Posted by Tracy
Tracy Baird
Jun 26
On Wednesday evening we took the 4 hour mountain drive to return to the ministry center. Have I mentioned how many roads were impacted by the recent weather? Many roads had large piles of mud and boulders on both sides of the road from the landslides. The roads were generally cleared, but occasionally on four lane highways two lanes were closed. At one point we went through a large area of water and I was concerned that we might get stuck, but we got through fine. Usually the team travels in a fleet of 4 wheel drive Suburbans, but several of the Suburbans are at the repair shop so we had rented a small bus. The bus was not 4 wheel drive so I was so glad that we made it through the "stream" across the road.
Our fourth and last clinic took place in a suburb of Guatemala City called Villa Neueva. The area was much more modern in building and dress compared to the villages. We had a busy day and 110 patients were seen.
Our intention is to send part of the team to prayer walk in the area during each clinic. This means the prayer walkers would walk around the area and pray for the people and goings-on. I was assigned to the first prayer walk team in Villa Neueva, if we were allowed to go. We asked the pastor and received permission to go. Louise, Steve, and I prayer walked with three Guatemalans from the church. I thought it was humorous that Roger (pronounced Roy-air) first told us, "Not dangerous," and then when we asked him if there was anything specific we should pray for he replied, "The bad people." I felt very safe as I walked. Not sure if my feeling of safety came from the three Guatemalans accompanying us, the fact that Steve is a strong looking guy, or directly from God's comfort. We had a great time of prayer as the three of us took turns praying out loud for the people, businesses, and spiritual revival of the area. We prayed for individuals who follow Christ to be a light in their families and peer groups to lead other to a good relationship with God.
Upon returning from the prayer walk, I was a runner to take patients from the doctors to the counseling stations. I thought this would be an easy job but it was more difficult than I thought to keep each station with an equal number of patients and figure out which stations were available.
The most emotional part of the day for me was when I was in a counseling station. In contrast to the people's responses in the village, two thirds of the people I saw in the counseling station in Villa Neueva did not have a relationship with God. Some were even running from him. Two sweet gentlemen loved the Lord, but the four women I saw did not know him. Three of them prayed to become Christians, and the fourth wasn't sure if she wanted to do so. She did want to pray with us that if God is real that he would reveal himself to her. The patients I saw told us many of their needs and asked us to pray for them. The woman who wasn't sure if she wanted to be a Christian really confided in us. She admitted an area of her life she was ashamed of and hadn't told anyone in the eight years it had been an issue. We had a deep time of prayer with her and she thanked us for our concern for her and our nonjudgemental attitude. The translator exchanged contact information with her so that they could be in contact in the future. I feel God planned for that translator to be with me because I don't think she would have admitted her problem if I was with, for example, a teenaged boy translator. A 44 year old female translator allowed her to feel comfortable opening up. I have great hope for her, and I praise the Lord for bringing her to the clinic.
Tracy
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