Our First Christmas Together

As a Family

Merry Christmas from Guatemala,

Three years ago a young woman limped into my driveway. She was skin and bones and very tired and worn looking. She appeared to have been a very pretty lady at one time. I could see with every step she winced in pain. So I ran out and helped her into the porch my medical treatment area. It was there I found she had cervical cancer and had been sent home from the government hospital to die and only needed pain medication.

We took care of her as she continued to deteriorate and found that she had lived a very hard life. She had 4 children and all from different men. Her father was in prison for killing her mother with a machete and she lived in a dirt floor shack with no income and 4 kids to feed. She could not take on a 5th child so she induced a self abortion with ink that took the life of the baby. She just didn't know what else to do.

Riechelle bathed her and fed her and took her under her wing as a daughter. We had lost two twins girls when we were in our early years of marriage and so never had any girls of our own only two sons. Manuela was 28 the same age as our daughters would have been.

God allowed a team of very special people from Charlotte, NC to be here during that time and we lead her to accept Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior and then carried her to the lake and baptized her. She died three days later and went home to her Heavenly Father.

We took the 4 children and the aunt who was left to take care of them in because the aunt was only 15 years old. It was then that God began to speak to Riechelle and my heart about taking these kids in and raising them as our own. I listed all the reasons we could not, I'm too old, I'm too busy, on and on, but God gently gave Riechelle and I a love for these kids we could not put a stop to.

The Aunt returned to her shack and the older 14 year old daughter moved away. She was not willing to give up her life style even if it meant a safe home. It was hard but we had no say in the matter. Over the next several years, the 3 kids lived with us for a period of time and then due to the laws of Guatemala had to return to their Aunts shack and sleep at night. After all, we could not adopt them we were still on tourist status.

Try to imagine walking three young orphan children down the road every night at 8:00 to sleep in lice infested mats on the dirt floor, while we returned to a clean mattress.

Finally, one morning Gaby and Debora came to the house crying. The aunt had taken in a boy friend and had a baby. Gaby was used to take care of the baby all night long and used as the aunt's slave. One morning Gaby heard Debora crying and found the aunts boyfriend molesting 4 year old Debora. When they reached our home crying, Riechelle asked what is wrong and they said we cannot tell you. Riechelle knew. Unfortunately like a high percentage of women she had been abused as a young girl also, so she knew in her heart instinctively what had happened.

She called me and I would like to say I prayed for the young man, but I went for my machete. (Man I knew exactly how Peter felt when he cut the soldiers ear off). But thankfully I called my good friend David Alvarez and he advised me on what to do to get custody of the kids so they would not have to return to that house. They now moved all their things in our home to live with us. Everything they had fit into one cardboard banana box. Debora had no shoes or socks. She only had two dirty torn T-shirts and Beto and Gaby did have some rubber sandals. That was it.

Beto is now 13, Gaby is 12 and Debora is 5, no she just turned 6 last week. She told me yesterday that tomorrow is her birthday again, so that she could have a second gift under the tree. I said, "Debora, you just had your birthday". She said, "Yes, but my next one is not for 2 more years". (Where does she come up with this stuff?)

They speak Quetchi, Spanish and English. (I on the other hand talk English real gooder than other folks).

Until this year, they had never been out of our little village area of San Felipe. So last week we took 5 days off and drove all over Guatemala. They had never been to the high mountains of Coban. There it was so cold you could see your breath. They had never seen that before and ran around saying look Papa Bryan my mouth is on fire.

I was getting a picture of Riechelle and the kids when I looked over and saw Mel Gibson here on vacation, so I told the kids, quick go get your picture with Mel. (Gotcha didn't I? That is not really Mel Gibson it is me….. Hard to believe huh?)

They had never had Chinese food before so we ate a Chinese restaurant and they had a ball

They had never been to the part of Guatemala that raises vegetables, so they got to see the Carrots being harvested and cleaned for market.

We took them to the market and they loved it!

They got to try different Guatemalan foods from a different region.

It was like taking a kid to Disney for the first time. They were in awe of their own country because they had never seen anything like it. I think it was more fun for Riechelle and I to show them everything. We had been given some extra money for Christmas and so we were able to take this trip but we sat down one night and asked the kids what they wanted for Christmas since we now had a few extra dollars to get them something. Gaby said to Riechelle. "Momma Meesh", (That's what they call her) "You always give to other people all the time and when I see you give people things it makes me happy and proud of you". Riechelle said. "Gaby, it is much more joyful to give to people who have so little when we have so much". Our kids have never had gifts for Christmas before in their lives. In the past they only had Tamale and then would give each other a hug because that is all they had. So the kids said, "Then let's use the money to get gifts for other people we know are poor". So, we agreed and you know what? It is better to give and be joyful than to get and be miserable.

So we gave out gifts and bracelets and toys for kids. But the thing the people were most taken back by was this. We would find someone who maybe didn't even have a mirror in their home. Then we would take a picture with the Polaroid Instant film. Then we would take their picture and give it to them as a Christmas present.

This lady was walking by a pottery store with her kids. We took her picture and give it to her. She had never seen herself before and was so overwhelmed she began to cry. She hugged us when we left and our kids felt better giving than receiving.

This man had never had a picture of him or his family in his entire life. To them it is a big deal…. I am ashamed to tell you how many pictures we have.

This morning we got up and went to the little Christmas tree. It is still hard for me to think it is Christmas when it is 80 degrees. But we bought each of the kids a present. Beto and Gaby had saved enough money to buy Riechelle a pair of Sandals. I got her some perfume. I went way overboard and got the $20.00 bottle but hey it is Christmas and she deserves it. But here is the real gift we got. Debora said, "I didn’t have any money to buy you a gift so I made a letter for you." As you can see it is scribble because she cannot write yet, but after we opened it we asked her to read it to us and here is what she said she wrote. "When my mommy died I was afraid, but Momma Miech sleeps with me when I am scared. I like to help people and love them when they are afraid. Momma Meesh you are very beautiful and you work very hard and make me food. Papa Bryan is my Daddy and he tickles me and loves me." (At this point Riechelle and I are looking in each others eyes with tears rolling down our cheeks…) "I love you Momma Meesh and Papa Bryan very much. Thank You for being my Mommy and Daddy." Of all the gifts in the world I could get, this was the most precious to my heart. I am glad we took three dirty and lonely orphan children in our home three years ago, because now they have my heart.

We pray Gods Blessings on you and your family. We pray his love and Guidance in your life for the new upcoming year and may His love and face shine upon you.

We love you guys. God Bless and Have a Blessed Christmas,

In His Service,

Bryan & Riechelle, Beto and Gaby and Debora

P.S. I just got a Christmas e-mail from our son Lance. He said he is in Kuwait today and is fine.

Junglemedic Missions
Rio Dulce, Izabal
Guatemala Central America

E-Mail: Bryan@JungleMedicMissions.org
Web Site: http://www.junglemedicmissions.org/

This page was last updated 01/01/07