Assessing a little boy we found to be at the end stages of malnutrition.

This little boy is in the end stages of malnutrition. His mom is a widow with 6 kids to take care of at home. In the village clinic, we did all we could do to help this boy and his family . . .  and then, most importantly, we prayed.

Found some boots in our boot bag that fit this little barefoot boy. God gives good gifts!

Cruz Chich Clinic

This weekend was a marathon of clinics.  The marathon started on Friday, in a mountain side village named Cruz Chich where we saw almost 200 people, and ended today in San Andres where we weekly see about a 100 people.
In Cruz Chich, it took our team nearly all day to complete the general consults and ultra sounds. We even had extra help, with an awesome PA, 2 OB-GYN doctors, a med student, and our normal team of nurses and translators. Cruz Chich is a spiritually dark area. But, we know that in the darkest areas are where the light can shine the brightest. With this in mind, the day before clinics we pressed into a time of intercession for this particular clinic. And after our fiery intercession, I do have to say on Friday there arose many opportunites to share, pray, and talk about Jesus.

(Read the following post for a more specific story of one of the clinics)

NOT TO BE TAKEN LIGHTLY

   A small statured Mayan woman took a seat facing me. She then began telling her story through a Quiche to Spanish translator.  Her story began, that she was so depressed, that she had been drinking alcohol everyday to rid herself of her sadness.  As I listened to her story, I looked into her sad brown Mayan eyes. I could literally feel the depth of this pain she carried like a backpack.  And, the pain of losing two children in one year engulfed her like a thick cloud.  I leaned in closer to her, as I prayed in the spirit under my breath. The heaviness seemed unbearable.   "This one is God's favorite," I whispered myself. "This is one that He dearly loves. And for this one He died on the cross."
   So there I sat... in front of this one that Jesus loves, and I heard her true tale of tears and sorrow.  In that moment I had no "pill" to give. A pat on the shoulder just wouldn't suffice.  Swirling above all this was the other thought that "she came to this ministry for help" But, only the revelation of Jesus to her heart could change her situation. Only an encounter with God, could turn her weeping into joy.  So somehow ,I had to help act as a bridge, that could get this woman to God. Wow, what a heavy ministry.
    I cannot explain to you the deep burden my heart feels every time that these beautiful people come to us for help. But, I do feel such a sobriety because these are people that God loves dearly. These are God's favorite ones. In the Bible, over and over again, it says that God himself looks after the poor and needy. What a "weighty" ministry it is to serve the poor and needy.  I know that I must deal rightly, justly, and compassionately. This is not a ministry to be taken lightly. But I also know, that the answer is always. . . prayer.

Photos from around the neighborhood