By The Grace Of God These 4 Boys Are Not Orphans

The Lord Uses Us

To Help Save Their Mother’s Life

On May 14 a dear Honduran friend who is very poor came to us in tears with the news that her cousin, a young mother of 4 boys, was sent away from the public hospital. The family was advised to prepare for what was imminent, her funeral. I had met this cousin, Suyapa, even hosting her and her family at my house when she traveled to the capital city to “work” the free public medical system. Multiple stones had caused abscesses in one of her kidneys. Over the course of 3 months I had seen her demise as appointments and exams were postponed and rescheduled. During the same time-frame the head lines in the Honduras newspapers told of the strikes in the public hospitals. This young mother, Suyapa, and her family were hopeless. They were ready to do what so many Hondurans do… give-up and let whatever happens… happen.

Suyapa’s near death condition was so preventable. But, by mid-May her bad kidney was 3X its normal size and no more than a dead abscessed organ inside of her. Oh, the hospital set a surgery date to remove her kidney… in October, but that long wait was in essences a death sentence. Again, Kim and I felt like a small drop of “help” in an ocean of “need”, but how urgent and critical was this need. We’ve never helped with a medical need like this; we didn’t have the money personally or in our ministry account. Not to mention, our YFC mission statement isn’t for adult kidney patients. But Kim and I both felt that the Lord would have us to what we could to help. We put her in a private hospital to have the bad kidney removed before she died. We used our personal rent money to pay the admission fee. Then, we simply e-mail friends back home, explained the situation, asked for help, prayed and waited… hoping for her recovery and enough funds to pay for it all.

There were complications along the way, many “ups & downs”. Suyapa is still in the hospital, but, in a word, she has had her kidney removed and is expected to be released soon to join her 4 boys at their humble home in the country-side some 3 hours journey from the capital. It wasn’t until just recently that it “hit me”. This is indeed the purpose of YFC… helping kids! Not only have I been able to share the Good News of Jesus with these boys, but a group of friends, Kim and I, collectively we responded to the Lord’s guidance and kept these boys from being orphaned in a country where the orphan life is not so friendly. My 6 foster kids can attest to this. Many of the friends who helped this cause also receive this newsletter. Let me tell you, “you amaze me!” I’d like to thank you for how you gave above and beyond your on-going missionary support and helped to save the life of this young mother. There were several points along the way where I didn’t think there would be a “happy ending”. But God was gracious… He guided, we followed, and He did it! Thank you.