Tuesday, November 24, 2015

To The Least of These

This last Thursday we spent much of the day traveling. We headed south to the Widows Project in the morning.  The roads to our clinic in Chimisujuan are still muddy and we had to walk the last 15 minutes or so.  It was a great time with the ladies!


After lunch, we were informed of a request for a house call.  An 83-year-old man who is related to three of the men working on the hospital had been sick for a while.  Don saw him once or twice in clinic but he was no longer able to walk.


Leslie packed up her medical supplies and off we went in the opposite direction.  I just tagged along for the ride and to pray!  Housecalls are one of my favorite things to do here!


We drove for a while and then walked the remaining distance - first on a road and then on a walking path that led to their house.  We didn't take any pictures of the house or family out of respect for them and the situation.  But let me try to describe it for you.

The house was made from adobe bricks and a tin roof.  The walls did not meet the roof.  It was in typical Guatemalan style where the rooms (maybe 3) are all lined up with doors to the outside (similar to a stripmall).  They have a fire outside of the rooms for cooking etc.  The room where we found the patient was about 10 x 10 with one lightbulb hanging from the ceiling.  I am not sure how many people lived in the small house but at one point I counted 22 people in the room . . . and then more came in. The floor was dirt although they used pine needles to 'carpet' it.  (Very typical here)  Not sure how to describe the smell . . .   

I stood out of the way while Don and Leslie examined the patient.  Leslie started an IV and they gave him a vitamin injection to try to give him some energy.  He didn't have pain but really didn't want to eat.  Leslie asked him if he knew the Lord and then we prayed for him.  

Yesterday we found out that he passed away.  We knew when we left that he didn't really have the 'will' to live and wondered how much longer it would be.  

These trips are just what I need to adjust my perspective. This is the reason that we are here. Everything else that we are doing is great but sometimes it becomes a distraction from all that is important.  The Lord loves people and wants them to know Him.  May He keep adjusting our perspective to His purposes and plans. Thanks for reading!