A hush on the campus . . .

(Jeana)
Yesterday (Friday),  the objective for the day was to spend time at Oasis Christian School with Dulce.  Time with her is always a blessing to us.  We enjoyed the meal, laughter, and stories.  Instead of sending her home on the bus we took her ourselves (it is very weird to just casually walk out of a school with a kid without prior arrangements or signing a waiver or nothing) we were wanting to make an impromptu visit to Estella, her foster mother.  We like for her to know us and to know that other people are checking in on Dulce.  She seems very nice and instantly welcomed 7 unannounced gringos and one guatemalan delivering her foster kid home from school.  We have had some troubling news about Dulce's care and it is so difficult to separate the cultural from the just plain wrong.  The raw facts here are that kids work.  Little 7 year old girls work selling fruit in the markets - they just do - you see them everywhere.  So, too, does Dulce.  But, do all the little girls here come to school with bruises to their lips when they don't sell their quota?  Or, do all the little girls not get there homework done because they are in the markets late selling and too tired to get the school work done after more chores?  The foster mother is illiterate so she is unable to help Dulce even if she desired to do so.  To add to this mix we had a conversation about the foster mother's son who is an illegal in the states doing hard time in California for six years now.  Foster mom's hope and prayer is that the son will be released soon and come home to her house . . . hmmmm, perhaps not a desire or prayer that I can share.  Overall, the visit was pleasant and relationship building.  However, there is a stirring and unsettling feeling in my heart.  My hands are totally bound.  There is no "child welfare" here.  I am a lowly gringo that couldn't talk my way out of a paper bag here because of the language barrier.   What can I do.  Continue to pray.
Now, to the hush on campus today, Steve and I were on a watermelon (sandia) acquiring excursion when we came across a terrible car accident.  The accident had traffic in a snarl.  As the time went by and facts were realized it came to light that one of the occupants of the car was Luis Jr who is the eldest son of Quicho the faithful property maintenance worker here on campus.  Quicho (pronounced Weecho) has worked here for 21 years.  His son is 20 so has grown up here with the kids on campus.  Quicho is a dear and trusted friend to all within these walls.  The campus mobilized and prayers and action were immediately dispatched.  Mountain pastors and campus pastors were retrieved and prayer warriors were picked up and all raced to the hospital.  Steve and I had seen Luis being placed into the back of an accident spectators pickup and raced off to the hospital - he did not look good - it was a very serious situation.  Unconscious, with open and fixed non blinking eyes.
Anderson's stayed behind on campus with kids while all other adults left to minister to the situation.  The hush on campus was palatable.  You know that quiet and heavy feeling.  The not knowing of the unfolding events.  The constant conversations with God.  Luis is not a believer.
It was a late night.   This morning the news is better.  Initially, yesterday he was taken to the lesser of the two hospital's here.  It's what they do when they think someone is going to die.  They take them to the cheaper hospital.  That's just the way it is.  Last night he regained consciousness and asked for a drink of water.  He can move all four limbs.  He is being moved to the better hospital for  evaluation and treatment.  A very very positive sign.
  Romanos 8:28 "Y sabemos que a los que aman a Dios, todas las cosas les ayudan a bien, esto es, a los que conforme a su proposito son llamados." 
We pray that Luis answers the calling on his life.
Today, campus work day.  We all work together on a common project.  Hard, hot work.
Happy Cinco do Mayo to all of you.  A little interesting thing  . . . guatemalans do not celebrate this holiday.  I guess just Mexico and us gringos north of the border do.   VaPues!