Light and Darkness

We took some food to 2 needy moms a couple of weeks ago. One's name is Wendy and the other is Maria. Between the 2 of them they have 12 kids. Wendy has a 4 month old whose name is Mariella and the next youngest is a little boy named John Paul. John Paul has Bacterial Meningitis. He constantly has a fever and feels bad all the time. He is on "medicine" and is on the Social Security health care program in Costa Rica. He has access to health care, but it still cost his mom some money to take him to the clinic and to get prescription meds. My concern for him is that she just may not do what it takes to take care of him. She may be too prideful to tell us that she can't afford to take care of him.

His little sister, Mariella-Milagros (which means Maria of Miracles) rightfully received her name. She was born prematurely. The reason she was born prematurely is that Wendy's male chauvinist neighbor got mad at her and punched her in the stomach when she was pregnant, causing her to have the baby early. It is in fact a miracle that the baby is healthy. She feeds both of these kids powdered milk. It comes in a bag and you mix it up with water. She probably doesn't have the best water source. She may boil it, but it's doubtful.

The day I met Wendy four months ago, she let us in her home and immediately handed little 22 day old Mariella off to Amanda, one of our 6:8 staff members. It's like she was saying, I can't do this on my own. She looked horrible. Weak, dirty, like she had given up. Yesterday she looked a little more healthy. Mariella-Milagros looked healthy as well.

When we asked Wendy where her best friend Maria was, she said she was working. Then she went on to tell us how Maria had been beaten up by the same guy that punched her in the stomach causing her to have Mariella-Milagros early. When we started asking why, at first she didn't say. After asking again, she told us it was because a week or two ago, one of our teams had taken Maria food (insert heart stop here!) This man got jealous because he didn't get any food. He took his anger out on Maria, a struggling mom of 6 children. He blackened both of her eyes to my understanding. All because we brought her food? Well, we dug a little deeper and came to find out that Maria had turned one of his friends in to the police. The police arrested that man, and now he is in jail. However, when this man beat her, she called the police and they never came.

It was a relief to know that the underlying reason he attacked her was not because we were helping her. As I recall, this man was the guy who originally told us that Maria needed our assistance in the first place. Maybe he felt a little guilty for punching her in the stomach.

Wendy showed up at our team house a few days ago in tears. She and her friend were fighting and she needed to move out within 2 weeks because she couldn't take it anymore. She was out of food. So some of our staff and Pastor Minor took her some food and baby stuff the following day.

When we arrived it was very quiet. Both ladies were in their homes. Wendy's door was locked with a chain. She opened the door and welcomed us inside. She was very grateful for the food. Pastor Minor talked with her about her situation and then told her that she needed Jesus. She agreed and Pastor Minor lead her through praying to receive Christ. She prayed with Him and professed her faith in Jesus!

As we were leaving, Maria asked us to come to her house and pray for her. She told us how she didn't like this feeling of anger that was inside of her towards her best friend Wendy. She went off for a minute about how she used harsh words with Wendy and called her bad names. And you have got to love our pastor as he simply says to her, "you need to fix your eyes on Jesus." She agreed, and we prayed for her and with her as she prayed to receive Christ!

Minor counseled her briefly and we left. We all circled around at the entrance to the community to prayed for it. We rejoiced in what God did in the lives of these women and prayed for unity and a renewing of their friendship.

This is a small, poor community of about 7-10 homes and it is plagued with darkness manifesting itself in violence, prostitution, fatherless children, poverty, jealousy, and a million other things. Christ is the only hope for this place. We call it "one of the" New Millennium's. There are evidently 3 small completely separate sections to this barrio called New Millennium. We are trying to make a difference in all 3.

Please join us in praying for New Millennium. This barrio has some unique challenges among it's people. Pray that God will indeed cause His seed to grow in the lives of these 2 women and that they will be changed in such a way that their children are given a fair shot at life. On their current path, they will be fortunate to be able to get jobs when they grow up. The children are innocent victims of the behavior and choices of their parents and those in their communities, like men who beat women.

Also, we have received threats in this community so we are committed to let the light of Christ shine there and to pour out His love in such a way that it becomes our protection as it has in other dangerous barrios. Pray that we will serve and love this community with the brilliance, wisdom and perfection of God. Pray that He is honored in our every step.