Author Archives: Carroll

Audience for Maria

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I sat in the waiting area of the court for our audience for Maria.* I took a few deep breaths trying to calm myself, while I repeated in Spanish what I needed to say to the judge. I looked at those around me waiting for their audiences and shook my head thinking how different things worked here compared to the States.

Chairs lined the walls by a stairway, but those ten chairs hardly accommodated the twenty-five people standing. Some chose the stairs for a place to rest, some sat on the dirty floor, and others leaned against the wall. Sound bounced off the cement block walls, so people spoke loudly to be heard. I watched court officials come out of the offices, shout a name, and that party followed the official into a room. The procedure remained constant, which helped me know what to do. I noticed at times that nobody responded to a call and wondered if that person didn’t hear their name or if they weren’t present. I strained each time, listening for our name.

Concerned, I spoke into Maria’s ear, “Please listen carefully, so we don’t miss our call. I can hardly hear what they are saying.”

“Okay, Mama Carroll,” she replied and scooted closer to me. I could feel her arm tensing, so I reminded her that God had heard our prayers.

This being the last audience for Maria, the judge would make the custody decision. Her aunt had petitioned the court for Maria to live with her and her husband, but Maria didn’t like the idea. She did not have a good relationship with her aunt and said her uncle gave her the creeps with lewd looks. Lord, please intervene on Maria’s behalf so that she will go where you know is best. I want her with us, but I desire your will for her life. Please help me to say what I need and to be understood by everyone in the meeting.

“Sombra de Sus Alas.”

“That’s us,” I said as I grabbed Maria’s hand. I think we matched high heart rates. Her eyes filled with fear, while I had my own private battle going on inside. Lord, will I ever get used to being in this position of fighting for the future of these girls? Help me to calm down and focus.

In the office, Maria sat next to me with her arm tightly around mine and her head close to my shoulder. Her aunt sat across from us glaring. She had hired a representative to help her get custody of Maria, and he sat shuffling through his papers. When the judge came in, we respectfully stood until she sat, which signaled that we could do the same. During the introductions, I learned that along with the court secretary, we had a court psychologist and a human rights representative in our group. Each person would share any findings pertinent to the case and explain why Maria should live at Shadow of His Wings or with the aunt and uncle. The aunt’s representative emphatically declared that Maria needed to be with her family and that they would provide her with a proper home and education. My heart sank at his aggressiveness, but I continued to pray for God’s will in Maria’s life.

I felt Maria’s fingers dig into my arm. I looked at her ashen face and saw her lip and chin tremble. I wanted to tell her it would be okay, that God heard our prayers, but I knew I had to keep quiet.

When my turn came, I declared the benefits of Maria living with us until she turned eighteen, or later, if she continued with her education. In the eyes of the court, an advanced education, which was any grade past sixth grade, was considered a high priority. The conversations went back and forth, until I saw a glimmer in the eyes of the aunt’s representative. I think he realized that Maria would be better off living at Shadow.

Next, Maria had a private meeting with the judge. She later told me that she described how content she felt to be part of the Shadow family. When we all gathered around the table for the verdict, the judge stated that Maria would be permanent population at Shadow of His Wings.

I heard a whoosh come out of Maria’s mouth as we stood up and hugged each other. After the aunt and representative left the room, the judge approached us, noticing that Maria still clung to me. “Maria, you are happy with the decision, aren’t you?”

Maria smiled and nodded. I think her emotions had taken a toll on her, and she couldn’t speak. The judge said she understood how Maria felt and was happy she lived with me because I was so sweet. What? Did I just hear this judge say I was sweet? I never expected a response like that from a judge, but it sure touched me deeply that she would even take the time to say such a thing.

With the audience for Maria and many others, I learned more about how the system worked and gained some confidence when I sat in the court rooms. However, I must confess that when we hired a full-time social worker, and she took over that duty, I rejoiced.

*Name has been changed.

Community Ministry

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The vision for James Project of Latin America included having the children involved in community ministry. They had been on the receiving end of ministry and needed to understand the importance of making a difference in the lives of others. I didn’t know how the kids would feel ministering to others nor how the community would respond to them, but we were about to find out.

Our church helped start a church in La Rinconada, a little town that sits halfway up a mountain from Monjas. This aldea (town) consisted of a few homes and had the reputation for witchcraft activity. We heard stories of people in Monjas hiring a witch from this area to pray for healing for themselves or a family member. Others hired witches to put curses on an enemy. Many people thought there needed to be a church, but because of fear, the idea never took root. Pastor Josue* and his wife were members of our church and felt the Lord’s leading to establish the first church in this area. We desired to assist and encourage them.

Our pastor, people from Shadow, and many church members planned an event that fitted well under the title “Occupy.” Many times in the Bible God spoke to the people to occupy a specific area in His Name. The story of the Israelites going into the Promised Land took place according to God’s command to those people. The little metal building being used for the church needed declaration over it as God’s church. We determined to come against the enemy, who had terrorized that area for generations. Although it was a dangerous town, we knew that if God had called us to this place, He would provide protection for all of us. That thought quieted the concerns I had, but I resolved that we would be cautious and use the wisdom God gave us.

The girls decorated Shadow’s school bus, and armed with Bibles, kids, house parents, and music blaring, we went to La Rinconada. As I drove my car up the winding road, I shouted to the girls in the car, “Look at that!” I pointed up to the sky. We saw huge rays coming down from around the clouds forming a portal. Listening to the excited murmurs, I strongly felt God’s love and favor over us.

Scan 5The girls had been prepped in what to do, and, upon our arrival, they all took their stations. Some of the older girls stayed outside to encourage the curious to come inside for the service. Our men stood as guards in various places around them. Some of the other girls ushered people to a chair. Praise and worship soon echoed over the mountain, drawing a larger crowd of people to see what was causing so much commotion. Shouts of invitation went out to them to join us inside for a time with the Lord. Soon all of the plastic chairs were filled and pushed tightly together, leaving little of the concrete floor uncovered. The girls ministered in prayer and gave words of encouragement to the townspeople who went to the altar. I loved watching the kids feeding into the lives of others.

After the service, our cars caravanned behind the bus, while we prayed for the new church and the community. A selection of teens from church carried a torch jogging in front of the bus[ Did they job in front of the bus?? You need to say.]. After a certain distance, they passed the torch off to another group of teens, and continued in this manner until we all reached our home church in Monjas. In our hands, hanging out of the windows, many of us had Ziploc bags filled with oil. We anointed the area with the oil as we drove, representing the presence of the Holy Spirit. The singing, shouting of praises, and horn honking sent out the message of the Lord’s presence. The intentions of all the activity became part of the local gossip within hours of our travels up to the church and back. Everyone then knew about the new church, and the Shadow girls experienced community ministry.

*Name has been changed.

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.