Friday, January 2, 2015

Urgent Prayer Needed for Rosario

I am seeking your intercession on behalf of a young lady named Rosario. She is currently hospitalized in Nueva Concepción and her life is hanging in the balance.

We currently have a team here from Dillsburg Brethen in Christ Church (Pennsylvania), and that group includes Wanda’s sister, Jaylene, and her brother-in-law, Ron. While most of the group stayed behind to work in our home today, Ron and another team member, Glenn, traveled with me to Nueva Concepción to visit a couple of families. This town is far off our beaten path, so we only go there every other month. But I pushed up my regular visit because we had received word that Jorge’s wheelchair was broken and needed repairs. So we loaded up and headed out.

IMG_0934We arrived in town and had a nice visit with Jorge and his family. Based upon what we had been told, I did my best to estimate what parts I would need to repair his chair. Praise God, we had exactly what we needed and the repairs went smoothly. The family blessed us with coconut drinks and we sat and visited for some time, including taking turns holding Jorge’s two month old niece.

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IMG_0944We then left and headed over to Rosario’s house. I expected to make a quick stop to check on her wheelchair and visit for a few minutes, but our plans changed quickly. When her mother saw me, she quickly waved me inside where I found Rosario very sick on her bed. She was non responsive, with her eyes unfocused. I quickly grabbed my medical bag and listened to her lungs and heart. She had a fever of 102 and her throat and ears were infected. In addition, she showed signs of severe malnutrition and dehydration.

While I was examining her, her mother explained that she had gotten sick a month earlier and stopped eating. From there, her condition continued to deteriorate. She became weaker and gradually became unresponsive. With tears in her eyes, she told me that she knew her daughter was dying, but they did not have the money to take her to the doctor.

I explained that her daughter’s condition was very serious and the we needed to take her to a doctor immediately. They agreed, but reemphasized that they had no money. I explained that we would not take her to the national hospital (that would be a death sentence) but would pay for a private doctor and hospital. I carried her out to my truck and placed her in her grandfather’s lap, then the mother and the rest of us squeezed in and headed out.

IMG_0946When we arrived at the hospital a nurse saw me carrying Rosario and recognized how serious her condition was. She waved us straight into the exam room and a doctor arrived a moment later. When he saw her condition he ordered an IV to rehydrate her and blood tests to determine the infections she was fighting. He told me that she needed to be hospitalized and asked if we wanted to take her to the public hospital or if we wanted her admitted there. I told him she needed to stay with them, so he asked if we would pay. Yep.

I went out to the secretary’s desk and paid a down payment and made arrangements to return upon her discharge to pay the rest. When I returned to the room 20 minutes later, Rosario turned toward me, saw my face, and smiled! So already the IV was rehydrating her and her condition was improving.

The doctor pulled me aside and explained that she was in serious condition and he did not know if she would live. He did, however, explain that if the infections and dehydration were the only issues, he believes she will recover. His big concern is renal failure due to prolonged dehydration. Could you please pray for healing in this young lady? The doctor told me that he would call me tomorrow with an update on her status.

At one point I was speaking with Rosario’s grandfather. He spoke with tears in his eyes as he told me of numerous people in their town had died recently. In each case, they needed medical treatment but did not have the money to pay for it. He explained that they knew Rosario was dying, but they couldn’t afford to take her to a doctor. He told me that they had wanted to take her to the national hospital but they did not even have the Q.20 needed to take her via chicken bus. (They had lost my number and didn’t know how to reach us for help.)

Provided the treatments are successful and there is no kidney damage, she should be hospitalized for four or five days. Please pray that she responds quickly to the antibiotics and that there is no further damage to her weak body. Pray she begins eating and can gain weight and strength. And pray that Jesus will be glorified in her and her family.

Thanks! Blessings from Guate!

Daryl, Wanda and the Crew