On Monday I shared with you about our emergency trip to La Gomera to meet with the family of Alicia. (We are still looking and praying for a sponsor to provide her crucial medications.) Because of the urgency to get that blog and the need posted, I did not share the rest of that day with you.
You might recall that a few weeks ago I wrote about the geyser my 4-Runner produced when it overheated while returning from El Progreso. We limped into Chimaltenango on a prayer and parked in front of my mechanic’s place, only to discover that he was out of town for the next 10 days. He finally returned last Monday, completed the repair work, which included a new water pump and head gasket, and I left his place on Friday afternoon with my wallet $330 lighter.
During our trip to La Gomera on Monday, we found out that the problem was still not fixed. The engine began to overheat about 20 miles before we reached the town, but still stayed out of the red zone. After meeting with Alicia’s family, we checked the engine and realized the water level was low again, so we added more water and headed for home. The normally 1 1/2 hour trip took us over 3 hours as the engine kept overheating and we would have to stop, let it cool and add more water. Four times we went through that process before finally limping back into San Antonio Aguas Calientes.
So, my vehicle is once again in the shop and we are awaiting the bad news. As Dick Rutgers says, “In Guatemala you can either pay a little for a bad mechanic, or a lot for a bad mechanic.” Please pray that our mechanic, Ali, gets if properly repaired and that the expense is not too great.
After arriving back home almost two hours later than my schedule dictated, Gerardo and I had to rush to head out to Ciudad Vieja. On Friday I had met a gentleman by the name of Victor who needed some help. He has diabetes and severe anemia, and I realized he needed a doctor badly. He has already lost his left leg and foot from mid-femur down due to poor circulation, and his right foot is now looking very bad as well. In addition, while he is only 52 years old, I would have guessed him to be around 65. (This mistake was highlighted when I asked him if a 12 year old girl in the house was his granddaughter, and he informed me that she was his daughter. Oops.)
I told them that he needed to see a doctor soon, and arranged for them to see Dr. Augusto at no charge. But they informed me that they only had a motor scooter and he was too weak to hold on. So, we arranged to pick him up this past Monday at 4:00 pm and take him. This pick-up was complicated by the fact that his wheelchair is broken, and I had to carry him to my van, into the doctor’s office, back to my van, and back into his home. Fortunately(?) he only weighs about 80 pounds, so the task didn’t tax me. (We have since obtained a wheelchair for him and will be taking it to him soon.)
The doctor confirmed my fears and told us that he needed to be hospitalized due to both the infection in his foot and his anemia. (He was unable to even hold himself upright on the examination table, and I had to steady him several times.) So, Tuesday morning I picked him up once again and took him to the national hospital in San Felipe de Jesus.
I confess that I felt abusive leaving him in that place. The national hospitals in Guatemala leave quite a bit to be desired, including basic sanitation. This dimly lit and dirty place is filled with overworked staff. And, while there are some good doctors who work there, it is a crap shoot as to whether you will get one of the good ones. However, our ministry cannot afford to pay for a private hospital, so this is Victor’s only option. If he were in the States or in a private hospital here, they would likely be able to save his leg. In the national hospital, he will likely lose it. Please pray for him.
After we left the hospital we drove into Antigua and stopped by Hermano Pedro. My little buddy, Ervin, had returned the previous week from his holiday visit to his home, and he returned 10 pounds lighter and a different boy. Suddenly he does not want to eat and is withdrawn. Normally very affectionate and desiring hugs and kisses, he now pushes me away. So, I wanted to spend a few minutes with him.
While there, we ran into Dick who had come to take Ervin out to lunch at Pollo Camperos. So, Gerardo and I tagged along. Gradually Ervin began to warm up, and by the end of the meal he was blowing kisses, waving and hugging me. In fact, I had to pry his arms off me as I was leaving. His appetite was still down, though. Normally he would have finished his meal and then begged the rest of us for our leftovers, but for the first time ever, he left chicken on his plate.
Yesterday was another office day for me, as I sought to battle the stacks of work on my desk. By the end of the day, my desk was clear…which means I now need to dust it.
This morning Gerardo and I met two of our families at Hermano Pedro. Marian is 10 years old and has cerebral palsy. Jose is four and also has CP. My friend, Marvin, had agreed to cast both of them for AFO’s (Ankle and Foot Orthotics), but his plans changed when he saw Marian. She has low-tone CP, and he determined that her quads and hamstrings were too week to be effective with AFO’s. He told us that he has a friend from the States who is a pediatric orthopedist who is coming to Guatemala later this month. He wanted him to examine her (for free) and help him determine the best bracing system. So, they will be going in to see him on February 19th.
When Marvin met Jose, he also arranged for him to see the doctor on the 19th. Jose has never been properly diagnosed, and this gives the family the opportunity to see an excellent doctor that they could not otherwise afford. Marvin did go ahead and cast him for braces, though, and they will be ready on Valentine’s Day.
I praise God for His perfect timing and care. He has arranged excellent care and treatment for these two beautiful children that I could not have orchestrated, and He did it at no cost to our ministry or the families. At times, I feel as if I am carrying a load and find myself wondering if I can do justice to the people who seek our help. God reminded me again this morning that I am not the caregiver, He is. And He loves and cares for these people far more and far better than I ever could. And when I remembered that, I felt the weight drop right off my shoulders and onto His.
What load are you carrying? Take a lesson from a thick-headed and dull-witted guy, and let it fall from your shoulders onto His.
Blessings from Guatemala!
Daryl, Wanda and the Crew
