October 13
It has rained every day since we’ve been here. Although rainy season is technically over, two tropical storms have kept us quite wet. Despite the dreary weather, our spirits have been high as we have finally started working with our ministry contact. This month my team is volunteering at Hope Haven Guatemala. Our first part of the month will be spent at its wheelchair factory in Antigua.
Today was a distribution day so three children came to the factory to be fitted for new wheelchairs.
Roger- Cerebral Palsy (13)
Christopher- Epilepsy (5)
Pablo- Down Syndrome (3)
It’s impossible to look at these kids and not have your heart break for them, but God blessed them with such joy despite their circumstances. Roger’s smile lit up the room and Pablo was on the move every chance he got.
OT, PT and nursing students from a college in Connecticut sponsored the boys so that they could receive the chairs. The best part was that the students and their professors made the trip to Antigua to do the fittings themselves. They were able to evaluate the boys and assemble the chairs to meet each child’s specific needs. In all it took between 2 and 3 hours to assemble each chair. While the students were hard at work, our team got to know the families.
It was amazing to see how loving and protective each father was over his son. It reminded us all of how much our Heavenly Father loves us.
Before they left the factory in their new wheelchairs, we asked if we could pray over each of them. One at a time we laid hands on each child and asked the Lord that He continue to protect and bless His precious sons. One of the prayers spoken was that we have a God who does big things. We asked that He do big things with Roger, Christopher and Pablo’s lives. After we received many thanks and hugs from their parents we watched them leave fully expectant that God is going to show up and do big things in them and through them.
Later that day I read Nehemiah 1 and related to Nehemiah’s desperation for God to do something in Jerusalem. Our team is desperate for God to show up here in Antigua. Like Nehemiah, we must look at and recognize God as great despite the circumstances we see around us. After all, He is a God who delivers, rescues and redeems.
Pablo playing with his parents while his new wheelchair is being adjusted
Roger and his father
Pablo in his new wheelchair
Christopher in his new wheelchair
