After another good night’s sleep in a very modern hotel, we once again set out into the back country. Today we would be going to the villages around Colotenango, again a good drive out from Huehue. The roads today, however, were “good” compared to what we had traveled yesterday.
Roland had received good news this morning at breakfast. Lisvi’s family, who we met yesterday, had decided to go back with us to Antigua to see the malnutrition ward! We set out in high spirits after receiving this information.
Our first stop was to pick up our interpreter, Maria Garcia. You s
ee, today we would be visiting areas where little Spanish is spoken, and then usually only in the schools or to outsiders. The Mayan dialect in this region is Mam.I guess Maria Garcia would be considered a local leader in this area. Her son, who had recently died from an undiagnosed illness, had begun efforts to organize the community. Since his death, Maria Garcia has stepped in to carry on the work he had begun.
As we drove to the first home we were to visit, Roland told me a bit of the story of Francisca and her son Rodrigo. Rodrigo is severely handicapped as a result of an assault on his mother when she was pregnant. Rodrigo’s father had severely beaten her, and attempted to slit her throat. Somehow, by the grace of God, she managed to get to a neighbor for help, and survived. Rodrigo, though, bears the effects of the “sins of his father.” Francisca, too, bears scars on heart as well as her face from the beating she took. This man still lives in the area, and I can’t imagine how she can feel safe even for a moment.After fitting Rodrigo with a wheelchair, and showing his mother how to use it, we traveled on to the home of Maria Garcia. Here we were met by two families in need of wheelchairs, as well as the family of Maria Garcia. On the way to her home, I had complimented Maria on her “huipil,” the tradition
al blouse worn by Mayan women. I told her I had two, but none were as pretty as hers. Shortly after we entered her house, I was pulled aside by one of Maria’s daughters, Aura. She took me into the rear of the house to measure me, as she wanted to make me a huipil for the next time I returned to there village. Once again, I was humbled at the hospitality of these people. I explained that I didn’t know when I would be back in the area, but she said not to worry. It would take her two months to complete the project on a backstrap loom, and it would be waiting for me whenever I returned.Dick and Fernando were hard at work fitting three young people with wheelchairs when I returned to the group. Arnoldo and Irenia were brother and sister. They had been carried here by their mother, who was so thin she looked as if she would blow over in a strong wind. Again, I realized that in this country a gift as simple as a wheelchair impacts not just the individual, but their whole family. I hope Elena’s life will be much easier now that she can push, rather than carry, her children.
Olga was the other teen in need of a chair. Dick and Roland had met her on a previous trip to the area, and she was one of the reasons we had come here now. She patiently, if somewhat sullenly, waited her turn to be seated, sitting in the dirt. I was frustrated by my inability to communicate with her (she spoke only Mam) as she looked so forlorn. The change that came over her face once she was in her very own chair was amazing. She has a beautiful smile.
We ended this visit with a cup of coffee which the family took great pride in telling us had been grown, harvested and roasted by them on their own property. No matter where we went, or how poor the family we were visiting was, we were always given at least either coffee or a pop. By the end of the day, both Dick and I agreed that we would explode of we drank any more pop, but knowing the sacrifices these families made to provide this for us, we gratefully drank every drop (if we could not find a nearby child to help us out!).With great excitement we headed for our next stop. We were going to the home of Rudy, a little boy who had been born without the bottom half of his left leg. On an earlier visit, Dick had made a cast of his stump and sent it to a man in the states who makes prosthetic limbs. Loren had graciously donated the time and materials and produced the cutest artificial leg I’ve ever seen! I was privileged to be able to bring it down with me, and now was going to get to actually see Rudy as he walked with it the first time.
Arriving at the home, we were immediately ushered inside to eat the lunch that Rudy’s mom had prepared for us. A rich chicken broth with carrots and a potato-like vegetable was served to us with the ever present corn tortillas. Dick explained this was the meal traditionally served to honored guests. As I ate I wondered if we were being served the meal that would ordinarily have fed this family. Again I reflected on how humbling it is to accept a gift from someone who has so little.
There was great excitement after lunch when Dick brought out the artificial leg, and began to fit Rudy. This is not something he ordinarily does, but, with a few adjustments (and the help of directions we finally found in the bag!) Rudy was able to stand on his “own two feet.” It will take some practice on his part, but I’m sure that within a few days Rudy will be running around with the other kids.
After an all too short visit, we again were on the road—we still had two more stops to make. It is incredible how much we were able to pack into one short day. Our next stop was at the home of Lionel, one of the children who Dick had previously brought into the malnutrition ward at Hermano Pedro. Lionel was doing so well Dick hoped he would soon be transferred to the dormitory downstairs, and we wanted to share this good news with his family. Dick also wanted to check and see about the possibility of putting the older two children in the family back into school. We were disappointed to find out that these two children had decided not to go to school. They felt they needed to work in the fields with their father to help support the rest of the family. As sad as this made us, we understood their reasoning, in a land where many families earn less than $200 a year.
Our final stop this day was at the home of Rolando, a twenty-something young man who has Cerebral Palsy. Because of his handicap, Rolando had never been allowed to attend school. Obviously intelligent, Rolando spends his days supplementing his family’s income by selling pop and cookies by the road. Today we were coming to meet a teacher Roland had found to work with Rolando. Through the sponsorship of someone in the States, Dick would be able to pay this young man to teach Rolando the basics, twice a week, for the next year. Rolando’s excitement was indescribable as his dream of learning to read and write is beginning to come true.
After dropping off Maria Garcia, we headed back to the hotel in Huehuetenango. Once again it was dark when we pulled into the parking lot. It was somewhat difficult to sit down to the substantial buffet offered in the restaurant after what we had experienced today. Fernando didn't join us this evening, opting to watch cartoons instead. This gave the three of us adults time to plan and reflect. It also provided me the opportunity to get feedback from my friends on my plans to move down. In my spirit, I know this is where God is calling me. In my flesh, I want nothing more than to protect my heart. These last two days had been wonderful. They also had been two of the most emotionally challenging days of my life. Would I really be able to handle this life? My friends reminded me that we only do so in the strength of Christ, and I trust this answer. Once again, though, I went to sleep with the prayer in my heart, "Lord, I want to serve you, but it hurts too much."
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