Jesus came to us!
Last night Gabriel my 10-year-old was in a pretty bad bicycle
accident.
It was around 6pm and all the children in our pueblo were
playing outside on the account that our regions focalized quarantine was lifted.
Gabriel had asked if he could go play with them before our scheduled 7pm
adoration in the Church. Reluctantly, I
said “yes”, but had told him he would need to hurry back soon to take a shower
before adoration. He assured me that he would be back in time.
No more than 10 minutes passed, and I hear a child screaming
for me at the door, “Señora, Señora,!” It was a call no mother wants to hear.
By his voice I could tell something terrible had happen. I immediately begin to call upon the Lord. As
I ran down our long hallway to the door, which runs the entire length of the Church,
I knew Jesus could hear me.
The child begins to tell me that “la cabeza de Gabriel está
rota.” (In English, Gabriel’s head is broken). I can assure you those are words
no mother wants to hear in any language. The boy and I ran as fast as we could
to where he was. The entire time felt like we were in slow motion. I could not
get there fast enough. I again called out to Jesus asking him for his presence
and to guide us and to heal my son.
Upon my arrival to Gabriel, I saw that his little friends
had gotten him up. All I could see was
the back of his hand, which was holding his head, both were covered with an extreme
amount of blood which ran down the back of his shirt soaking it to a dark red. I
immediately thanked Jesus for sparing my son’s life.
When Gabriel saw me, he immediately started to say “sorry”.
I asked what he was sorry for he said, “because now we cannot go visit Jesus.” The
entire walk back to our home he just keeps repeating “I am sorry.” I assured
him that Jesus would understand and reminded him that we could call upon Jesus
right now to be with us.
After a quick evaluation of the injury, I knew I had to find
a doctor. So, we drove to the larger town nearby, in hopes to find a clinic
that still had a doctor available. At this time, it was around 6:30. As we drove,
we prayed that Jesus would guide us. We had no clue what clinic would be open,
or what clinic is the best. The only thing we had learned in our years of
living here in Peru was that a private clinic is much better than the hospital.
Since there were no other missionaries who have lived here before us, and no
other foreigners that we know of, we had no clue where to go. The only thing we knew to do was to pray and praise
Jesus’s Holy Name as we drove and to remain confident that he would guide us.
As I was driving, I remembered a clinic that we always passed by, because it was on the way to the Priest’s home. Upon our arrival we were excited to see them still open. While we were waiting Gabriel was still saying that he was sorry for getting hurt and sorry that we could not go to adoration as planned. I reminded him we can spend time with Jesus any day and any time because we live right next door to him. To keep his mind off things, I asked him if he wanted to pray a rosary, and he agreed. So, in the middle of the clinic’s waiting area we begin to pray the rosary for the following intentions. For Jesus to guide the Doctor, for all those sick and hurt at the Clinic, for Gabriel’s friends that courageously came to his assistance, and for Jesus to come to our aid.
Not long after we
finished praying the rosary, and after a few bewildered looks from others waiting
to see the doctor, they took Gabriel and I to a small back room to examine him.
As the doctor removed the bloody towel from Gabriel’s head, he looked at me and
said this is an extremely big and deep injury to his head and that he would
need about 50 stitches, possibly more.
Of course, as you can imagine, as a mom living in a 3rd
world country my heart began to race. I had no idea what this doctor was capable
of, nor if he would use clean tools or pain medicine. Perhaps maybe you may already
know, but in case you do not, medical care in a 3rd world country is
not quite the same, though it is a great
deal cheaper than the United states it is not nearly advanced or as sterile. So,
doctors using gloves or pain medication are often things that one does not see
here in Peru. I could not help but ask
the questions that were in my mind. “What about pain or numbing medicine”. He
assured me that he would give Gabriel a shot for the pain and a shot of antibiotic
before he began. I asked him “will you use clean tools and gloves?” He, at that
point pulled up a white plastic chair and asked me to take a seat and to trust
him.
While he was preparing the room, I asked the doctor his
name. He answered by saying “my name is Jesus, the one who heals.” I kid you
not those were his exact words. The time we were in the treatment room went by
pretty fast, even though we were in there about 45 minutes. Not many words were
exchanged between the Doctor Jesus, Gabriel and I. The few words I said to Gabriel was pray,
speak to Lord, because he is here with us guiding the hands of the doctor.
After the doctor finished sewing Gabriel’s wound, he asked
us to go sit in the waiting area so we could pay. I was so worried about the
cost. I had no clue what it would be or if we could afford the work the doctor
did. With a bit of humor, I thought to myself maybe we can pay him with
chickens, the only problem was we had no chickens to give him. While we were waiting,
I again begin to ask Jesus to make a way to help us pay the bill to somehow
make it something we can afford.
As I was praying, I looked up and to my surprise Father
Robert the Priest we work under was standing in front of me. He had a concern
look on his face and immediately asked what happen and if we were ok. He was
joking with Gabriel and told him that he should be more careful and watch out
for those bikes that they like to throw ornery boys off. Gabriel grinned as much as he could
considering the pain, he was in.
I asked Father why he had come to the clinic, if there was
someone gravely ill, thinking it was a pastoral visit that he was on. He just smiled
and said I came to see my nephew who is also Gabriel’s age, who also is here because
of a bicycle injury. Before he excused himself, he blessed Gabriel and told him
“get well my little altar server.”
By this time, they were ready for us to pay. The nurse with
a concerned look on her face, told us since the wound was so big and it took
over 50 stitches, that the doctor is charging 150 soles, which included all the
shots of pain killer and antibiotic. I thought to myself “only $50.00, ok we
can swing this.” Jesus heard my prayer! Because that is the exact amount of
money I had in my wallet. What a blessing that was, because I wasn't sure if I could come up with chickens for the payment!
Upon our return back home, Gabriel said once again, “I am so
sorry that we didn’t go to adoration.” I immediately told him; “son I think Jesus
came to us tonight.”
Last night we encountered Jesus through other people. Indeed it was Jesus that was present among us last night, alive in the doctor of few words, but who had soft and precise hands, and Jesus came in the form of a Holy Priest and Friend, to comfort and joke with Gabriel.
Which reminded me that “ The Lord is near to all who call upon him, to all who call upon him in truth. He fulfils the desire of all who fear him, he also hears their cry, and saves them. ” Psalm 145:18-19
Please know that each one of your are in our daily prayers and we beg of you to please keep us in yours.
We would be honored to receive your prayer request. At anytime you may send them to us through our email address listed below.
We thank you for your prayers and your support.
Without the sacrifices made by each of you this work would be impossible.
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Email: karendelcastillo@familymissionscompany.com
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