The place we visited today was renamed to Esperanza (the place of hope) from the name "dumpster people". This is where the walkers live because they have no way to get home after traveling many miles to get urban help (medical or other). Our kids were so shocked how some of the kids didn't even have clothes to wear. Many of us felt very blessed once we saw the tiny shacks they live in with food only eaten once a day. The kids felt happy just to help deliver food to those without.
When will this government see the oppression of their people. Many of us felt the anger for such a government and their greed. Even though there is great desperation we prayed with each family we gave food to and you could feel the Holy Spirit still there. Gods presence was still here and the people we visited still need the hope of Jesus. There were even those that when we asked them what to pray for they responded that I train up my children knowing God. How similar we are even though our lives are sooooo different. If we truly are blessed we are then commanded to be a blessing towards others. Just because we "have" in America that does not mean that God loves us any more. In fact the "haves" could be a distraction as Jesus taught about in the four soils.
I was going to say most bathrooms were outside (outhouses) but I can't remember one that had a bathroom inside the house. We reflected on the word "Compassion" which means "to suffer with" which brought today into a reality. Many of the neighbors treated each other as family when we passed out the food but this begs the question "do we know our neighbors this well?
Many were shocked how many we prayed for were sick themselves or had a family member sick. There were some (multiple) kids that their parents were at the city hospital with a family member while they left a child at home. In some instances a neighbor would care for the child and in others the child would stay home alone at the age of 7 to 10 years old. Then there were some that couldn't afford healthcare so they suffered through the pain. I don't think Americans really know what pain is or at least know it for very long. One woman that Ryan visited had a problem with her catheter and when he got there he found out she was urinating blood which was a possible sign of cancer. I can't say I can ever remember being without food and not being able to get it. This is a daily occurrence down here. While I talk about starving the average American eats approximately 83,000 meals before they are 80. Such a sobering thought...
Tony Magaldi
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