The name of the game here in Guatemala is "flexibility". There is a sign posted on the mission house wall that reads, "Blessed are the flexible for they shall not be bent out of shape."
It seems that it is either a flurry of activity or agonizing waiting. Such was the case yesterday with a three hour wait at the opthamologist office with Maria Reyes for an eye exam and then back to the mission house to clean before the team returned from their day's work. Plans can be made in the evening for the next day only to be thwarted by a team member being ill and needing medication and someone to stay with them.
January has been a busy month what with going to the school to help register some children, taking Berto to the hospital, getting Maria an eye exam--for right now her old glasses will do-- and having two teams at the mission house back to back. Feburary will probably be shoe shopping time.
Sometimes when I drive through the village of Santo Domingo, or go to the school, or to a home, it doesn't take long for the word to get out that I am there. Folks come out of the woodwork asking for something....shoes, medicine, medical exams, etc. Quite often, it is overwhelming and I want to say "give me a break". Then I think of the numerous scriptures which tell of Jesus not being able to eat or rest because of the people coming to Him for healing and casting out demons. The scriptures say...."and He healed them all." He raised the dead and fed the multitudes. The only time I can remember Jesus not helping someone was when the guy asked Him to make his brother share the inheritance with him. Jesus asked him, "Man, who made me judge over you?" Jesus was not into greed. Jesus was compelled by compassion. He could not not be compassionate
The King James Dictionary defines compassion as; suffering with another, painful sympathy; a sensation of sorrow excited by the distress or misfortunes of another; pity; commiseration.
Webster's Dictionary defines compelled as; forced; constrained (urged irresistibly or powerfully); obliged.
In spite of the people coming to Him just to have their bellies filled, He still had compassion. He knew that, He knew they were seeking Him just for their physical needs, but He still had painful sympathy and pity for the people, even affection for His enemies. This compassion compelled, or constrained Him to heal, to forgive, to raise the dead. Even the ungrateful experienced His compassion as evidenced by the lepers who were healed and only one returned to thank Him.
If I were to compare the sufferings of different cultures of people, the suffering I see here would not be as great as the suffering I see on TV of war torn countries, countries where famine and disease is rampant, or where persecution for one's faith is the order of the day. But if I compare it to the suffering in the United States, of life as I know it, the suffering here is great. If I had to live in the conditions that I see people living in here in Guatemala, I would be seeking relief too.
So I have to ask myself, “where is my compassion, my painful sympathy, my affection for an enemy?” Jesus had compassion for me, painful sympathy, pity, for my lost condition and the fact that I could do nothing to make my life right nor to bring me into a right relationship with God, His Father. Out of love and compassion He died for me. He has not yet asked me to do that...I've just been asked to have a little compassion.
Luisa
Jan 29, 2009
Jan 13, 2009
Sometimes working with folks in Guatemala brings joy and sometimes it brings heartache.
We were finally able to take a gentlemen in one of the villages, who has been ill for quite sometime, to the hospital. He has passed off his illness and pain as of no consequence for a long time until he could no longer stand the pain. Now it is too late. He has cancer and more than likely has about three or four months to live.
I didn't want this to happen. I don't want Beto to die. I want him to get well and go back home to his family, to work and take care of his wife and children, of which he has five. But I don't always get what I want. Things don't always turn out the way I want them too and I'm sure as much as I want him well, his family wants that more. He is not an old man, probably in his forties. His wife will make it o.k. work wise. She has been pretty much supporting the family for quite a while anyway but had to quit as of late to take care of him. I truly don't know how they have been living.
At times like this, there should be something deeply profound and spiritual I could think to say, but I can't think of anything, except a scripture I read this morning in Psalm 84 where it talks about those whose strength is in the Lord who passing through the Valley of Baca, (the Amplified Bible says Valley of Weeping) make it a place of springs.........they go from strength to strength (increasing in victorious power).... [v 5-7] One step at a time, one day at a time, strength for today and building on that for strength for tomorrow.
From all that I have been able to observe of Beto, he is a believer, as well as his wife. So they have a source of strength.
We were finally able to take a gentlemen in one of the villages, who has been ill for quite sometime, to the hospital. He has passed off his illness and pain as of no consequence for a long time until he could no longer stand the pain. Now it is too late. He has cancer and more than likely has about three or four months to live.
I didn't want this to happen. I don't want Beto to die. I want him to get well and go back home to his family, to work and take care of his wife and children, of which he has five. But I don't always get what I want. Things don't always turn out the way I want them too and I'm sure as much as I want him well, his family wants that more. He is not an old man, probably in his forties. His wife will make it o.k. work wise. She has been pretty much supporting the family for quite a while anyway but had to quit as of late to take care of him. I truly don't know how they have been living.
At times like this, there should be something deeply profound and spiritual I could think to say, but I can't think of anything, except a scripture I read this morning in Psalm 84 where it talks about those whose strength is in the Lord who passing through the Valley of Baca, (the Amplified Bible says Valley of Weeping) make it a place of springs.........they go from strength to strength (increasing in victorious power).... [v 5-7] One step at a time, one day at a time, strength for today and building on that for strength for tomorrow.
From all that I have been able to observe of Beto, he is a believer, as well as his wife. So they have a source of strength.
Jan 9, 2009
The gauntlet has been thrown down and I have decided to accept the challenge. The books have been ordered and now a time and place is all that remains to be decided. Senor Elfi, the prinicpal of Santo Domingo school, is definitely serious about learning English and I am just as serious about my inability to teach him. Hence, much prayer is requested in this endeavor. First for him that he will learn quickly and easily. He is a young man so that shouldn't be a problem. And then for me. First of all, that my patience and wisdom will greatly increase and that I will truly teach and not just read the book to him, he can do that.
In my last blog, I referred to paying for something and feel it is necessary to clarify something. When there is a mention of paying for something, that does not come out of my pocket. I am not that benevolent, in fact, I have been known to be quite tight-fisted. Those funds come from other sources, chiefly from my home church in Arkansas, and sometimes from other sources.
In my last blog, I referred to paying for something and feel it is necessary to clarify something. When there is a mention of paying for something, that does not come out of my pocket. I am not that benevolent, in fact, I have been known to be quite tight-fisted. Those funds come from other sources, chiefly from my home church in Arkansas, and sometimes from other sources.
Jan 6, 2009
What's it about?
First of all, this blog is not to be about me, as much as I would like it to be. My favorite words are "I" and "me". This blog is intended to be about people in general and Guatemalan people in particular. The Guatemalan people, for the most part, are a very gracious, humble people and exhibit much gratitude for any little thing done for them.
School starts here in Guatemala in January and it has been my practice for the last three years to go to the school in Santo Domingo to help pay the Q40 for some children whose families could not pay. This year I was a little unsure about going because my buddy, who had gone along in the past, was no longer around to go. "Was there going to be anyone there who needed help?" Would they understand my faulty Spanish?" Questions, Questions. Upon arrival at the school, I was told that enrollment this year was free. (Thankfully the principal speaks some English) However, several people could not enroll their children because they had not paid for last year's snacks the school serves the children each day. So I paid that for several children and will go back tomorrow to pay for some more.
During our conversation, the principal said I needed to learn Spanish and he wanted to learn English....could I teach him and he would teach me Spanish. Now there's a challenge if there ever was one.
School starts here in Guatemala in January and it has been my practice for the last three years to go to the school in Santo Domingo to help pay the Q40 for some children whose families could not pay. This year I was a little unsure about going because my buddy, who had gone along in the past, was no longer around to go. "Was there going to be anyone there who needed help?" Would they understand my faulty Spanish?" Questions, Questions. Upon arrival at the school, I was told that enrollment this year was free. (Thankfully the principal speaks some English) However, several people could not enroll their children because they had not paid for last year's snacks the school serves the children each day. So I paid that for several children and will go back tomorrow to pay for some more.
During our conversation, the principal said I needed to learn Spanish and he wanted to learn English....could I teach him and he would teach me Spanish. Now there's a challenge if there ever was one.
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