In my last letter I mentioned quite a few people and situations... and just wanted to let you know where some of them are at...

Eisa...  ended up losing her baby...  She didn’t get a D and C right away and several days later, seriously hemorraged...   Please continue to pray for her...  She felt like she was dying... and panicked about leaving her kids behind...  Eisa is one of our students who hasn’t put her faith in Christ yet... so please pray with us that this whole situation might bring her to the point of seriously considering life... faith... God... and eternity...

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I’ve been “substitute teaching” for my substitute teacher these last couple Fridays... the Bible Study that  Lupe is in...  She came into El Jordán smiling from ear to ear... Our gynecologist had requested a pap smear... which came back with no signs of malignant cells -  I think we should show the results to the “gynecologist – specialist” who so confidently showed his students, “Look...this lady has the beginnings of cancer”!!!

Lupe’s partner,  Carlos, comes from a family where the majority either work in garbage pick up or “watching” cars on the street  (people pay them to “take care of” their parked car so nothing is stolen)...  Carlos worked as garbage man - the problem isn’t the job itself... it’s the fact that garbage men here chew coca and drink the cheap, pure alcohol (sometimes mixed with a bit of water or kool-aid).  There wasn’t a day that Carlos didn’t drink... and “home” (one room) life was terrible for Lupe and their son, Jesús.  Lupe started coming to Bible Study with her sister-in-law Jenny (who watches cars)... and we started praying for Carlos.  Not long afterwards, his liver and stomach revolted... Carlos was off work for three months, had to have a bland diet and a special treatment... and more than that, it hurt and scared him enough to want to quit drinking...

He decided not to go back to the same job...  and things at home have been more peaceful... except that they’ve had one health problem after another...  Lupe had a difficult pregnancy, their baby has been colicky, Lupe’s scare with “cancer”... and now on Tuesday Carlos’ face was burned with steam at work...  Hopefully his boss will take care of the medical costs and compensation for the days he is off work...  Pray that all these trials, rather than discourage them, would help them look towards God.

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 Mery Laura   hasn’t been to class for a couple weeks... which usually is a sign to us that things aren’t going well... I’ve tried to get a hold of her but haven’t been able to... (She is the one who, unknowingly pregnant, was exposed to quite a few x-rays.) 

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 Jovana (our nurse/volunteer) was on holidays from her studies (although she still worked in the afternoons)... so she and  Lidia (Paola)  spent most mornings for two weeks getting her into different doctors and specialists... In the past, because of time and costs, whenever we have helped Lidia with her health it has been “half way”... sending her to a doctor... or giving her some money to help her pay for some medical expenses... BUT because of her pressing needs at home, lack of someone on our part to go with her... doctors never got to the bottom of her problem... and she has been spiraling downhill to a point where she...and everyone around her... were worried for her life...

As a center, although we’ve had to cut back on our “medical emergency” fund, we made a commitment to see Lidia through this... because helping half way has been no help...  Money is only problem our kids have... they also don’t always get fair or respectful care from health services...  Lidia should be covered by government insurance because her son is under 6 months... but it doesn’t always happen...  That’s where Jovana has been such a help – advocating for Lidia these last weeks...

Lidia tested negative for tuberculosis... and found out that one of her lungs is completely destroyed... and the second one doesn’t function at full capacity... (probably results of tuberculosis untreated in the past and consequences of living on the streets)... There is a lung specialist who would like to remove the damaged lung... IF there is someone who will sign a form commiting themselves to be “responsible” for any medications that the insurance doesn’t have on hand...

 Lidia’s mom doesn’t approve of the operation – she thinks her daughter isn’t strong enough to survive the operation... Unfortunately, no one can guarantee that Lidia will come out of the operation fine...  She will also need to rest and not lift things etc for quite a while after the operation... 

PLEASE pray that the doors will open or close according to God’s will... that Lidia will have peace... She knows the risks of the operation... but accepts them, believing this is her only chance to live for longer... If for some reason, she doesn’t survive the operation, her one wish is that I keep an eye on her kids...  that they would have the opportunity to have an education – not thinking of college or university – just to finish high school - because she is the only one fights to provide for her kids... If she is gone, she doesn’t want to imagine what might happen to her kids...

The surgery is still tentative... depending on tests etc... they were hoping to find out the results and talk to the surgeon last Thursday – but it was a national holiday... then on Friday Lidia’s baby,  Benjamin, was taken to the hospital with pneumonia... so Lidia is there with him until he gets discharged (here in pediatrics in regular hospitals there has to be an adult taking care of the child 24/7).

In spite of all the running around, the uncertainty of the operation, taking care of her sick baby, worrying if her other kids are eating – Lidia seems to be better than she has been in a long time...  I think it is  hope that has made her heart lighter... and you can see it on her face and hear it in her voice...  She has been working so hard making purses to sell because she knows her kids will need money when she is in the hospital... 

 A thought crossed my mind...  maybe I could take pictures of the purses Lidia is crocheting... maybe you would like to buy one to help Lidia through this time...  I don’t know how I’d get them to you... I’d have to wait until someone travels north... and then maybe send them COD or figure out shipping charges...  Would anyone be interested?  ...or does anyone have an idea how we could work something like this?

I took some more string for Lidia so she could keep working while she is at Benjamin’s bedside... She wondered how much she was in red with her “savings” account at El Jordan...  When I told her it was from people who cared for her and were praying for her... she got tears in her eyes... She asked, “Could you give me their names so I could write them a letter and maybe send them a little gift?” 

Thank you for your prayers... and care... It is appreciated... and it makes a difference!

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There is another prayer request... for one of our faithful teachers/volunteers,  Frida,  who is always trying to learn new crafts with the intent of teaching our girls something new...  She has always had a bit of problem with her hearing... but she asked special prayer because it has suddenly gotten worse...  She has lost all but 10% of hearing in one ear... and only has 36% hearing in the other ear... making teaching and just plain living a lot more complicated...  The doctors say there are some hearing aids that could help the 36% ear... but they are beyond her means...  We would appreciate your prayers for Frida...

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 Well... that’s enough for now... THANKS SO MUCH for your prayers...  There are some other girls going through some really hard times too – Jeanneth, Ruth, Ana – and although I don’t have time right now to share their requests... God knows their needs and hearts... and they would appreciate your prayers as well...

You are such an encouragement to us...

 Thanks so much...

Lots of love, Corina for Marco and Keiden too...