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| Gaspar in Middle |
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Step 1
Last Friday we visited with a man who had a stomach\gallbladder problem and they told us about a 13-year-old girl, a
niece who had cancer. They asked us to go see her as she had been sent home from the hospital and told there was nothing
further they could do for her. As we had an appointment in the city of Guatemala on Monday morning we made arrangements
to meet the Aunt in Antigua at noon on Monday and we went about our business.
| Sonja with Her Nurse |
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Step 2
We arrived Monday at about 11:30 a.m. and waited in a small restaurant for the woman, the aunt of the 13-year-old girl
who had cancer, to call. The call never came. At about 1 p.m. we decided we would wait around until about 2 p.m.
and further decided to go into the square where there were many people and ask around to see if we could find out if anyone
knew this girl or where she lived. The third person we asked was a Guatemalan girl of about 15 years and she immediately
knew who we were talking about. This was amazing because we didn't even have a name! She told us the girl was
her friend and lived just a few blocks away. I asked her if she could take us there and she replied that the girl, Sonja
had died at 10 a.m. the morning before, Sunday morning. Somewhat saddened we set off for home.
Step 3
On the way home we talked and I learned that the girl was from Santa Catarina, just 15 minutes from our home city of
Panajachel. We talked about whether we were finished with our involvement with this girl or since we had an open door,
perhaps we should walk through it. We decided to walk through it and we drove to Santa Catarina, not knowing what we
would find. We just felt that if God could show us this girl in a public square in the city when we didn't even have
her name he could show us more in Santa Catarina.
We arrived in Santa Catarina about 3:30 p.m. and observed Gaspar sitting on the side of the road. We spoke with him and he told us the family was in the church celebrating the
funeral. As we were wondering whether we should just leave the question was immediately answered when the funeral procession
began coming towards us down the street. To read about the funeral and the girl's story, CLICK HERE.
After the funeral, the family asked us to return the next day for a visit which we did.
| Sonja's Casket |
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Step 4
Early the next morning Hector and I set out for Santa Catarina to visit with the parents of Sonja as requested. I
was amazed as we turned the corner from my street to find Pedro, the father of six children and a drunk, waving at us in the
street. I was amazed because I had been wanting to talk to Pedro for some time as his wife was trying to leave him and
he was terrorizing his family in his drunken stupor. He got into the truck and we began driving towards Santa Catarina.
We decided to take Pedro to breakfast to a small restaurant where we could talk. The history of this man goes back
about a year with us when we built a house for his family and have since taken them food, a bed, clothing and other items.
They have the sweetest little girl and boy, Wilma and Marcos, who are scared to death because of their father. His drinking
has gotten out of control and far worse and I had been wanting to talk to him for several months now. We went to the
restaurant where we ordered breakfast and began discussing his problem.
At breakfast we counseled with Pedro very sternly and he admitted to us he had been drinking that morning. We
told him the drinking had to stop for him to leave his family. We told him his family was afraid of him, that his children
were afraid because of him. He denied it. He told us he had no value because everything was in his wife's name
and that when his kids made money they didn't give it to him. We told him he would just spend it on alcohol and he denied
it.
I then told him that we would hire him to work six days a week and pay him directly. But no drinking. I had
no idea what we would have them do, I just felt led by the Holy Spirit to say that we would hire him. And then we set
off for his house to talk to his wife.
Step 5, 6, 7
On the path to Pedro's house (which is high up on a steep hill, I'm sorry to say as I walk, huffing and puffing)
we encounter an older woman. Strangely enough we had encountered her the last Friday when we set out to visit Pedro's
family the last time. This time she took me by the arm when I said good morning to her and she took me to her house,
to show me where she lived. It wasn't much of a house.
The structure was made of bamboo sticks with some mud loosely packed to keep the wind out. Inside it was very smoky
from the kitchen fire which burned most of the day. My best guess for the age of this woman is about 70 years and she
is living in a hut! We agreed to build a concrete block house for her adjacent to this bamboo structure and we set out
again for Pedro's house, just another few hundred yards up the hill.
Hector and I talk on the way to Pedro's house about which contractor we will use to build this house. We have used
several and, as we are talking it hits me: my good little friend Juan's father, Rudolfo, is one of our contractors who has
no work and they are hurting for money. We will put him to work on this project! And my good little friend Juan
to! And this will give our drinking friend Pedro the job that I promised him! God is good!
Summary
Here is a brief summary of what God has done so far:
Step 1 Lead us to Gaspar, the man with the stomach\gallbladder problem
Step 2 Lead us to the 15-year-old girl who could point us to Sonja
Step 3 Lead us to the funeral of Sonja, the 13-year-old girl with cancer
Step 4 Lead us to Pedro, who needs to be counseled
Step 5 Lead us to the woman who needs a house built
Step 6 Provide work for Pedro
Step 7 Provide work for Rudolpho and Juan
And we haven't got to the best part yet! Read on!
Step 8
We continue walking towards Pedro and Maria's house as we begin to realize how God has worked all these things together
for our good according to his plan. Hector and I are overwhelmed as we approach the house of Pedro and he comes
out front to meet us. He begins explaining that his oldest daughter is inside visiting. We had no idea they had
an older daughter and we were not prepared for what we found. You must first understand that this family was living
in a primitive bamboo hut when we first encountered them, with a dirt floor and barely any utility items: blankets, pans,
clothing etc.. They had no electricity or water and were generally dirty and not groomed. And then we met
their daughter! She was perfectly coiffed and dressed very neatly. In a word she was beautiful! We were
very surprised. But what happened next was even more surprising.
| Katarina |
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As usual, I was sweating like I was dying (having just hiked up the side of a mountain I thought I actually might be) so I
move towards the one window of the house we had built them last year. Everyone else took seats where they could except
Hector, who stood by the door. Hector began telling them about the work we will provide for Pedro and as I observed
the family I noticed the daughter, Katerina starting to cry. I interrupted Hector and asked her why she was crying.
She immediately began saying how sad she was for her family, for her mother and brothers and sisters because of their father
and his drinking problem. Pedro immediately began protesting but she continued. And then the mother started to
cry. And I couldn't believe it but Pedro himself was starting to cry! All this was just too good to be true.
And right there we had a Dr. Phil moment where mother and daughter unloaded on Pedro. Several times both Hector and
I had to stand up to Pedro and tell him to stop talking and listen. But it was a very, very cool moment. As Hector
said in Spanish, very impactful.
So there it is...A Day in the Life. Praise God!
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