This Wednesday both families were going on picnics. The Fickers went up the mountain along the canal (I think Rachel took some pictures so watch for them on her blog). Our family was going to go to a new place (new to us) that the Fickers told us about. The Fickers were more organized and left earlier than us. Just as we were getting ready to leave, a young family showed up at the gate. Their 3 month old baby had a cleft pallette and was one that had been seen in the clinic before. Don was trying to get the specifics when the dad started to cry because he was so worried about his son. We decided that we needed to try to help this child before we left. I went to tell the kids what was going on and Don brought them into the clinic. The baby had been to clinic last Saturday and received antibiotics but the parents felt that he was worse. He had had diahrea for several days and a fever. Don agreed that the baby probably had an ear infection but now had a pneumonia and an infection in his stomach. We grabbed some infant tylenol and a different antibiotic from the bodega. While Don was examining the baby, the father began to weep and pray. He was pooring out his desperation and fear to the Lord. Once we had all the medicines ready and labeled, we asked if we could also pray with them for the child. When you pray in a group here, you don't wait and go one at a time, everyone prays all at once. So the four of us (two in English and the other two in Quiche and Spanish) were all crying out to the Lord for this family at one time. All four of us were weeping and pleading for the Lord's mercy and grace over this little boy. We are not sure all that was wrong physically with the baby but the parents were so fearful that we knew they needed the Lord's peace more than any medicine. We told them to take the new antibiotic for three days as well as the infant tylenol for pain and the fever. If the baby didn't get better, we asked them to please return on Saturday for clinic. Although this might not fit what people would normally consider 'Sabbathish', we knew that this was part of the Lord's plan for us on this Sabbath. We had such peace about delaying our picnic for a little bit so that we could stand with these parents in prayer for their baby.
Our kids were awesome as they waited for us. Once we explained that it was a little baby, they had compassion for this family as well. As soon as we could send the family on their way, we took off for our picnic.
We were going to a place where two rivers meet. I am sure that in the rainy season, the water is very high and rough because even now in the dry season, the current was strong. We took a few pictures along the way.
Here are some people fishing in the river.
Not many places are very green right now. Everything is very dry and brown. However, if you are blessed enough to live by the river, you can actually have some green fields. We saw tomatoes, corn and other vegetables as we drove.
Once we arrived the kids found the best places for swimming. This spot is a little deep and the current is pretty strong.
Climbing on the rocks was one of the highlights.
Caleb took a picture of Bethany and I.
It is always an adventure when we go to the river. This trip we actually spotted a Tyrannosaurus Rex.
1 comment:
Hey Allisons, we love you! We keep lifting you up, and thinking of you in Guatemala. We are doing the usual business--painting is done, picture/curtain hanging is not. I'm starting seeds and wondering if you will do a garden when you come home. I'm sure that's a very strange thought. We will let you know when the baby arrives in the next 10 days or so!
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