Widows' Project

"Yo les he dicho estas cosas para que en mí hallen paz. En este mundo afrontarán aflicciones, pero ¡anímense! Yo he vencido al mundo."  Juan 16:33

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

Last Monday, Leslie asked me to do the devotion with the widows on Tuesday.  I found a devotion on-line in Spanish with the above verse.  I was just going to attempt to read it to them in Spanish and then pray for all of them.  As I prayed before clinic on Tuesday morning, I felt like the Lord wanted me to share about my dad and our "trouble" this past year.  I was working on how to share my heart in Spanish and praying for the Holy Spirit to just give me His words (preferably in Spanish!)

When we got to clinic (about a 40 minute drive up the mountain), Bethany and I weighed and gave food to the kids in the nutrition program.  The widows don't come in until the end of clinic so I had lots of time to pray and think about what I was going to share.  I felt like I was totally prepared and ready to share when the time came.

Flor is a Guatemalan girl who helps out in the clinics.  She does ultrasounds and also translates from Spanish to Quiche.  Most of the people in this clinic do not speak Spanish.  She is so good at what she does and is such a blessing to this ministry.  Leslie and Flor talked to the widows at the beginning of their time together and then Leslie introduced me.

Flor read my verse in Spanish to the ladies.  I started to read some of the devotion.  I was then going to start sharing about my dad.  Immediately the tears started to flow.  I only got out the words that he died last April and then couldn't speak anymore.  

One of the widows started to share that she knew "exactly" how I felt.  She lost both of her parents and her husband and then continued to share about more tough things that she was going through.  When she finished, I looked at Leslie and asked "where do I go from here?".  Their problems were so much worse than mine and really, what could I say that would encourage them?  Leslie started to share with them that even though we are different and live in different places, our pain is the same.  They were all nodding their heads in agreement.  

I didn't feel like I could add anything more to the discussion but I felt that the Holy Spirit wanted me to put my hands on all of them and pray.  They began to share their hearts.  One lady's son beat her and she really wanted to go to church but she had to pay Q25 (about $3) to attend.  This doesn't seem like much to us but these widows don't have enough to feed their children PLUS the idea of her having to pay to go to church was unbelievable.  Another lady twisted her ankle on the long walk to clinic.  As they continued to share their stories, I went from lady to lady, touching them physically while asking the Lord to touch them spiritually.  I am absolutely sure that I was blessed way more than them but I am praying that the Lord reveals Himself to them as their provider and protector.  

Once we were done praying, the ladies brought out their baskets.  They were beautiful.  Flor inspected them all and decided how much to pay them for their hard work.  Once they were all paid, we put a piece of tape with the name of the creator inside each of them.  We packed them up and brought them back down the mountain with us.  I plan to fill our luggage with as many baskets as possible.  Flor is also teaching them to make beautiful tortilla cloths.  I can't wait to see the finished products!  

As I was looking for the pictures of the widows, I found this picture on Bethany's camera.  It was raining in the mountains one morning and then this rainbow appeared.  It was so vivid and beautiful.  It reminded me that, yes, we are going to have trouble in this world but the Lord has "overcome the world".  Be encouraged!  We can count on His promises and rest in His faithfulness.  In Him, we will find peace.