supplies were short due to the hurricane and they did their best to make her comfortable and found bandages for her incision. The Dutch hospital lab was destroyed during the hurricane so test results took a lot longer. When a nurse tried to get her out of bed to sit up Maerita almost passed out from the pain. Maerita stayed in the hospital until January 3, 2018 when she flew back to the USA after being flat in bed for seventeen days and not getting up.
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Mama Mae goes back to the USA ahead of Maerita
Dec 26, 2017 Mama Mae flew back to USA to prepare for Maerita a place with friends.
Mama Mae flew back to the USA the day after Christmas and stayed with friends in TN, preparing for when Maerita would arrive. Due to a unprecedented winter snow storm in Erie, PA, over six feet of snow in one storm. During the winter of 2017 - 2018 Erie had 166 inches of snow. Maerita and her mother could not travel back to PA or climb stairs to their house.
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Nurse Naomi gave Maerita a shower after seventeen days, before she went to the airport. January 3, 2018, she was transported in a wheel chair and had to be carried up the steps to the airplane and lifted into the seat. How Maerita was able to sit on a plane for hours was a miracle. Someone bought her a first class ticket to make the trip more tolerable. The most amazing thing Maerita told the flight attendant was how wonderful and good the food tasted compared to the hospital food. In the hospital, she had three pieces of bread, a slice of cheese, tomato, lettuce, butter and jelly at every meal. They did not want you to go hungry, and whatever else the cook could make. A friend, Susie and Mama Mae picked Maerita up at the airport in Atlanta, GA and drove to Cleveland, TN. Maerita and her mom stayed in their ground-level basement for seven months, because she could not climb stairs.
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Maerita travels back to US January 3, 2018
The guys who carried Maerita up the plane stairs.
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Sint Maarten on the plane In First Class the nice lady moved over and let Maerita sit on the aisle
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Maerita arrives in the USA Jan. 3, 2018
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Upon Maerita's arrival in the USA, her friend Susie said, "Maerita's injuries were worst than we thought." Susie took her to the hospital emergency room. It was then, the doctors found Maerita had a concussion and severely sprained ankle. They did a Cat scan and sent her to an orthopedic surgeon. It was determined the doctor in Saint Maarten (French) had put too long of a screw and it was grinding into her hip socket causing extreme and unbearable constant pain. The left leg was too short and twisted.
A second surgery was scheduled March 8, 2018 after Maerita was able to get insurance. The Doctor in TN removed the 9 mm screw in her hip socket joint and put two more screws in. Her left leg was still twisted and short it did not even touch the ground.
Maerita's entire left leg was one piece; she could not move her ankle, foot, toes, or knee. God answered prayer and with physical therapy and a chiropractor, Maerita started getting a little movement.
A second surgery was scheduled March 8, 2018 after Maerita was able to get insurance. The Doctor in TN removed the 9 mm screw in her hip socket joint and put two more screws in. Her left leg was still twisted and short it did not even touch the ground.
Maerita's entire left leg was one piece; she could not move her ankle, foot, toes, or knee. God answered prayer and with physical therapy and a chiropractor, Maerita started getting a little movement.
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During this entire process they have seen little miracles all the time. Prayers being answered that only God could perform and do. After Maerita's second surgery her left foot did not even touch the floor not even her toes. They prayed and God stretched the leg later that day so the tips of her toes could touch the floor. Which was amazing since the left leg was still about two inches shorter than the right.
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 2018 Rehab in Cleveland, TN
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Mama Mae happy to be going back to PA
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Maerita had a cousin drive her and Mama Mae back to Pennsylvania at the end of July 2018, where they are now residing.
Maerita still had to use a walker. She went to two orthopedic surgeons in PA who stated the leg was screwed on crooked and too short by about two inches. The doctors recommended a third surgery but, Maerita did not have a peace about the surgery or doctors. The two doctors said you just need a hip replacement but could not guarantee her legs were be the same length.
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Made it PA 8 months later than planned
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During October 2019, after almost passing out from pain, her family doctor insisted Maerita go to a surgeon. The next day, Maerita prayed and asked Jesus to pick her doctor. She then dialed the Cleveland Clinic and asked for first appointment available with an orthopedic surgeon. The appointment was November 8 with Doctor Brendan M. Patterson. After hanging up the phone, Maerita was in shock to find out Dr. Patterson was the best in the country and the head of the orthopedic department. God had given her the best doctor who was humble, kind, compassionate and a very knowledgeable and skilled surgeon. This doctor worked with people who had multiply surgeries, hard to heal fractures, and complex cases. God provided the perfect doctor! Dr. Patterson stated, "it would be a complicated hip replacement and he did not know how long it would take maybe five or more hours until he got in there."
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Dr. Brendan M. Patterson
Cleveland Clinic
Dr. Patterson who performed the third surgery that was successful. Maerita highly recommends him for any orthopedic surgery. He really know what he is doing to be able to fix a leg that was short and twisted.
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December 3, 2019, Maerita had her third surgery. Dr. Brendan M Patterson at the Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland OH performed a complicated hip replacement. In the operating room before surgery, Maerita prayed over her doctor and the entire team of about ten people. Dr. Patterson said, "the prayers were with them it did not take as long as anticipated and the surgery was a success." The miracle after surgery is both Maerita's knees and feet match and are now the same length! The doctor said, "he did extensive work and the leg was really short and the muscles were really tight."
August 2020, Maerita went for her eight month follow-up appointment since surgery still having to use a walker and wheelchair. Dr. Patterson was pleased but said Maerita was not walking with a correct gait. He showed her how to walk and sent her to rehab. He said, it could take six months or longer for her total recovery due to the circumstances of how long it was before the last surgery. Dr. Patterson emphasized, he did extensive work and the leg was really short and the muscles were really tight. He was not surprised of the high level of pain Maerita was experiencing. He stated, "it was due to the size of the implant in the leg." |
Maerita had to learn to walk all over again. She continues recovering, getting stronger every day and looking forward to, being able to drive and clown again. July 2020, Maerita found a different chiropractor who helped some and found her knee was out of place.
September 2020, Maerita started walking with two canes and started out patient therapy. The months of September 2020 through January 2021 had many challenges, set backs and severe pain. Maerita started walking very slow with one cane.
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May 2021, Maerita went to a new physical therapist at Nova Care who was very understanding. PT Zack said, "the leg muscles needed woke up." He started doing specialized exercises before going into the pool that would wake up the muscles in the leg. The results was amazing and it helped Maerita to start walking better with one cane. But she still looked like a baby learning to walk, wobbling and her balance was off.
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August 10 - 12, 2021 The OCI/Ramp Cleveland, TN had three days of prayer and fasting. On August 12th they had a special healing service live streamed from the Global Prayer Center. Bro.Perry Stone called Maerita and Mama Mae during the service and prayed for her. A miracle happened the next morning. For the first time, Maerita could walk from the bedroom to the living room without a cane or walker. It was exactly 3 years, 7 months and 25 days she started walking inside the house. Maerita does not want to fall so she must use a cane to walk outside, due to the uneven ground and cement.
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March 31, 2022 Maerita started going to a new chiropractor Dr. Troy, who is awesome and specializes in sports injuries. He has been able to get feeling back on the inside part of her left foot. Between Dr. Troy and the PT Zack, Maerita is walking better. Even though she cannot walk a block or mile yet due to the extensive injuries. It has taken longer than anticipated for recovery but Maerita is getting stronger. When she felt discouraged because it was taking so long PT Zack said, "You are doing better. When you first came last year, you could not lift your left leg off the table and now you can lift it high as your right knee." Every week, Maerita goes to a physical therapist and chiropractor to keep up the recovery process.
2022 May 16th Evangelist Tommy and May 24th Pastor Adam called and prayed with Maerita. The pain in her hip, back and foot pain went down from level ten to four, and neck pain went down to three. Then suddenly the pain came back intensely because she was having to take care of her mother who had a stroke in May 23, 2022 and a second on October 17, 2022. Maerita started rehab again at Nova Care due to the extreme pain. It was determined that being a 24/7 care taker, bending, moving, cooking, doing laundry and trying take care of all the duties around the house along with a larger implant in her leg contributed to the pain. Maerita is looking forward to the day she can drive again and walk freely outside without being concerned of losing her balance. Her goal is to get back to normal to be able to travel, minister and do her clowning.
Maerita still believes God for a complete miracle healing of her leg, knee and foot. For all mobility to return to her foot, knee and hip. Also for the blue, red and swelling go out of her left foot so she can wear her cowboy boots and clown shoes.
GOD is your HOPE no matter your situation!
"For thou art my hope, O Lord GOD: thou art my trust from my youth." Psalms 71:5
"But I will hope continually, and will yet praise thee more and more." Psalms 71:14
"Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the LORD his God:" Psalms 146:5
" Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost."
Romans 15:13
"For thou art my hope, O Lord GOD: thou art my trust from my youth." Psalms 71:5
"But I will hope continually, and will yet praise thee more and more." Psalms 71:14
"Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the LORD his God:" Psalms 146:5
" Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost."
Romans 15:13
NOTE: One of the most important items was praying off the trauma from the fall. Maerita experienced PTSD because she kept reliving day and night the pain and the fall of that life altering accident. She saw the pictures in her mind and felt the pain of hitting the cement constantly. After prayer the torment of the trauma left her! Praise God prayer works!
Warning
Do not travel out of the USA without
Medical Travel Insurance!
No one told Maerita to purchase medical travel insurance when traveling outside the United States. She learned a hard lesson. YOU MUST purchase Medical Travel Insurance. In the event; you have a medical emergency they will put you on an air bus, and send you back to the USA for medical treatment.
Warning! When you have an accident in a foreign country YOU MUST PAY ALL the medical expenses before they let you leave the country. Maerita had to sign an agreement the accident was her responsibility and promised to pay back the church in Sint Maarten, who took out a loan of $19,112.72 for hospital bills. Christian Fellowship church in Sint Maarten paid both hospital bills, or else Maerita would not have been allowed to leave the Dutch island of Sint Maarten.
Warning! When you have an accident in a foreign country YOU MUST PAY ALL the medical expenses before they let you leave the country. Maerita had to sign an agreement the accident was her responsibility and promised to pay back the church in Sint Maarten, who took out a loan of $19,112.72 for hospital bills. Christian Fellowship church in Sint Maarten paid both hospital bills, or else Maerita would not have been allowed to leave the Dutch island of Sint Maarten.