Hello from Guatemala,
Sometimes I have to just write to get things off my chest that are too hard for me to hold in.
When I was a Paramedic back in the States I would get home from work and Riechelle would come
running up and say Bryan tell me about your shift. She wanted to know everything and so in telling
her about my patients I would get it off my chest. Then I could go on to the next shift without
carrying all the stuff from the last one.
Well it is early in the morning and no one is up yet and I am on the computer working on next
months projects. But it is hard because I keep thinking about Jocelyn. Let me tell you a story.
About 5 years ago a women named Brenda came to our home at 1:00 am on a very dark and rainy
night. She had a baby in one arm, a toddler in the other and a young 6 year old daughter named
Jocelyn carrying a 4 year old. They did not have a rain coat or even a sweater. She had a wet
towel over them for protection.
We took them in and took care of them. They were all mal nourished and very skinny except the
three little ones. They had distended abdomens due to being full of worms. But the big problem
was Jocelyn could not breathe. She has asthma very bad. I gave her an alupent nebulizer treatment
and it helped a little but she was bad. The mother would not go to the hospital because at that
time it was just a place to go to die.
A few weeks later we had a small team from Charlotte NC here and one of the men named Lawrence
asked what he could do to help Jocelyn. I said her mother can only cook their beans over an open
fire from wood they collect inside their stick house.
So he bought them a two burner propane stove. We decided we would get them propane each month and
this would stop the constant smoke in the house that was killing Jocelyn. I wrote sometime ago to
you about this mother Brenda so you already know her history of being left by her mother on the
streets of Guatemala City and living for several years begging on the street. But a few months ago
Brenda came to us again late at night but without the children. We got up and saw here crying and
she had a swollen eye. She said her husband is drinking more each day and is becoming violent with
her and the kids and she now fears for the safety of Jocelyn at night when he comes in and wants
to sleep by her. When she told us this I had so many emotions well up in me. I know I am a
Christian and I am supposed to be good and do the right thing but I am so weak. I don’t know why
I can’t be like good missionaries and good pastors. Instead of wanting to pray for this man I
want to beat the *&*% out of him. How can God use a man like me, I'll never know.
So we told Brenda we would help her and her daughter Jocelyn get to Guatemala City where Brenda
has a brother who has a house and she can stay with him. Now you have to understand that Jocelyn's
father never shows her attention or cares for her in any way. Even when she was sick and could
not breathe he would not get out of bed and bring her to me. So when Jocelyn came here to the
house to play with Gaby I would give her attention and treat her special as if she were like one
of my own. She called me Papa Bryan like my own girls do. She really became like one of our kids.
You know how you have your own kids friends come over and eat and hang out and they become like
part of the family.
So the next day we loaded Brenda and Jocelyn into the truck and took them to the next town to get
on a bus so no one would know them and tell the father. At first I thought the father might
come over to my house and accuse me of helping his wife to leave and be upset. But then I
thought I hope he does come over so I can lay hands on him (around his neck). When we took
Brenda and Jocelyn to that bus station and let them off they looked like two tiny whipped
puppies. They could not even raise their heads. When I went over to hug them they both sobbed
and sobbed as if they would never see us again. I gave her my number and told her to call us
and let us know how they were and if she needed help.
She cried all the harder and hugged my neck. They both needed someone to love them and take
care of them and I cried like a baby because I could not. I am already overwhelmed with medical
teams and emergencies and three orphans of my own and more villages every day asking for help.
But I felt like I had abandoned them and that night went to bed and cried to God, How can I
take care of these people? They have no one. All I can do is pray that He will be the Father
to the fatherless.
We have not heard from Brenda for about 4 months now. Yesterday, I had to drive my truck and
trailer in a parade in Rio Dulce. The local government clinic was putting on an Aids Education
program and they asked me every year to be the lead vehicle. Last year I was the lead vehicle.
OK, I was the only vehicle but I was still the lead. This year there were four vehicles if
you count my trailer.
While we were getting the truck decorated with balloons and banners at the heath clinic a group
of children came up to walk in the parade. A policeman and myself were tying a banner on the
front of the truck and I heard a voice behind me yelling: Papa Bryan, Papa Bryan!
It was Jocelyn running up to me with tears streaming down her face. I said Baby Girl! And she
ran and held me like a wounded animal. I said honey are you and your mother back? She said no.
Momma could not keep me and I am living at the orphanage. With that I could not keep my composure
any longer. I bent down and held her and we both sobbed and held each other. The policemen were
all looking at me like why is Dr. Bryan (they call me that) crying? This is not normal in this
Macho society, but I really didn't care at this point.
The people were now waiting on me to get the parade started to I had to get going. I told
Jocelyn we will come to the orphanage and talk with her. I do not know what to do. Since her
father lives in my village I cannot take her in or he will report me to the police and say I
kidnapped her. He will want her at home as a slave and I could not sleep at night knowing
she was in his home at night drunk and alone.
I guess I am asking for help. If you know of anyone who would love to have a beautiful 11 year
old Guatemalan girl. I know where God has one. I know that most people only adopt babies and
I understand why, but this is a special gem. I know there is someone who has more love in their
heart than they can contain. I know that God has someone for Jocelyn.
If you know of anyone who may want Jocelyn please please give them my e-mail address and have
them e-mail me. I don't know if it is even possible but I will try.
We need your prayers.
We need you to please pray for Jocelyn.
We need you to pray that we hit water as we drill a well.
We need you to pray that our permanent residency goes through at the Guatemalan Customs, so we
can continue to live and work in Guatemala.
We need you to pray for funds for an ambulance vehicle. I am wearing my truck out.
We need your prayers for wisdom in how to build a hospital.
I need you to please pray for me. I try to be a good missionary but I fail. I try to be a good
Christian but I'm so weak. I try and act like I am strong when people are looking, but inside
I feel so overwhelmed. I am sorry for whining. But today I need to ask you for prayer.
God Bless,
In His Service,
Bryan & Riechelle and Kids
Junglemedic Missions
Rio Dulce, Izabal
Guatemala Central America
E-Mail: Bryan@JungleMedicMissions.org
Web Site: http://www.junglemedicmissions.org/
This page was last updated 12/10/07
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