Gualsaqui

"Wait for the Lord; Be strong and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for the Lord." Psalm 27:14

Dear Ones in Christ Jesus our Lord,

It is Saturday morning in Otavalo. Our team continues to experience good things from our Father. Yesterday, we spent the day in service of the people of a rural village near Otavalo called Gualsaqui. Linda and I worked there two years ago. The pastor there - Roberto - is a wonderful man of God. As we arrived to set up for the first day of clinic, he asked if we could pay a visit to one of the members of his church (the Church of the Nazarene at Gualsaqui) at her home. Shelia Duncan, nurse Jan and myself said "of course" and pastor Roberto took us there.

We were graciously invited into the Quechua home, and stepped back 150 years in time. The construction was adobe, and within was one large room. An open fire was blazing in the center with a large kettle of potatoes aboil. An elderly woman was lying on the single cot to one side, with her husband alongside, and their daughter attending to meal preparation. About twenty guinea pigs (a local delicacy) were gathered along the edges of the room. There was one electric light, and by this we spent time with our patient. She was 84 years of age, and had suffered a stroke four months prior. She spoke Quechua only, so Roberto translated to Spanish so that Shelia could translate to English. She was to move neither her left arm nor her left leg. Because she spent all of her time in bed, she had developed contractures at her fingers as well as at her knee. Moreover, she lamented that she no longer had a purpose in life, and that she wished she could die. We learned however that she is a believer. After providing recommendations for daily rehabilitation exercises, as well as sitting an hour in the sunshine and taking an aspirin a day, we tried to encourage her with the truth. Roberto told her that her Father in heaven valued her not for what she does, but for who she is in Jesus Christ. This seemed to give her some hope. We finished by praying with her. I believe that her husband and daughter were encouraged as well.

We subsequently returned to the 21st century, and conducted the clinic at the church. Bill Harrell - our pediatrician - had a great day working with many children and mothers. Jan and Janet - our two senior nurses - worked with many people, while translation was provided by one of our friends here, Katie from Oregon. Shelia and I worked with many adults, one of whom had stomach cancer. We prayed with him, and hugged him. We gave out about one trunkful of medications. We finished at about sundown, and the weary team dined at a restaurant in Otavalo. I had some delicious sea bass.

Today, the team is resting and shopping. From time to time we encounter old friends on the streets here. Each night, we are engaging in our usual daily devotional. This year we are focusing on "Following Him", with daily emphasis on separate steps in that process. I shared last night about the value of "staying", with references to God's word to Isaac in Genesis 26 and Jesus´s word to the disciples in Luke 24. If we are to receive what God has promised to us, we must wait for His directions. Power has been requested for this year´s mission effort. We (and certainly I) must wait upon Him. My dear wife Linda has been encouraging me with daily notes that she packed in my travel bags. She includes a verse for each day. Yesterday´s verse was Psalm 27:14. It was ideally suited to the lessons of the day, for which I am thankful. This morning I read 2 Corinthians 9:8, which challenged me as well.

Waiting in an internet cafe in Ecuador,
Tim