Monthly Archives: March 2016

Freddy: Part 2

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http://www.livingundertheshadowofhiswings.com/2016/03/freddy/

My buddy, Freddy, had not been at church or my house for months when I found out that his kidney problem had taken a turn for the worse. One evening after supper, he came to visit looking gaunt and pale, but still in a jovial mood. He told how he developed peritonitis and required emergency surgery. The doctor cut him from his breastbone to his navel to clean out all of the infection. I cringed looking at the railroad track down the front of his body, and my heart sank because I knew his full recovery would only be a miracle of the Lord.

Freddy described the pain and that he almost died during the surgery, but said he now felt stronger. I thought he looked like the walking dead. Freddy’s financial needs became greater because he couldn’t have peritoneal dialysis. He now made trips twice a week to Guatemala City for hemodialysis to clean his blood replacing the other dialysis done at home.

The price of a round-trip bus ticket to the City cost seven dollars, and his mother had to go with him to help with the medical process and assist in travel. Meals and a place for his mother to stay added to the financial needs. The cost to keep Freddy alive accelerated. I knew our pastor would give Freddy more of my friend’s donation, but decided to involve the girls from the orphanage in helping raise funds.

We wanted the Shadow kids to participate in giving to others in the community, and this offered an opportunity for them to be involved with someone they knew and cared for. The older girls took Bic pens, wove colored threads around them, and sewed the word Guatemala on each one to sell to team members who came to minister to the orphanage. Their giving attitudes blessed me as I saw the final product. They didn’t earn much money from this venture, but they helped Freddy in a way that showed him they cared.

As Freddy recovered from his surgery, his visits to my house became more frequent. Each time he came, Freddy shared what he had garnished from the Bible. This guy committed hours to studying God’s Word and praying. Then he would go out and share with the people of the community and passed on the spiritual insights to others. When I called him “Pastor Freddy,” he would sit in his chair and grin back at me.

This teenager had lots of dreams that appeared to be from the Lord. One stood out to me. Freddy described laying on his back with his arms out from his sides like someone making a snow angel. Doves came and made an outline all around his body, and Freddy said he felt peace fill him. I wondered if the Lord would soon take him Home, and I continued in prayer for this brave fighter.

A month later, I received word that Freddy did go Home to be with the Lord. With all the pain he had experienced, I rejoiced that he no longer had to suffer. We at Shadow wanted to help Freddy’s family with some of the funeral expenses. The Vela (wake) started the evening of Freddy’s death. This is the time when family and friends came to pay their respects, and it would last until the next afternoon. The family needed lots of coffee and sweet breads to feed everyone through the night, and the donations made it possible for there to be plenty.

The next day, Freddy’s brothers and friends carried his wooden casket two miles to the Monjas cemetery. Friends and family walked behind with a band playing various songs. We said goodbye, but we knew that one day we would see Freddy in Heaven in his new body. Thank you, Lord, for letting us minister to Freddy with the resources you sent us.

Freddy

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I first met Freddy at the church we attended, and immediately could see that he had a physical problem. I watched him with other teenagers and saw his slowness even though he strived to keep up with them. The fellows would put out the chairs before church service, and Freddy had his struggles. Several of his friends played in the church band, but Freddy couldn’t handle anything heavy when they prepared for services. He grabbed my attention because of the glow of happiness on his face.

The girls from Shadow of His Wings Orphanage attended youth group meetings with Freddy and filled me in on their observations of his health status. In time, I learned that my Guatemalan friend had kidney failure and received regular peritoneal dialysis treatments. Since I had assisted with these treatments for one of our former girls in Shadow of His Wings Orphanage, my heart went out to this sixteen-year-old. I could see that Freddy would not let this chronic problem slow him down.

Freddy and I formed a friendship, and on occasion over a two-year period, he came to visit and share about the things he did the weeks before. Most of our conversations covered insights we had during our daily Bible studies. During one visit, I asked him if he had a job. Freddy admitted that he couldn’t work because he would have to ride his bike to work, and he didn’t have the physical strength to work in the fields or on construction projects. Those were the only types of jobs available. His clothes revealed his lack of funds. The old shirts, at least, two sizes too big, hung on his body. Lord, what can I do for Freddy?

I learned that he came from a poor family that had a lot of kids. Because of his diseased kidneys, he needed medication, dialysis solution, and monthly visits to the doctor in the City. Some of those visits required that Freddy stay overnight in the hospital, with his mom in attendance. I calculated the cost for a round-trip bus fare for two to the City, food, lodging for his mother, and the medications. I again asked the Lord how I could help this friendly and happy young man. The answer came unexpectedly.

A high school friend contacted me saying he would like to help others through me and donated a monthly sum of money. I could choose how to use these funds. My heart leaped for joy thinking of Freddy and how his life could be made a little easier. From experience, I knew I needed to approach this situation cautiously so that Freddy and his family wouldn’t think I had a money tree growing in my backyard. I wanted Freddy’s family to be responsible for the parts that they could cover. The Lord used my friend to help Freddy, and Freddy needed to see it as supplemental but limited help. I contacted our pastor in Monjas and worked out a plan. He agreed to be the middleman, keeping the donor anonymous and leaving me out of the equation. Our pastor would make sure that the money would be used to cover the cost of the hospital and medication.

The next time Freddy came for his monthly chat, he commented about the price of his medication. After inquiring about the cost, and knowing Freddy and his mom had a trip to Guatemala City coming up, I offered him some money to pay for his traveling expenses. I knew the pastor would give them money for the medical needs from the same donor according to our plan, but since the trip would be in two days, I wanted to make sure Freddy had what he and his mom needed. I felt peace knowing everything would be covered for this delightful young man and his family. I think I saw Freddy flying when he jumped on his bike and headed down the street. Lord, I don’t know what plan you have for this fellow, but I pray for your healing and will in his life.

Missionaries

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This week is a guest post from Christian Life Center, Langley, Canada with Steve and Anna Lindberg. Steve and Anna served as missionaries at James Project of Latin America/Shadow of His Wings in various positions. Steve worked construction, Anna helped with the sponsorship program, and they later became team leaders. They share their hearts about their two-year experience living in Monjas, Jalapa, Guatemala. This video shows Shadow and some of the children while they share their experiences and encourage others to answer the calling of the Lord.

Most of us who step out in service to the Lord, do not have the giftings to do all that is necessary. What we lack the Lord said you would pour into us. Some of you may feel a nudge in your heart to be in service as a missionary. Follow that nudge and see where it leads you. It doesn’t matter what your age is or whether you feel qualified but it’s about the fire in your heart. Listen to Anna and Steve and if there is a stirring within yourself, pray and make a contact with someone who works with missions. The need for missionaries is great. I love the saying that the rewards are out of this world. That is true, but there are also many blessings in ministry in this life.

Anna and Steve Lindberg

Steve & Anna Lindberg from Christian Life Assembly on Vimeo.

Switch Them: Part 2

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http://www.livingundertheshadowofhiswings.com/2016/02/switch-them-part-1/

I sat with frustrated house parents and an agitated girl, praying for insight for a volatile situation. This situation needed to be defused, and I did not know how to do that. Lord, I need you to guide me in how to deal with all of this. I had listened to the parents describing the disrespect and hurtful words hurled at them by the young teenager Karla*. Karla had confided in me that unfair accusations were being made against her. This cycle had gone on for over a year, and I needed to act now.

Vilma* waited for my response after she informed me that she wanted to quit being a house parent. Sighing, I said, “I think we need a time-out. It is not good to make a decision like this in the midst of anger and hurt.” I didn’t have the answers, and I needed time to sort through everything before making a decision.

Shaking her head, Vilma cried, “I can’t do this!”

“You are a good house mother and have helped many children in your home. They need you. There’s an answer for this, but we need more time to get it resolved.” I explained my idea to move Karla into a neutral home for a couple of days until we devised a plan.

I checked with another couple who already knew the problems with Karla. They agreed to open their home to her, and Karla moved in temporarily.

IMG_2240From the beginnings of the orphanage, we set a precedent that the children would not be moved around from one family to another. These children need stability. In real family relationships, the family learns to work through the problems. If a child acts out, she faces the consequences with the parents, and they work with her. The child experiences the discipline and love of the growing-up process. Moving a child from one family to another would provoke instability and insecurity. That described their before-Shadow lives, but at Shadow we provide consistency.

At Shadow we keep siblings together and we don’t want them to be in separate orphanages. Often the court will transfer a child to us because a sibling resides at Shadow. Even the court system stands firm on the idea of siblings remaining together. Placing them in the same home at Shadow establishes a stronger family and a sense of belonging. In the case of these two teens, each had a sister in the home with them.

When I woke from the dream and heard the words “switch them,” I knew what we had to do. I called the couples into the office and explained what I heard the Lord saying.

“It has been our policy not to move children from one home to another, but perhaps it is time for an exception. I think the Lord has opened my eyes to this idea for this particular circumstance. If it doesn’t turn out favorably, we will come together and work on a different solution. What do you think? Do you agree?”

The parents’ smiles, nods, and the look of relief filling their faces confirmed that this plan could be the answer.

The next day the two girls changed homes. Susy* and Karla knew this would be their last opportunity to stay at Shadow. I told them they would begin in their new families with a clean slate. I established the rule that neither set of house parents could talk negatively about their former daughter or bring up things from the past.

After the girls moved in with their new families, I nervously waited for feedback. The reports started to come in a week later. “We found out that Karla likes to sing,” the house father said with a grin. The house mother added, “They gather around Papa and sing songs almost every evening. It is a blessing to hear them.”

Encouraging words of positive progress continued to come in. Susy wouldn’t talk to her previous house parents but opened up to the new ones. I marveled at how the Lord worked it out. The tension and stress of the house parents lessened, and peace reigned. I could only guess what would have happened if we hadn’t acted on the words: “Switch them.”

*Names have been changed