It was a bright, hot day. German, our host, had loaded up Team Alabanza and Team Unveiled in the van and we’d just arrived in Chimaltenango, strolling the streets of the animal market, taking in the sights and sounds of the venue. Cows, horses, pigs–so many pigs!– and puppies filled the streets with an interesting mix of pungent odors and raucous screams. It was a bit overwhelming but also great. The air buzzed with excitement from the hundreds of vendors selling animals and the equal amount of customers who were anxiously searching for their perfect pig, cow or pup.
The group had agreed to split up and wander while German bought pigs; we were to meet at the van shortly, to head back home. My group happened to get to our rendezvous point a bit early so we were gleefully chatting with each other and greeting passersby with what seemed like an constant flow of “Hola” or “Buenos Dias, Senora”. At one point I turned, for what seemed like the 75th time, and greeted a small, rotund, elderly woman with a cheery “Buenas, Senora!” She stopped dead in her tracks and began to sob. And I mean REALLY sob; uncontrollably so.
My teammate, Kerry, and I immediately began trying our best to calm this woman and comfort her. She was crumbling right before our eyes, holding on to us and sobbing into our chests and holding tightly to our nervous, shaky hands. I spoke to her in Spanish, asking questions about what’d happened to her, where she lived, was she injured, etc. and each question was met with a blank stare. Finally, I asked her name and she told me: Olivia. With no idea of what to do, Kerry and I decided to console her until German, who is fluent in Spanish, showed up.
When German arrived, we both began explaining the situation. Very calmly, German told her we would take her home. She nodded her acceptance of this decision but gave yet another blank stare when asked where she lived. It was in that moment that I realized we were probably talking to a woman with dementia or Alzheimer’s. So we kept soothing her frazzled nerves and talked to her, assuring her that we’d get her home. I was praying over and over again that we could somehow find her house. We’d been walking for blocks and had no idea if we were going in the right direction. Nobody seemed to recognize Olivia. I prayed that someone would recognize her; I prayed that a family member was looking for her and would see her walking with us; I prayed Olivia would have a moment of clarity and remember her address. I kept praying and I kept walking.
And then it happened.
A store owner recognized her! He said she went for walks around the neighborhood everyday and had probably wandered too far. He pointed up a street and said she lived just down the way. I could finally release the breath I’d inadvertently been holding. We excitedly hugged her and pointed out that we were right by her house. She had stopped crying by now and seemed relaxed, as if her body recognized her surroundings even if her mind hadn’t quite caught up yet. And before we could even say another word, she was gone. Walking up the street, waving at a familiar face, gaining familiarity with every step and not once turning around to look at us. She was fine. She was safe. She was home.
Walking back to the van, I was struck by the similarity between Olivia’s situation and my own life. How many times had I wandered astray and been lost, crying and lonely? How many times had I been frozen by fear? There were too many instances to count. Yet through it all, God was there; comforting me, loving me, and gently guiding me back to the familiarity of His path. Extending me grace and kindness as He, my shepherd, carried me back home, back to His flock through his Spirit or through people He’d divinely appointed in my life. I’m thankful for my encounter with Olivia; I believe Kerry and I were used as tools to comfort and save our dear sister, Olivia, from what could have been a calamity. It reminded me that all of us get scared, lost and lonely at times, but when we cry out for help, our Lord is there with His Spirit and with fellow believers to help us through. He is mighty to save.
