Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. [Romans 12:9]
Last Saturday, I traveled three hours out into the mountains of Guatemala with four of my favorite ladies to bring back a four pound baby who was starving because his mother had no breast milk and no access to baby formula. When we prepared to leave, we had asked if we could pray together. Excited, the mother said yes. As we began, her prayer overcame ours. “Gracias Señor por mis hermanos aqui, gracias por este ayuda. Gracias por su grande amor sobre nuestras vidas.” She went on and on thanking The Lord that we had come all the way from the United States, that God’s love was so great to send someone from so far to save her four pound baby, and her prayers were over OUR lives, that God would continue to bless and protect the work WE were doing.
Again, on Tuesday, we ventured out to a village but this time for a medical clinic. At the end of the day we made a house call to visit a family that I was very familiar with… a man in his 40’s whose peritoneal dialysis is failing and is now in need of hemodialysis, and his 105 year old grandfather who is in relatively good health given his age and history of a fractured femur without medical care. As we were wrapping up the visit and delivering the medicine, the same thing happened. The precious 105 year old abuelo prayed over “las canchitas” (the two blondes) that were there. Again, his prayers echoed how thankful he was for us and he prayed that God would bless us.
In light of all the the recent media, I just feel the need to say that this world and this country are full of so many good, good people. But poor people and brown people are not ‘less than’ people. Sure, they may have less than you in a materialistic sense. But what they are lacking in ‘stuff,’ they make up for in thoughtfulness, in joy, and in peace. In things that come without a price tag. The people of Guatemala are strong, courageous, resilient, creative, generous and hard working. They are not to be pitied or scoffed at. Rather, I am proud to know them and learn from them.
I once heard that blowing out someone else’s candle doesn’t make yours burn any brighter… and how true that is. Cling to what is good like these sweet little Guatemalans who prayed for me when they were the ones needing help.
Be the good.
-Whit.
