Back In The Saddle Again

My good friend Dave black is back in town again.  Dave once again volunteered to do some journaling for me and since I actually did the last one myself I gladly obliged.


Back in the saddle again.

Written by David Black.

After arriving  in Guate last Wed., my good friend Dick invited me to go near the coast and visit a couple of families with him.

Dick, Miquel, Elder, Marcos and I headed out after ''brekky" Oh Boy!  hear we go again. (Guess I have to haul out my Canadian to  English dictionary again.  As near as I can tell David is saying that we did some break dancing before going out on this trip.)  at Camperos ( of course ). Dick and I had a normal breakfast, (David has been here to many times if he thinks that beens, fried bananas and tortillas is a normal brekfast.) while the boys opted for chicken wings and pepsi!

We first visited '' Gravy'', (This is a person's name not something else that we had for breakfast.) a young boy who is scheduled for surgery on his legs with Dr. Will in Feb. He gets around pretty good, considering both knees and feet are pointed in.  Dick wanted to make sure he and his mom are going and that they have a ride there.

Our next stop was near La Gomera to see Marvin, who has C.P. Dick says he is looking and doing much better after receiving vitamins and food. Dick also wanted to take Marvin's siblings to Camperos for obtaining good marks for the last school year, but they said thet had to collect firewood for mama.  Quite a sacrifice to miss chicken at Camperos!

Our last stop was to visit Ronnie's  family and take his brothers and sisters to Camperos for their school marks last year also. The ride to and from San Lucas was the best part of the day. Ronnie's sisters laughed the whole way there and back, hitting Dick's boys continually with a plastic pop bottle. While this was going on in the back, Dick had Orlindo and Djuan driving with him. This was worth the price of admission! Back at Ronnie's house, Dick checked with mama about school funding for this year, and received some hugs from the older sisters in the house.

We  didn't do much ''wheelchairing ' today, but I think God used us in another way. As Dick said, sometimes just visiting people is all you need to do.

.............................................................................................................................

Dick invited me to tag along with him, Cesar, Brian and Kevin to ix and deliver a couple of chairs near Pana.  After my first ''chicken bus '' ride this year, I met them at the shop in Chimal. Nothing like a bus ride to get you back into the Guate swing of things! Especially for 5Q!

Our first stop was in Solola to check on a man's electric chair . We found he needs  front tires, but he can get to the shop in Chimal and get some. He and his family are  also planning to move to a home with a flatter entrance, as where he lives now is quite steep. Dick said he was in a car accident that put him in a wheelchair.

We then visited  Edger , a 15 year old boy who has C.P., but you wouldn't know it. He is one of the happiest, smiling boys I have met here, and his mom, and younger brother and sisters are the same. What a nice family. His chair had not been charging well, and after checking his charger, DIck gave him a new charger. Dick wanted to make sure his chair was okay, as school starts this week. His school even has even built a ramp for his chair to go up!

For some reason, this family really got to me. Darn  tears. Thank you Lord, for a blessed day.

...................................................................................................................

After having a dandy breakfast (Looks like we are getting David trained in English) for 20Q, we went to Mayan Families to meet Angel, a 16 yr.old boy who has M.D. (?) Dick had brought 2 electric chairs, and we had to figure out which one would fit Angel best, becuse of his severe curved back. We went with the first one , a hybrid Dick had made from an electric bottom, and a Hope Haven seat.  After much cutting of foam and seat adjustments, Angel was driving around the yard with a big smile on his face!

The,best,part,of the morning for me was when Dick told mama this was a gift from God. When mama thanked us and God with tears in her eyes, ....well  you can guess what happened to my eyes.

After lunch in Pana,  we took a boat to Tsununa to visit Juaquin, a  16 yr. old boy with C.P. He is also scheduled to go  to Dr. Will in Feb. for possible surgery to straighten his legs.  Dick wanted to touch base with him and his family, and fortunately his uncle was there to translate from Spanish to Tzutuil, the local Mayan dialect. Tsununa is no Pana -  very poor homes with dirt floors and bamboo walls , etc.

We thought about visiting another boy in San Marcos ( the next village ), but we heard the last boat was at 5:30, so we took the next boat back. Kevin got to carry a young  couple's   puppies off the boat, as they had a baby and much stuff to carry themselves. Thanks, Kevin.

......................................................................................................................

After breakfast in Pana ( at our favorite spot ), we drove to Santiago to meet Argentina, the lady in Santiago who knows everyone and their needs. We fiitted Augustina into the other electric chair. With minor adjustments, it was a perfect fit. Another grateful family, and she loved driving her new chair around their yard.

Funny  (Godincident ?) how both chairs we had brought fitted Angel and Augustina so well. "Thank you Lord." 

We had a nice lunch with Argentina, and started back home, as the boys were to start school on Thursday. Dick wanted a break from driving, so I drove, but after a few speed bumps and

missed shifts, I think he  may have had second  thoughts. On the way, Dick received news about some donations, and that Albert in San Juan could get the 2 boys in San Marcos and Tsununa to Dr. Will on Feb.22. Dick was quite grateful.

It only took me a week to get back in the groove here, and I thank the Lord for an awesome trip. Thanks to Dick and the boys.

in Christ,

Dave

Thanks Dave,  As usual it was great traveling with you.  Even if your driving scared the kids.  Didn't bother me though.  I guess I must have slept through it.

              Goodnight,
<>< Yours in Christ: Dick  ><>