I almost forgot I had a blog.
Grandparents are notorious for saying "let me tell you about my grandchildren". Probably the reason I don't have grandchildren is because I would be so obnoxious in my bragging on them that people would run when they saw me coming. So, let me tell you about Fredy.
Fredy is my gardener, but he is more than my gardener. Fredy's story is typical of a lot of Guatemalans. His dad was killed when he was five years old and his mother was an alcoholic. I didn't know at the time when I first met him that I knew his mother. About three years ago we (FBC) helped pay for one of her son's funeral. This was one of three of Fredy's older brothers who died in the last four years due to alcohol related incidents.
When Fredy's dad was killed, he and a brother and sister were taken out of the home and placed in Casa Aleluya where he lived until a little over a year ago. He came to my house looking for a job and I hired him as my gardener on a trial basis. I didn't even know I needed a gardener, but if it weren't for Fredy, I wouldn't have a garden.
Over the course of the next few weeks, Fredy and I talked, although I did most of the talking. He would hardly talk at all and very seldom smiled. His answers to my questions were a short "yes" and "no", so I tried to think of questions that required longer answers. A couple of things that I learned were that he is a Christian and that he did not finish school in Casa Aleluya, but that's another story.
He wanted to go back to school, so I am sending him to America Latino, a Christian school here in Chimal. He goes on Saturdays to a special school for older students who, for whatever reason, did not finish their education.
He is a hard worker and is very talented. He has made my garden a work of art. Last week he said "come see". He had carved out grass in the lawn spelling my name and was getting ready to plant flowers in it.
Fredy has captured my heart, and God willing I will do all I can to keep him from following the path the rest of his family has taken. His remaining brothers try to get him to go drinking with them and he refuses.
So, why am I telling you all this? I would like to ask, if you think of it when you pray, please pray for Fredy. He still does not have an easy life and it would be so easy for him to become discouraged. Thanks for listening. Now aren't you glad I don't have grandchildren?
Luisa
