Movies and Parents

McMuffins, movies, advertisements, new cars, lottery tickets...these are all things that I saw yesterday in Guatemala City. We made a trip in with the 182, and it was my first time in the City in a while. That place is like a different world from here (and anywhere else I've ever seen as far as the drivers go!). There are nearly all of the luxuries of my native St. Louis, if you know where to look. I'm not saying it's all bad (like the crazy drivers), but it's just different...It all made me reflect on life.

And then this morning I read a passage in a book that really made me think about all the
entertainment we humans have created for ourselves. Is the world not fun enough, dramatic enough...hard enough for us, that we need hours of television, movies, and internet to be entertained? I think we've almost created two worlds for ourselves, the real one and the make-believe one.

Speaking of movies, I think I got the speakers we have to work this afternoon. I would adjust the speakers and run to the other side of the yard to listen, so I'm sure neighbors were wondering what was up. I went to town to scope out the feel in the "centro" on a Friday night, and to talk to a new friend, Mike. He's lived in Canillla all his life and thinks the movie idea is good (so I hope you can see that I'm not against all movies, just the out of whack need-for-entertainment that I think ails so many people).

Anyway, clinic is tomorrow, and that's always a dose of "real world" for me. There's this little girl named Helen who comes in nearly every week. I've wanted to take a picture of her, but never wanted to make her mom feel weird. Enough people are always staring into her stroller, and I know her mom feels safe at clinic. Before I knew her, Leslie tells me that Helen's parents took her into a hospital in Guatemala City for a couple months, but that the doctors never attended to them. Eventually the money ran out, and they all returned home, disillusioned with the health care system. Helen has hydrocephalus (the natural fluid in her cerebrum doesn't drain like a normal person), so her head is really big. Helen is about one year old I think now, and when her parents first came to us the doctors didn't expect her to live. Multiple times we believe God has miraculously caused the swelling in her head to go down (we measure it's circumfrence every other week. Last week it was down to 53 cm from 55), but there are still bad weeks. The last two times Helen's mom brought her in she had a really bad rash. She also still can't sit up on her own, because she can't support the weight of her head.
It always touches me how Helen's mom takes such good care of her. Outside in the courtyard before she comes in I notice that she is constantly talking to her, rocking her, and kisses her often. I have also made a couple trips to their house just to check on them and pray. Always Helen is being taken good care of. Although Helen's situation is very sad, I believe her parents still have hopes of her growing up normally. I hope she does, but I believe it will take a miracle. That's what we're believing for, week by week.

Although Helen is just one of many very sick kids that come through our doors, she has been on my heart for several months and I thought her story is worth sharing. I don't like to ask for tons of prayer that I know probably won't happen (my own prayer life has much to be desired), but I know Helen is on God's heart and mind and that nothing has happened or will happen to her that He is not aware of. He loves her more than anyone, and that's why I believe it's important that we stand with Him on her behalf. For some reason God likes to include us on what He's doing.

Also, Helen's mom is only one of hundreds of parents who buy numbers and wait hours in line to come into clinic. Sometimes throughout the week a family or just a mom and a baby will come to our door and knock. My first reaction is annoyance because it's not a clinic day and I'm busy with something else, but when I see that it's a parent, risking their neck to bother the gringos because they're worried about their sick child, my heart softens. A couple weeks ago a lady walked over 5 hours to get to our gate for her 1-year-old boy who had pneumonia. She didn't speak Spanish, and came by herself. I know she had to be so nervous inside, but love for her boy drove her on. If we, who are bad and imperfect can love our children that way, how much more does God who is perfect love us? God is the perfect Dad, and is willing to go greater lengths to lavish on us His love than we could ever imagine. And why do I think I need to watch a movie to stimulate my emotions?A rare syndrome has also caused this red, hemangioma on Helen's face. Sometimes these leave in time. Also this is an old picture and Helen's head is about half the size as it is now.