Dick and I started out today joking that there would be nothing to journal about today, except we drove and drove and drove. While it’s true that we did drive a lot, so much more was waiting for us than we imagined.
Shortly after pulling out of the hotel parking lot, Dick noticed that the dashboard gauges were acting funny, and we stopped about a half mile from the hotel to see if he and Ryan could figure out what was going on. Melissa and I decided that our best role was to be quiet and pray. Having no luck, we returned to the hotel to see if they knew of a good mechanic. A very kind young man who had a mechanic’s shop just a couple blocks away from the hotel came down to see if he could help. But, as so often happens in Guatemala, the mechanics are not particularly knowledgeable, and the only thing he could think of to recommend was a new battery. Dick was sure the problem was electrical, but thought it had more to do with grounding. We thanked the man, and decided to try to head out, now that the car at least appeared to be running somewhat adequately. A short way down the road, Dick noticed he had no dashboard lights, and again pulled over, fearing he also had no headlights. After a number of frustrating minutes, Dick was “inspired” to use his jumper cables to see if grounding the dashboard instruments would help. The next thing we heard was a jubilant “That’s it!” from Dick. Now all we need was a piece of wire and we would be set. Dick found one at an electrical store, and pieced “stuff” together (I have no idea what he did, nor do I want to know—as long as it works, I’m willing to trust his judgment!). Now his horns even worked, which he used for the next few miles (okay, maybe it was more like a few blocks!) whenever he could find an excuse. We were once again headed to El Salvador.
In a short time (by Guatemalan standards) we crossed the border into El Salvador at Frontera Hachadura (spelling?). We had just gotten our passports stamped, and were walking around looking for the lady we were to meet, when Dick realized that this border crossing did not look familiar to him, and thought perhaps we had come to the wrong one. (This was the one we almost “ran” earlier in the week, and we all just figured that we had stumbled upon our border crossing. Wrong!) After a number of phone calls, we discovered we needed to be at the next border crossing, about a 50 minute drive from where we were. Once again we were off, after having to get our passports once again stamped (across the office from the window where we had gotten it stamped only 15 minutes earlier!). I have to admit, the immigration officers had more of a sense of humor about this than any of us expected!
We arrived at Frontera Valle Nueva without further difficulty, only about 4 hours later than we were originally expected, and were happy to see Lizette waving at us as soon as we crossed the bridge into El Salvador. If we had any misgivings about whether or not the trials of the morning were worth it, they were erased as soon as we saw Melvin, the young boy who needed a wheelchair.
Melvin had pretty low muscle tone, and we found he had spinal meningitis. He was being cared for by his aunt and uncle, and it was clear that they could not have loved him more if he were their biological child. A physical therapist working with Melvin had also come along—which doesn’t seem like a big deal, except this man had given up a full day to come with this family just to be with them when Melvin got his wheelchair after more than a year of waiting.
Dick and Ryan went to work, adjusting the chair to as perfect a fit as possible, right there in the parking lot of immigration, while Melissa expertly interpreted for Dick. I got to visit a little with the boy’s aunt, and mostly just hung around and took pictures. It was so good to see Ryan working alongside Dick. The two of them seemed to connect easily, as Dick patiently taught Ryan some of the fine points of fitting a chair. During this time, an audience gathered to see just what was going on, interested in how this little one was being helped. Dick told us how different this was from only ten years ago, when someone with a disability would have been shunned by the Guatemalan people.
After finishing the job, Melvin’s uncle began to thank us all. Dick shared with him that the thanks was really owed to God, because He was the one who really had provided the wheelchair through His people. Dick went on to explain, rather tearfully, that he wanted the family to know that Melvin was also a gift from God, sharing that he had helped raise a young man with a disability who was now in his twenties. Dick got a bit choked up when he shared how much Steven had taught him as he cared for Steven.
This last bit of sharing seemed to have impacted Melvin’s uncle, as he thanked Dick for telling him about Steven, and how this gave him hope for Melvin.
Was the gospel presented today? Absolutely—in the manner of St. Francis who said, “Preach the gospel at all times. Use words when necessary.” Christ was proclaimed not only to the family, but to all those who had gathered to watch. Dick “preached” a sermon, not by “fancy words” as St. Paul says, but by his life, his love and his example. Was God glorified? I believe He was, as I think all of us realized what a divine appointment today was. Was the trip and the hassle of the morning worth it? I’ll let you decide.
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