I’m a bit embarrassed how long it’s been since I have taken the time to blog. I have been working really hard on improving my Spanish, devouring everything I can get my hands on in preparing for the 10/40 window, and Dennis has given us a book to write reviews on, so my time has become more limited.
This has been a big month for missions at HHBC. We will have mobilized close to 100 people before the month comes to an end. I leave on Sunday with a team to Ecuador that I am really excited about. We will be going door to door in neighborhoods, sharing Christ, and delivering mosquito nets to help with areas vastly affected with Malaria and other diseases. I will stay after the team comes back to share my vision and recruit Ecuadorian students to go with me to the 10/40 in other cities in Ecuador. I will be driving a lot so please pray for me.
Wednesday I was visiting my friend Carlos who lives in Apple Village trailer park where we minister to many Hispanics. His wife hollered out the door and asked if we wanted something to eat. I got excited when I thought about the tamales, tortillas, and tacos that I had eaten there before. I think I beat Carlos to the table; unfortunately she fixed hotdogs that day. As we sat and ate a young girl 15 years old walked in. It being summer time I was thinking she was visiting, because I had been to their house many times and she was a new face. As I introduced myself I was surprised to find out that she was Carlos’ daughter and I was actually sitting in her chair. As we talked and ate I asked Karen, “Why have I never seen you?” Then my heart was broken as her story unfolded.
When she was 8 she became sick. The Mexican doctors thought she had a tumor in her chest. Carlos sold their house, cars, jewelry, everything they had to pay for her surgery. When they opened her up they discovered it was only pneumonia. As she grew older Karen remained very sickly and in Mexico they couldn’t figure out why. When Karen was 13 they came to the States. The same day they arrived Karen stopped breathing and they rushed her to Children’s Hospital where they discovered during her surgery some thread or gauze was left inside of her lungs which was causing years of infections. She left the hospital with no real answers and a life of sickness and confinement to the small trailer that they live in.
As we sat at the table I knew we had to do something. I gathered as many hospital reports as I could and got them in the hands of Willie Smith. I am excited to say that other doctors are joining in and through Ministries of Jesus, although we are in the early stages here, there might just be some hope for this precious little Mexican girl.
As excited as I am to help Karen physically, I am even more excited about helping her and her family spiritually. Although what baffles me is that there was this huge need right under my nose and I am just now seeing it. Maybe it was all in God’s timing, maybe there are unseen things to me, and God is at work, so now is the time. Maybe I wasn’t paying attention or sensitive enough to the Holy Spirit to see the need. Maybe my mind was somewhere on the other side of the world or thinking too much about the future that I didn’t see what God had for me that day. As I head to the gym and the other places I go today, my prayer is that God will open my eyes once again and see the people He is putting in my path. Sometimes I can be a bit hard on myself but I can’t help but wonder how many Karen’s I have overlooked, or missed opportunities I have passed by. Sometimes it seems my day goes so fast and it is hard to slow it down. I’m glad I stopped and ate with Carlos’ family, even if it was a hotdog and not tamales.
Mike
