Luisa and Lunch, Dec. 26

As we were leaving church this morning, Giovani, the pastor of our Celebrate Recovery program at Iglesia del Camino, asked Dick if he could go to see a young girl who needed a wheelchair here in Antigua.  So, Dick, about six of the kids, and I headed off to meet Luisa. 

We were greeted at the door by Beatrice, a single mom with six children, four of whom are still living at home.  She graciously invited us in, and introduced us to Luisa, her fifteen year old who has severe physical disabilities, and yet seems to be very much aware of all that is going on.  As I talked to her, I explained that "this man" (Dick) was going to bring her a wheelchair.  She instantly looked up directly at Dick, with an incredulous look on her face, as if saying, "Will you really?"

As Dick measured Luisa, I talked with mom about her kids and her life.  She told me that Luisa sometimes becomes very frustrated, and scratches and bites herself at these times.  I asked her if she thought Luisa could use pictures to let her know what she wanted, and mom became very excited, saying Luisa loves to look at books with pictures.  She also said she thinks a good part of Luisa's frustration is at not being able to let her (Mom) know how she (Luisa) is feeling.

So, next week I'll be heading back to Luisa's house with a trial communication book for her.  Her house is only a few blocks away from Hermano Pedro, so it will be easy for me to go and work with her and Mom.  I still have a lot of assessment to do before we can create a good system for her, but I'm excited to get started on this.  With many of the kids away from Hermano Pedro, it's a great time for me to work with her in her home.

Once again I stand amazed at the way things "just so happen."  It "just so happened" that I was with Dick and the kids when Giovanni wanted to go visit Luisa.  It "just so happens" that her house is near Hermano Pedro.  And it "just so happends" that at this time of year I have some extra time!  What was more astounding to me, was that this very morning I was praying that God would guide me to who He wanted me to serve, and that, rather than getting overwhelmed, I would focus on loving the one person who God has put before me at any time.  And, it "just so happened"  that Luisa came into my life.  Now we are praying that it will "just so happen" that there is the very special type of chair available for her when the Hope Haven shop opens up after Christmas vacation next week.  Many kids are waiting for a specialty chair, but Dick feels Luisa is a priority.

After leaving Luisa's I went with Dick and the kids to have lunch at Campero's (where else?) It is getting to be kind of a routine to eat lunch with him and the kids when Dick is in town.  I'm even getting used to the teasing I take from a group of teenage boys (not to mention Dick!), and I think I hold my own pretty well with them.  (Thank you, Jeremy, Jon and Joel, for training me as you were growing up!)  Today we were joined by Olga, so I at least had another girl to share the teasing with!

Since the gang had been so good waiting for us at Luisa's, and I had a craving for ice cream, our next stop was Sarita's where I treated everyone to a cone.  Dick reminded me to tell the kids this was a "Christmas treat" or they would be expecting this treatment every Sunday. (With my love of ice cream, did he think this was a bad thing?)

We walked to Central Park to just hang out for a while, and Olga got a "hair weave" while we were there.  The boys all tried to talk me into letting them get one, but I told them this was a "girls only" treat today.  Somehow I managed to escape their attempts to convince me to get a cord braided into my hair.  I'm still recovering from the last one I had a couple of months ago, that it took Mari and me almost an hour to get out!