Today Bob, Joyce, and I took some food, pampers, and other supplies to some neighbors and a mother who struggles with a heavy, heavy, heavy burden.
The visit to the family was pretty cool. They live about 2 blocks down from us and they run a small pulperia that sells little knick knacks or fruit drinks. They have no home, just the small shed that they use for the tiny snack shack. We gave them a box of rice, instant potatoes, cereal and other things. After some talking, they informed us that they were Christians too. The wife even brought out one of their bibles.
After leaving the pulperia, we went to a village named Ocotillo. Ocotillo is on the outskirts of the city. I was really excited after this visit and I could not wait to see what would happen with the next stop. We had a large bag of things to give to a woman named Eliadora and the bag was from a fellow missionary who regularly ministers to her and her. Unfortunately, they could not make the delivery due to an unexpected and serious health problem. Turns out that Bob and Joyce actually met Eliadora a few years ago so they already knew where she lived and about her circumstances. Before we arrived, Bob and Joyce filled me in about Eliadora and her circumstances. Eliadora has 4 children. 3 of these children are quadriplegics. I had no clue, that this visit would have such an impact on my heart in the way that it did.
When we arrived to Eliadora's house I got out of the vehicle and grabbed the large bag of goods. I was excited. Excited about the fact that I was being used by God to minister to this woman. That excitement was quickly and unexpectedly knocked out of me when I entered her home and met her 3 kids. It was as if someone balled up their fist and punched me right in the stomach and then blindsided me. I was taking pictures and videos during the first visit in order to show you guys what transpired. I had planned to do the same during this visit, but all I could do was put the camera in my pocket. We talked with Eliadora for a few moments then she had to move the kids to the living room because it was getting to hot in their bedroom.
The ages of the three were 21, 19, and 16. She placed her first child on a worn down and ragged wheelchair the pushed him out. As he came into my view all I could do was bottle up what was building up inside of me. She placed him on a small steel-framed couch that had tightly bound, plastic strings which served as the body of the couch. After moving the oldest, she then went back to the room to bring another out. I looked over to the oldest, and saw that he was looking at me. It was painful. What he saw was guy with no health problems. What I saw was an individual trapped in his own body. He is 4 years younger than me yet the physical appearances were drastically different. He literally had no fat on his body. Just skin and bones. His legs and arms were so crippled that they actually seemed to be bound up together. His left leg was bent so much that his leg literally folded over to where his foot touched his abdomen. One eye was solid white and the other was a dark, miserable, black. His teeth were jagged. His whole body looked like a mangled piece of skin. His body was literally like a rock covered with skin. You could see every bone in his body. That image will forever be burned in my mind for the rest of my life.
I couldn't stay. It hurt to see what I was seeing. I held it all in while there. When the time came to finally leave, it all came out in the back seat. Bob and Joyce were talking but I couldn't speak. All I could do was cry and reflect on how blessed I have been by God. While there I felt like I was invading their privacy. I was trying to imagine what the oldest was thinking when he was looking at me. He may have been a prisoner in his own body but he does have a brain. I felt like I was making him miserable by my presence.
I was trying to imagine how I would have felt if I was in his position. Would I have a tremendous amount of anger and hatred towards other people.......towards God? I imagined how I would feel having to wake up every morning and never being able to sit up and look at the sky. Never being able to hold something in my hand. Never being able to hold someone in my arms and telling them I love them. Never being able to tell the ones I love good morning and good night. Never being able to feed myself, drive, have a social life. Never having the opportunity to throw a football. Never being able to talk with my little sister over the phone. Never having the chance to help others or to enjoy the simple things of life such as having a snack or being with your friends. Never being able to serve Jesus. To me, I would ask myself everyday why God made this way. Here I am in a worn down shack in Honduras and a 5'11, 220 lb., blue eyed, healthy, 25 year old gringo walks into my home. The only place that I would feel safe and secure is that shack. The last thing I would want (if I was him) is some gringo from the U.S. that has everything he could want...to walk into my home.
We are so blessed.....a lot of times we forget how blessed we really are.
I know this was a lot but thanks for reading.
God Bless and please pray for Eliadora and her kids.
