Hello from Guatemala,
Folks, this is not going to be long newsy info letter. I just had a few things happen today that I got a kick out of and wanted to share it
with you. I also have a story of two men who live here in Guatemala that I would like to share with you. For those of you that have been here
you will know the characters in this story.
About 1 hour from here on a very rough dirt road is a village called Aqua Caliente (Hot Water) because it is located on a river that flows out
of a thermal vent. When it comes over the water falls in the jungle the water temperature is about 104 degrees. Sitting under this waterfall gives
you a neck massage equals to that of a therapist.
The people in this village are Mayan Quetchie Indians and their chief’s name is Eduardo Medina Xoc. I have become good friends with Eduardo over
the past 4 years in that I take our teams to the Hot Water Falls and I have done many medical clinics in his village. The people are very poor
and mal-nourished but are always thankful for anything we do for them. Eduardo is also the pastor of the local village church. Riechelle had a
migraine headache the other day and before I could get my Excedrin out, Eduardo had his Bible open and anointing Riechelle with oil and praying
over her like I have never heard. It was a passionate prayer in his native language of Quetchie. I wish you could here him pray.
Eduardo and I have been praying for a 4x4 vehicle that he can use to go up into the mountains to get the ladies that die in childbirth and the
men who are bitten by snakes when they work the corn fields. As of now, they just die up there on a fairly regular basis. Our plan is to have
him respond to the emergency, give them first aid and then drive them to my hospital, 45 minutes away, where I can stabilize them or give them
definitive treatment. Well, the other day a guy called me up and said he wanted to donate a 4x4 Toyota Land Cruiser. I flipped out! That is what
we have been praying for! (OK, I did not actually ask God for a Land Cruiser but I think I mentioned Toyota because I know the Lord Loves
Toyota’s).
So, now Eduardo and I have to figure out how to pay the duty on this vehicle. He is more confident than I am that God will provide, and I am the
super spiritual missionary guy, huh? So we had to go to Puerto Barrios, (It’s like a state capital but without Wal-Marts) today and get the
paperwork to fill out for importing this vehicle.
I said, "Eduardo, can you drive?" He looked at me and said, "Of course! I have been practicing on an old tractor and have learned very well."
I rolled my eyes and looked at Riechelle who was grinning from ear to ear. I said,
"OK, I’ll give you some lessons on driving a vehicle."
Although I don’t know why, no one else in this country has ever had any drivers training. I'm afraid he may actually put his left turn signal
on and then turn left causing a multi-car pile up! (those of you that have been here are shaking your heads up and down, huh?)
Well, I got to the bus stop this morning to pick up Eduardo who had come in from his village and he had Hugo with him. Those of you who have
been here will remember Hugo. He is the guy that is the chief of the village Boca Rhone that has the river that goes through
"Jurassic Park."
Remember, he takes us in his canoe up the river through the canyon? Yeah that's him. Ok, he is also a Christian and we have become good friends
over the years also. He came to ask me about helping them build a fish farm to create jobs for the village men because the fishing in the lake
has gone bad due to over fishing. I told him that I would work on that project and let him know what I can do. I know someone out there must be
an expert on fish farming in the tropics, so if you can help me with info I would appreciate it OK?
So, we put Eduardo and Hugo in the truck with my family of Riechelle, Beto, Gabi and Debora. You see, their grandfather is in prison in
Puerto Barrios. We take them to visit him every so often. We now had a truck full. We got about ¾ of the way there and Eduardo said that
we had to stop and get a pastor who knows the guys in the Transport Tax office so we can get the right paperwork and not have to pay the
full amount in taxes. This is my kind of pastor, so we go pick up this guy. His name is Pastor Motta. When they told me that I did not
believe them because here the word Mota means Marijuana! (I said, "We are getting Pastor Marijuana") I'm telling you, I like this guy
more and more. (Just kidding!) Seriously, he was a great help to us and we ended up scheduling a medical clinic at his church with one
of our teams to help them evangilize the village and bring more people to the church to accept Christ.
We dropped off Riechelle and the kids at the prison to visit and then went to the Transport Tax Office. When we got done with the paperwork,
we went back and picked up Riechelle and the kids from prison. They had a great time! The kids' grandfather was very pleased to see how
well the kids were doing and proud that Beto was 'Student of the Year' and got to carry the Guatemalan flag in the front of the Independence
day parade. Gabi had memorized a poem and she got a nice certificate also and so he was very proud of his grandchildren.
Then I invited the guys to have lunch on me with my family at a fast food placed called Pollo Campero. This is similar to our Kentucky Fried
Chicken. We drove to the parking lot and headed inside to get lunch. When I turned around Eduardo and Hugo were still in the back seat of
the truck. I went back and said, "Come on guys, I am buying." (I knew they had no money). They said,
"Sorry Doc Tor, but we don't know how
to get out of this truck!" I had to show them how door handles work on a vehicle. (Man, the things we take for granted, huh?) They bowed
their heads and said, "Sorry we have never rode in the front of a truck before." I said,
"No problem, let's go eat."
Eduardo and Hugo live in villages with no electricity and only have stick homes and dirt floors. They have never been in a building with air
conditioning or florescent lights. They walked in like they were entering a different planet. They walked very slowly and were taking it all
in like two kids at Disney World for their first time. They said to me, "Why is it so cold in here?" I said,
"That is called air conditioning."
They said, "How can you make the air cold?" I said, "When you mix Freon, er, never mind, it is just a fancy machine that makes air cold."
They could not believe it.
I gave them a menu and they saw the bright glossy photo of plates with fried chicken and coleslaw and French fries and were overwhelmed.
There was original and extra crispy. When I asked then what they wanted they did not know what to say. So, I ordered for them. When the food
came, Hugo got up and went out the door. I said, "Where is he going?" They said,
"Across the street to buy some corn tortillas." That is what
they eat for every meal and they could not imagine eating a meal without corn tortillas. He bought 15 hot corn tortillas for 3 Quetzals
(about 25 cents). We bowed our heads to pray. Eduardo has a booming voice and like I said, this boy can shake heaven when he prays. In the
middle of the restaurant he starts praying as if it were a black funeral in Alabama. Man, he let loose. When he got done and we opened our
eyes. Every person in the restaurant was staring at us and shaking their heads up and down as if they agreed with his prayer! I thought,
"Lord, give me his boldness to not care what people think of me but how I can please you." He was just so thankful to be eating in a
restaurant for the first time in his life, that he could not hold back.
When we finished with our meal, they were stuffed. I had ordered them the 3 piece meal with a super sized Pepsi, (super size is only 10 cents
more here, so hey, what the heck, it was their first time). The waitress came to bring me the check and I took out my Visa Check Card.
I handed her the card and of course she returned and I signed the slip and said,
"Lets go." Eduardo and Hugo said, "Doc Tor, Do you own this
restaurant?" I said, "No, why?" They said, "You did not pay, and she gave you candy and said,
'Thank you for coming.'" I said, "No, I used a
Check Card. You know, Visa?" They looked at me and said, "You paid with a plastic card?" I said,
"Yes, and soon we will be able to pay with
a microchip in our hand and forehead." Their eyes lit up in pure horror and they said
"NO Doc Tor we will not take the mark of the …." I said, "Fellas, fellas, sorry, I'm just kidding," and then explained how a credit or debit card works. They just shook their heads and said,
"How
is this possible?"
I am now sitting here in my modern Emergency Room typing a letter to you that will go through a satellite dish and up to a satellite in
geosynchronous orbit and then back down to the Internet and then into your home and finally to your monitor. When I think of this compared
to the way Eduardo and Hugo live I am in awe. Why do I have so much and they so little? Why was I born in America and blessed when they
were born in Guatemala and poor? I don't know, but I do know that Luke 12:48 says:
"But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much,
much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked."
I guess that is why we try and give much, we have so much huh?
I just wanted to drop you a note and share a bit of my world.
God Bless you from Guatemala,
Your Blessed Missionary Friends,
Bryan & Riechelle
Junglemedic Missions
Rio Dulce, Izabal
Guatemala Central America
E-Mail: Bryan@JungleMedicMissions.org
Web Site: http://www.junglemedicmissions.org/
This page was last updated 09/19/06
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