Where'd they go?

Where in the world did those girls go?

Remember the Front Row Seat blog entry about the 3 girls that accepted the Lord? Well, ever since then we’ve been looking for them. We want to follow-up w/ them and see how they’re doing. Well, finally Julian came up with an answer.

Andy is a “class clown” type of kid that lives right beside the Amatitlan Park and is always at our weekly kids activity led by Ruth and Oscar. Julian discovered that one of the 3 girls was Andy’s visiting cousin. She’d somehow buddied up with 2 other girls that were also visiting family in Amatitlan. All 3 were there for a week…a week that had eternal consequences. How cool is that!

Andy doesn’t know when his cousin might return for another visit and he has no idea of who the other girls are. But God knows, and I’m just so glad that we had the privilege and opportunity to have been there at His appointed time.

Katy Part 1

Remember my last blog entry…the 3 little girls that accepted the Lord while sitting in the park on a particular concrete bench?
Well, now imagine that very same park and even the very same park bench 7 days later.
Here’s what happened:

For the first time since I’ve been here, we had a team that included 2 physicians (a wonderful husband and wife team). I had given out numbers to the crowd waiting to receive medical care in the park in Amatitlan. As always, there were far more people than numbers. When I saw how the time to patient ratio was working out, I knew that we’d be able to see about 4 more patients, and thus gave out an additional 4 numbers. As it turns out, God had something special planned for the 3rd additional person, Katerin (also called Katy). Katy had just turned 10 yr old a week earlier, and she is absolutely beautiful- soft light brown skin, beautiful large dark eyes, flowing long dark hair and a shy but large smile with dimples.

Katy’s mom (Coni) brought her to the park since she heard there was a medical clinic. Coni reported to Dr John that Katy wasn’t growing and didn’t have energy to run and play with the others. Dr John listened to Katy's chest w/ his stethoscope and then called me over for a teachable minute. His face told me this was something significant and his voice told me that what I was about to experience was something I would hopefully never experience again. This beautiful young girl had a heart murmur as big as Texas. John asked her pertinent questions and examined her thoroughly (or as thoroughly as possible in an open park with no medical tools except for a stethoscope and many years of experience).

After speaking in hushed tones for a few min, I was asked to do one of the most difficult things I’ve ever done. While Dr John saw the last patient, I walked Coni and young Katy over to “the” park bench and called Oscar over to help me get through the conversation in Spanish. I told Katy that Dr John may have found why she was so tired all the time and that she may need to see another doctor in the city. Then I dismissed Katy into the nearby loving arms of other team members to keep her occupied. We then broke the news to Coni that Dr John believed her daughter had a gravely serious condition- a hole in her heart- which over 10 years had caused her heart to beat extra hard and to greatly enlarge due to the pressure of trying to push blood thru a hole that was not designed to be a passageway. Dr John and his translator Caroline soon joined us. As expected, Coni was overwhelmed with this news. She wept deeply in my arms and there wasn’t a dry eye anywhere around. When we gathered ourselves a bit, we all retreated into a gracious neighbor’s home where we ate lunch and could visit and chat, getting to know each other a little more, and focus on something other than the issue at hand.

As we finished lunch, Coni said she was up to attending the afternoon Bible study that was about to start at the park. And Katy said she wanted to go the simultaneous children’s program. Over lunch, Coni had shared her firm belief in Jesus Christ as her Savior and it was obvious she was already leaning on Him. Katy said she didn’t really know Christ, so we told her that we’d tell her all about Him at the children’s program today and in the weeks to come. Then Coni did something that demonstrated that her focus was on target. She asked that all of us, the Guatemalans and Americans combined, would gather around her and Katy for prayer after the crowd thinned from the program. And indeed we prayed- neither loud nor boisterous- but with arms and hearts lifted up and tears flowing down as we prayed on Katy’s behalf to our Father in heaven.

The 45 min trip back to our home in the city from the Amatitlan Park was a bit quieter than usual. And Katy was about all we could think about that evening.

I don’t believe in coincidences. I do however, believe in God-incidences since I believe He is in control of all things at all times and thus He cannot be taken by surprise.
Therefore I believe it was a God-incidence that:
• A mother and daughter on the visiting USA team that week were also named Katherine and Connie.
• Coni was led to bring her daughter to the clinic on the one and only day that we’ve had a physician at that location.
• It was not just any doctor, but a well-experienced pediatrician.
• Caroline, a completely bilingual translator, was with us.

You know, it’s really about a heart condition. One week it was about the heart condition of 3 little girls that were sitting on a park bench and ready to hear about the Lord. Exactly one week later, almost to the hour, it was about the heart condition of a different little girl sitting on the same park bench. She shared the same need as the other little girls (in that she says she doesn’t know Jesus), but she also has an additional need. Of course, we’d like to see her physical heart condition mended, but above all, it’s her spiritual heart condition that will make a difference for all of eternity.

Front Row Seat

Have you ever had one of those situations where you absolutely knew that you had a front row seat to watch God do something really cool?

I saw the 3 cute brown skin, brown haired, brown eyed princesses sitting on a concrete bench about 25 yr away. Something made me get out my camera and snap their picture. As I walked toward the girls, I suddenly felt very strongly led to go sit next to them and strike up a conversation. I could sense that God was up to something, and I didn’t have to wait more than a moment before I knew He wanted me to tell these girls about Jesus. I also equally knew that I was in new territory. I’d never done this alone in Spanish. I’d seen and heard it done by my Guatemalan co-workers and I’d heard it translated from English to Spanish. But this was new turf for me.

As I went to sit on the bench with the girls, I noticed there was a Bible and an EvangeCube (an evangelism tool that looks kind of like a Rubik’s cube but with changing pictures that help to explain the Gospel of Jesus Christ). Within a few minutes we’d exchanged niceties, and I reached for the Cube. I’d watched others use the Cube as they spoke about Christ, but I had not fiddled with it myself. I sent up a quick prayer, trusting that this was being done in His will, and asked for His help. Sure enough God took over. I hardly remember much after that. I remember that He gave me the words I needed (in Spanish) and He guided my hands over the Cube as if I’d used it many times before. The Lord definitely had the attention of the 3 girls and at the end of the story the youngest (about 6 yr old) excitedly jumped off the bench and said she wanted to ask Jesus to be her Savior and best friend forever. The other two followed suit. At that point I called over Oscar, one of our co-workers….a humble and wonderful young Christian man. There’s no substitute for a Guatemalan sharing with a Guatemalan. Oscar made sure that the girls understood the story and confirmed that they wanted to pray and ask the Lord into their hearts and lives. Each eagerly nodded in agreement. With a smile and a tear in the corner of his eye, Oscar led them phrase by phrase in a short prayer where each of the girls accepted Jesus as their Savior and Lord.

There’s nothing like the smile, energy and pure joy in the face of someone who just accepted the Lord as their Savior. It’s a day I pray I will never forget. I remember being a little more quite than usual for the rest of the day. I was in pure awe at what I’d seen the Lord do, and could hardly comprehend that He’d choose to allow me to have a front row seat. This was 100% a God thing. And the next day I had a smile from ear to ear that matched the smiles on the girls’ faces.

I’ve waited a long time to tell this story. It seemed so intimate that I wasn’t sure I wanted to share it. However, my pastor encouraged me to share the story. You never know how the Lord will move. My prayer is that this story will encourage you and cause you to reflect on Him.

(Without me even being aware, a friend snapped a series of pictures during the above event. This series of pictures can be seen on FB or you can click on the link below to see the pictures.)

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=142620&id=673981604&l=fbf0c0ea97

Just the right question

• Is Maria here?
• No, Maria is not here.
• Do you know when she might come back?
• No, I don't know when she might come back.
• Do you know if she's OK?
• Yes, I think she's OK.
• Can you tell her that Debra came by and I really want to see her....I'm the nurse that has been caring for the wound on her leg.
• OK, I'll tell her.

This conversation (or one very similar) happened every Thursday nearly every week since the first week of May. Maria has a tremendously nasty leg wound. With the help of another Guatemalan, we'd been able to clean and bandage the area at least once a week since last Nov and we'd seen great progress...until May when I couldn't ever catch up with Maria. It was strange I couldn't find her, and knew how much she appreciated the Aleve to help with her pain.

Then, about 2 wk ago, when the above conversation was once again being repeated, something happened. This time, the person at Maria's house gave one tiny bit of additional information at the very end....."Maria doesn't live here." AGHHHHH!!!!!!

I (we) have begun to learn that we need to very carefully choose our words to ask very specific questions. The person at Maria's house gave me correct answers....but I never asked the most important question...Does Maria still live here? In the USA, the person at the door would've probably given that info the first time around. I wonder if I'll ever get my brain to start thinking like a Guatemalan.

Just for your amusement....

Last Friday I ordered a large supply of parasite medicine from the pharmacy. Today I called the pharmacy and talked to my normal contact person.

• Is my order ready?
• Yes, your order is ready.

2 hr later at the pharmacy:

• I'm here to get my order
• Sorry, only part of your order is ready.
• But you said on the phone that my order is ready.
• yes, it is ready....part of it.

Lesson: Ask what you really want to know.... is my 100% of my order ready right now?

Today Ginny and I and a couple others go to see a kid and his mom at their house.

• Hello, is Alex or his mom home?
• No, they are not here. Who do you need to speak to?
  
• We need to speak to Alex's mom. Do you know when she will return.
• Yes, about 4pm.

Later at 4:30pm

• Hi, I'm glad we found you at home. Where's Alex?
• He's not here. He's at his Grandma's house.

Lesson: Ask when Alex AND his mom will be home.

And for one more chuckle...
About 2 wk ago at the pharmacy, around noon:

• I need such and such medicine please
• OK, and today we're having a sale, 25% off
• Everything is 25% off? (I thought this was the right question.)
  
• Yes, everything
• OK, well I'll take this and that and this and that
• OK, you're price is X amt, minus Q37 (Q= the type of money they use here).
• Why Q37 instead of 25%? (I would've saved much more with 25% off)
• Because the sale is for up to Q150. If the total is more than Q149, then you only get Q37 off.
• OK. Well, since there is no flier or announcement of any kind regarding this sale, is there any way you can call me (since I'm a very steady customer) when you have a similar sale?
• Oh, we always have a 25% off sale every Monday.
• What? I've been here since Feb and you never told me this?
• Oh, sorry. But if you want to order something else now since there's a sale, I can do that for you, but only for the next hour.
• What?
• The sale is only on Mondays between 11am and 1pm, and again from 5pm-7pm.

The reason there is a crack in my bedroom wall is because that's where I bang my head.
Lesson: Ask if there is a particular item is on sale, and/or when there is a sale and for how long and for up to what amount, etc .

I'm not kidding you....this is the sort of stuff that makes me crazy! Is it any wonder my hair sticks straight up?

Can you believe that? Thanks God!

Friday, July 3rd, the last photos were taken, the last hugs given, and Beth was in the van with her suitcase. We were ready to take Beth to the airport. Just one problem, Manuel couldn't find the key. The ONE and ONLY key to the new van. We quickly searched everywhere....even the stinky trash. OK, time for plan B....we'll give Beth one last memorable ride in the back of Chuck Norris (our Ford Ranger truck). However, our minds were on the missing key. I don't know how a person goes about getting a key in this situation in the USA, much less in Guatemala. At what expense? How much time would be needed? Car Shops are only open 1/2 day on Sat, and we had a team arriving in 24 hr! It would cost us $100 or more per day if we needed to rent a van. We needed that key! Plus, we'd just used the van earlier in the day, and left it in front of the ministry house. How long do you think it would take for a Mercedes van to be stolen and/or stripped? (Essentially nobody leaves a vehicle of any value in front of their house.) As you can imagine, we were praying big time.

When we returned from the airport, the van was not in front of the house. My first thought, perhaps someone had hot-wired the van and gotten it into the garage. Nope.
Are you ready for this?
After we left, an older lady passed by our house, saw the key in the small strip of grass/dirt that separates our house from the street, and returned the key to us. (I'm glad some of our group stayed back at the house!)

Can you imagine that! Anybody could have picked up this key, but I believe God had this precious lady find the key. It would've been so simple for somebody to try the key or seel the key for the van that was sitting only a few feet away. But no! Once again God came through. Thanks God- you're Awesome!

God takes care of Carlos

Remember Carlos? He's the guy I've mentioned before who dug a well, fell in the well, became a wheelchair bound amputee quadriplegic, and is being cared for by the family who owns the well...does that ring any bells?

Carlos has to use a Foley catheter (urine tube/bag) and he asked me if there was any way I could get him a new tube & bag. In the USA, patients typically have this changed about every month. Health care is not very accessible for most people, particularly when they live quite a distance from the city. Carlos had not had a new tube/bag in several months, and I feared he would soon develop a potentially serious infection.

The next day I sent an email to a good friend (D.) and previous co-worker/nurse in Richmond Virignia to ask if she had any idea of how I could get these supplies for Carlos. Within an hour D responded via email that she would get to work on it. Within another hour or less she emailed again saying that she had everything I needed. I would say that I was amazed at how rapidly D obtained these supplies, but over time I've come to know D to move heaven and earth for the sake of a person in need. She is a true Christian friend that God has used to help me out more than once before. Now the next question....how to get the supplies here. Once again, God worked things out. Russ, another long time friend of mine was planning another trip to Guatemlala the following week to help in a different part of the country. This time, however, he was going to visit our ministry and stay with us his first night. Therefore, Russ was more than happy to provide the courier service from the USA to Guatemala. And are you ready for this? Russ and D. live within a few miles of each other in the same part of Richmond! So, sure enough, in about 1.5 wk, Carlos had all the supplies he needed and extras for the future. Plus, Russ brought down nearly 40lb of other medical donations!

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birdes of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you be worrying can add a single hour to his life?" God is amazing! And I love watching how God continues to provide....down to the last detail for you , me & Carlos!

Thanks D & Russ for extending yourselves to be a part of God's plan.

Luis Otoniel Bran

In a week (last week) where 3 celebrities died, I found myself growing more and more frustrated. While I don't know enough about any of the celebs to comment on their life, I can say that it makes me nuts to hear people go on and on about their deaths. As one friend wrote, "Anyone else find it ironic that folks are all concerned with how Michael Jackson died, but so few of them really cared about how he lived?" Is one person's death more important than another persons? 17-18 people are murdered every day here in Guatemala (murdered, not just died from things like a heart attack) according to the WHO. Guatemala...a country that has roughly the same number of square miles as the state of Virginia and almost double the population (per Wikipedia).

Below is a blog entry written by Ginny Holmes about a young man named Luis that was murdered Sunday, June 21st. Since that day, approx. 136-144 more may have been murdered. I've written additional comments at the end of Ginny's blog.

If you've been checking my wall on Facebook lately you would have read about an all too common occurance here in Guatemala. Luis Otoniel Bran, who was 19, was shot and killed two days ago, along with two other boys aged 13 and 22. As is often the case, we don't have many details. It is thought that there was a fourth boy who was taken by the shooters. Needless to say, there is no one left to tell us exactly what happened.

Luis was an exceptionally tall teenager by Guatemalan standards, and as Rachel said yesterday, he always smiled like the picture you see. He came to the ministry each day after school to help in the kitchen carrying bucketloads of dishes for the cooks, cleaning and working in the carpentry shop. Graduation from high school was in sight, leading Luis to possible employment as a mechanic. The word 'gentle' comes to mind when I think of this tall, but quiet young man.

The people of Guatemala are shaking their fists at the government and police for the escalating violence in this country. Drug trafficking, extortion, poverty, gangs...all lead to violent crimes, which all too often are against innocent victims who are simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. The government says it is working on changing this situation, but it's pretty hard to do when the police and lawmakers are corrupt and less than 3% of the over 6000 homicides per year are ever brought to justice. Villages throughout Guatemala are beginning to take the law into their own hands with vigilante groups seizing suspected wrong-doers and killing them on the spot. Unfortunately, with the level of corruption in the government and law enforcement, there is little chance of the situation improving any time soon.

Sounds pretty hopeless, doesn't it? But no matter where you live, your hope can't be placed in the government, in law enforcement, or in any human, for that matter. Reading the newspaper or hearing from someone we know that yet another relative or friend was murdered could make us never want to get out of bed in the morning. But we can't live in fear that something might happen to us sometime. I mean, is God in control of every single thing that happens in this universe or not?? If we really believe that, then we need to trust His eternal love and sovereign will. What happened to Luis and his two friends is tragic and seems to be senseless. Why so young? Why such a nice kid? But nothing is out of God's sight. He knew this was going to happen and He is even now surrounding Luis' family and friends with His loving arms of comfort and strength. We pray that everyone who was touched by this horrible event will draw closer to the only true hope which is found in the Lord who never changes, always loves, and has given us the absolute assurance of eternal life with Him through His Son, Jesus Christ.


And Luis? Why he is forever in the arms of his God and Savior! Can't get any better than that!!


I appreciate Ginny allowing me to post her blog here.
The details of his death are unclear, but I guess the details aren't overly important and won't change the fact that Luis and at least 2 other friends were chased and gunned down (killed). We'd heard rumor that a 4th boy was also involved, and today we were told he's in the hospital. Today we went to visit with Luis' mother and the parents of one of the other boys (only 13 yr old!) Luis' mom was obviously hurting, but her faith was so strong! She has not lost faith or hope in her God and His sovereignty. I could only hope that I would be that strong in such a circumstance.

My understanding is that Luis is his mother's only son. Perhaps his mom was looking forward to the day when Luis would marry and bring his bride to live with them in their simple home, as is the tradition in this culture. Perhaps she was looking forward to grandchildren. Perhaps she was hoping Luis would find a good job and be able to care for her as she grows older. Ginny mentioned to me that when she hears a siren, she now thinks of Luis. I wondered if Luis' mom and the other families are haunted by sirens. During our visit, I heard the loud pops of fireworks (the kind we hear multiple times every day and night....the kind that stay on the ground and make lots of noise...eerily similar to gunshots). And I wonder if she heard the gunshots that killed her son. And I wonder if she thinks of her son every time she hears gunshots or fireworks....multiple times every day. My heart breaks for her and the people of Guatemala.

During one of our visits, Oscar shared a similar story of 3 brothers that were killed at one time. And it dawned on me once again that our ministry workers have seen and lived through so much. Each one could render countless stories of similar tragedy. It really does bring me to my knees in prayer. It brings me to a renewed sense of urgency that we would all know and share Christ. I think Ginny said it best, " We pray that everyone who was touched by this horrible event will draw closer to the only true hope which is found in the Lord who never changes, always loves, and has given us the absolute assurance of eternal life with Him through His Son, Jesus Christ." Amen