Way Up To Huehuetenango Again

I know that I promised to do more of my won journal writing but it seems that some one always seems to beat me to the punch lately.  David Black has been with me most of the week and once again offered to do the journaling.   Thank you Dave.

Un Otro Viaje con mi amigo Dick (I think that David has once again gone back to writing in Canadian. so interpreting this journal into proper English may take more time than writing my own.  Dick)

After Dick had asked me a couple of times to go with him and Alex to a wheelchair distribution in Huehue with Bethel Ministries, I felt a little nudge from above to go. I am glad I did.

We left Chimal. on Sunday, Feb.17, stopping at Erica's to deliver some more cream for her skin disease, and Christopher for a visit. 

We also visited the 2 brothers in San Francisco Alto who have M.D. and gave them some food packets. This is where their dad gave Alex a 'chilicayote' ( squash ), which Alex fell in love with. He even slept with it in his room in Huehue!

We then met Chris and Donna, Jorje, Saul, and Brent and his 4 daughters and one son from Missouri, at the hotel in Huehue. I especially remember Carson, his son, because he was always ready to clean up any leftovers I had. What a nice family.

Mon., Feb. 18

After BREKKY, (Canandain again.  Dick) we headed to the fire station/ church where the distribution was to take place. After Chris prayed and told us not to give into any fears we had, we unloaded the truck and got started. There were to be 50 chairs given out , but in the end, 65 were given out. Chris says that is usually what happens, as people often show up at the door, asking for a chair. After all was said and done, we were finished by 2 p.m. I must admit I had a fear of not finishing early, but thanks to God, we had a good team working together.

There is always someone who I always remember, and this time it was a little guy, Joseph, whose older brother was receiving a chair.This little guy was maybe 5 or 6 yrs. old, and insisted on helping me with my wrenches while adjusting his brother's chair. Thank you Lord for another memory.

Tues., Feb.19

Today we went to visit Jose to fix his power wheelchair that he had called Dick about, and Maria Garcia to give some food packets to. They both live north of Huehue about an hour. We went to Jose's first , and found his power chair was now working okay. Dick told him to use a lower speed, as he goes up and down a pretty steep hill back and forth to town for school. It turned out to be not a wasted trip as we did return with a previous power chair he could no longer use. Thank you, Lord.

After our usual road trip lunch of chips and a drink, we drove to Maria Garcia's. On the way we stopped and visited Rolando, a young man with CP that Bethel sponsors who was selling snacks along the road outside his house. What a happy guy. We told him not to make any novias (girlfriends) while working . He got a good laugh from that one. 

 

We then stopped at Maria Garcia's and gave her about 10 boxes of food packets and some vitamins. This is the lady whom Dick knows will distribute the food in this village evenly and fairly. Thank God for people like her.

Wed., Feb.20

Today we are headed to San Miguel Acatan, which is about 4 hrs. north of Huehue. Dick said it is an amazing drive where we go up to 11,000 ft. and down again, and it truly is. We are going there to deliver 2 wheelchairs to 2 girls who could not make it to the distribution in Huehue, as their mom was sick. We had not planned to go here, but God had, I am sure.

Pedro, our local helper, then took us to another home of Astrid, a little girl  2 1/2 yrs. old, who is having up to 10 seizures a day, and needs a wheelchair. Unfortunately the only chair we had with us was not right for her, but we did find out that about a year ago mom had taken her to a neurologist in Xela , who prescribed some meds. for her seizures. unfortunately at best mom can only afford about half the drugs, so Dick gave her some money to see if a full month of the correct amount of meds would help , and then hopefully next month she can see the doctor again for a follow up examination. He had asked her to come back 4 month ago but she did not have the 800 Q ($100 for the 5 !/2 trip to the doctor and the examination. Please pray for a sponsor so that this precious little girl can get the medical attention and the medicine that she needs.

The 2 girls we did give wheelchairs to, Erica (15), and Esperanza (10 ), both have C.P., but Dick says with therapy could be much straighter and better. Please pray that their mom follows through with therapy, as this will make such a difference in their lives.

So, after meeting Pedro, (who knows this town and the needs here), and Astrid, I know why God had us travel here. Another Godincidence, as Dick says?

We drive back to Soloma and stay the night there, as traveling all the way back to Huehue after dark is not recommended because of low clouds and fog and treacherous roads.

Thurs., Feb. 21

I forgot to mention, while in Huehue, Dick visited an eye doctor because of an infection he got from mucho dust . Alex said Dick only cried when he saw the scalpel approaching his eye. (Dave would have cried to if he had someone stick what looked like a dull machete into your eye lid and made a inch and a half cut in it. Besides that I didn't actually cry.  It was more like a scream. Dick) On his return visit today, Dick said the doctor tried to sell him glasses, eye shampoo, and alms every think else that he had on the shelf claiming that if he did not buy them this would happen again. I think Dick's tears this time were from laughing!   (Actually this time I was really crying because he was only asking 5 times the labeled price for each item.  I must admit the price for the so called eye surgery was only $65 but I would have gladly given him $75 had he cleaned and sharpened the scalpel or machete before doing the surgery.  Dick)

We headed home after dropping of some more vitamins and food at a center that Dick works with, it was another great trip and I saw another part of Guate which was breathtaking, and met more amazing people. Alex did a great job interpreting, and we think met a novia in San Miguel, who only wanted to talk to Alex, and not us. Hmmmm? When last I saw Alex, he was fast asleep in the back seat with his beloved ' chilicayote ' ( squash ) ! Oh, Alex!

Due to the little incident with my eye both Dave and Alex got to do some driving. All I can say is when Alex drove I kept my good eye open and when Dave drove I didn't even dare to open the bad one. Especially the time he hit a speed bump that nearly put both Alex and his squash up in the front feet with us.

The good news is it looks like my eye is going to be OK fact is it sort of looks like I had a half of a face lift. I don't think that I will try the other side though as I have run out of tetanus medication and my only syringe is getting as dull as the so called eye Doctor's Machete.   Dick

Thank you Dick for another amazing trip.

Most of all, thank you Lord.   Dave

Thank you Dave.

Goodnight,

Yours in Christ: Dick