Place: Hospital Santa Cruz Del Quiche
When: First Day in Ministry
Doing What: Working In the Pediatric Ward of a 3rd World hospital
We walked through the thick smell of “sick air” as we entered the ward. Not exactly like hospitals at home in America. A nurse waved us “gringos” over to a room. As we followed her we passed rooms of people that had just given birth, needles and pills out on the floors, people crowded on the ground of the hallways, and stray dogs walking through the lobby. She led us into a room full of incubators, which we quickly realized, were holding precious premature babies. Next to them sat moms that were detached. There babies were crying out and the moms stared into the distance, not reacting to their new born babe. Quickly Sara (one of my team mates) poked me. I blinked back into reality.
There she sat…..She caught my eye
#8
Amongst the hustle and bustle of a chaotic hospital
Nurses and Doctors rushed past her, feeding her when needed through a syringe full of leche or medication
She tensed up when they did this. Shutting her mouth and squinting her eyes tightly
A nurse makes eye contact with us and pointed to her little chair (it had #8 on the back of it),
“Stay with Her” she said to me and Sara
Wide eyed and curious, I headed towards her little chair. What am I supposed to do for this little girl? I am not a doctor. I can hardly understand what people are saying to me. My spanish is broken and I probably sound like a caveman to the people of Quiche. How am I supposed to help? Sara and I walked over and sat on the ground next to her.
Her body was hunched over this piece of cloth that was tying her body to a chair so she wouldn’t fall out. The back of her head was flat from sitting in this chair for so long. Her eyes were open, but were moving left to right, like watching words fly by on a typewriter. All I could do sit there. I didn’t know what to do. Sara spoke much better Spanish than I did so she picked up on the fact that this little girl was Autistic, blind, malnourished, and had been abandoned.
She was 10
She had been in the hospital for 3 months
Her Name was ANITA
I sat there with no way to help. No way to communicate. No way to “fix this.” I just needed to sit there?
I came back from ministry that night with my mind reeling. What is God’s Plan in this? What was His plan for Anita? She is alone! She is sick! What happens after the hospital can’t have help her anymore? That place is so heavy! FATHER I AM UNEQUIPPED FOR THIS!
God grabbed my wandering mind. In His gentle joy, He spoke to my heart and reminded me….
JOHN 14:27 – “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world does. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”
Philippians 4: 4-7 “Rejoice in the Lord Always, and again I will say it Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything with prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus”
God reminded me that “Yes Taylor, you are Unequipped for this, but THROUGH ME you have strength. TURN TO ME for I will bring you peace, TRUST ME and LET ME DO MY THAAAANG” <- (sometimes i give God some swag)
The next day my team went into the hospital as prayer warriors, asking that we would be looking for God in each and every circumstance. We invited Him in to our hearts and minds and let go of our control!
Since that day we have been loving on everyone in the hospital that we can. Giving massages to mothers, picking up babies and showing mothers that it is ok to hold their Premies, helping give blood transfusions to children, praying for mothers, reading the bible with them, etc.
(BELOW: My team mate, Jess, playing with Premie WIlliam!)
And Anita? Well we found that this little munchkin has more joy than could be explained. Although I can not speak spanish, I speak “child” pretty well. 🙂 I found different noises that I made, made Anita laugh and smile. I am talking about a overflowing belly laugh. One that echoes throughout the entire hospital. The First time we heard it, it was like God coming down and sending a light to this dark place. Since then she has had my heart.
Me and my team are currently working on finding a place for Anita to go to after she is released from the hospital and the Judge signs off on her next home. Usually kids in Guatemala that are abandoned are sent to homes where they are locked in a dark room and fed. We have a dream of sending Anita to a home where she will be loved.
We have heard of an American Children’s home called “EAGLES NEST”. They have a beautiful center here in Guatemala, on a lake, and they have a program for handicapped kids like Anita. That she would be loved and grow in a healthy environment. Please Pray for me and my team as we trust God in what He has planned for Anita and other children here in Quiche. That his plan goes BEYOND our prayers!
By His Grace,
– Taylor Hill-
