We were in Amatitilan on Tuesday. A team from Shreveport, LA, were with us for the week and they were all medical. Most of our week consisted of medical clinics with them. Here in Amatitilan we held a medical clinic AND a tienda. We arrived early and this is the first picture I took. We were set up at the school there and the courtyard looked like this until we shut the gate late in the afternoon. There were so many people waiting to see a doctor. This was a town that was hit with many rains after the volcano erupted so many people were living in stagnant water. Many of the children were sick with fever and/or infection from this. It was heartbreaking, but those little children were so sweet and just wanted to be held. Many of the mamas there waited for hours to get their little one(s) in to see the doctor. After seeing the doctor, they headed over to our pharmacy to get the medicines and vitamins they needed. Once they finished there they came to the tienda (store). We had tons of clothes for everyone and shoes, shoes, and more shoes. We also had some soaps, shampoos, and toothbrushes to hand out. Each family was allowed two items of clothing, a pair of shoes, a pair of socks, and a pair of underwear for each member of their family and a toy per child. I was in charge of the toiletry items and made each family a bag of everything they would need for each member. It was something I needed to do. I was humbled by it. These kids were so excited to get a toothbrush. A TOOTHBRUSH. Seriously? What kid is excited about a toothbrush? It really is about the little things to the people here. Something as simple as a toothbrush lit up these little children's faces. It was amazing. When we finished with the tienda and were packing up, Carla and I found a bag of pencils. A simple bag of mechanical pencils. We took them over to the teachers room and there were a handful of teachers in there. Carla handed them the pencils and they cheered and clapped for us. One of the teachers said that they really needed pencils and that we had made them so happy by giving them those that we had found. Wow. What a blessing to those teachers that we had just happened to have a huge bag of pencils mixed in with some clothes! God provided, even we had no idea that they were there!
Isn't this little girl a beauty? She was just a precious as she looks. Such a sweet little girl. She came over shyly and just looked at all the toothbrushes I had. When I offered her one, she looked up at me with those deep brown eyes and just smiled and smiled. She took the toothbrush and gave me a hug and came back with some friends.
I am so in love with this area of ministry. Loving on these people, sharing Jesus with them, and blessing them with the things that people here in the States take for granted. I mean really. How many times are you thankful that you were able to take a warm shower EVERY day, brush your teeth with clean water, and wash your hair with good shampoo? I'm going to go out on a limb and say that it's very rare you think like that. I'm just as guilty. But it doesn't take much for me to be reminded that it is only by God's grace that I have the things that I have. God has blessed me tremendously...and I am thankful that He has called me to spread those blessings among a nation that not many venture to.
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