Guatemalan Journey: Luisa gets a chair, and Pat gets new friends (Jan. 6, 2011)

Dick and Carlin with Julio and Mercedez @ Camperos

I spent much of my morning at the orphanage today. Though there are still not many kids back from vacation, it was good to spend time with the ones who are there. More and more I see that these kids who have no where to go for a holiday are often the ones most overlooked and neglected by the volunteers, including me. I’m trying to use this time to correct that.

Esbin and Julio

Colocha

Dick was also at the orphanage today, working with a team of therapy students who had come in from Emory University in Atlanta. They were working on repairing and adjusting the kids’ chairs, with Dick’s support and insight. Around noon we decided to take a few of the kids to lunch since it seemed we could both use something to eat. Since many of the kids in Anibal (the children’s area) had been out with us recently, we only took Julio, at the request of Cesar and Carlin. We also took two young women Dick knows well, Colocha and Mercedez, out with us. I really didn’t know these two very well when we left, but by the time we returned felt I had made two new friends.

After lunch, we took the kids back to Hermano Pedro, and picked up two students to come with us to Luisa’s house. Gio, the Celebrate Recovery pastor at our church, had introduced us to this family a little more than a week ago. Dick had managed to find a chair he thought would work for her, and we were anxious to visit her family again.

Though Beatriz is a single mother of six, she is doing everything she can for Luisa. The expenses of caring for her (special food such as Ensure and Encaparina, diapers, etc.) are difficult for her to manage, but she didn’t ask for any help. She only was grateful for what we were doing. Looking at Luisa, though, it seems she could use some extra income in this area.

I couldn’t help but notice how this house was neat as a pin, despite the four dogs and four children living there. Mom is proud of her family and cares for them well. She also is extremely hospitable, offering us drinks and inviting me to come into the bedroom to visit with her and Luisa while Dick and the others worked on the chair.

Beatriz was quick to share her story with me, one I’d someday like to write and publish in its entirety. For now, it’s enough to say that she’s had her struggles in life, God placed Giovanni in her path, and he gently though repeatedly kept inviting her to join the Celebrate Recovery group at Iglesia del Camino. She said it took a long time for her to take the risk, but once she went she found a group of people who loved and cared for her, and did not feel so alone anymore.

She continues to be involved in the group, and lights up when she talks about the program and the effect it has had on her life. Her affiliation with a group in an Evangelical church has been hard for her mother, a Catholic, to accept, and has caused a significant strain on their relationship. Beatriz regrets this, but is willing to pay the price to grow in her new relationship with Jesus.

After working with CR and recovery for a number of years in my “previous life” at the church, it was wonderful to hear her testimony about the impact it has made on her and her family. I don’t think it was by chance that I just happened to be with Dick when Gio brought him here last week. I know Beatriz and I will continue our friendship, and to encourage each other in our walk. I also have promised to visit again soon to help make some communication symbols for Luisa.

While we were visiting, Dick, the students and the boys adjusted and arranged a great chair for Luisa. We discovered that a tray would also be helpful in allowing her to play while she sits, and will try to find an appropriate one for her. Though Dick warns me not to spread myself too thin (and he’s right, of course) I feel compelled to return to this family about once a week to help them with Luisa, help teach her things she’s not had an opportunity to learn before, and continue my friendship with Beatriz. I don’t think it’s a coincidence (maybe a God-incidence) that they live only a short walk from Hermano Pedro!