happy easter

Easter here is not like Easter in the mid west. It is so hot and dry and brown. When it seems that the newness of life should be coming forth - whether physical or spiritual, all seems dried up and dead here. The Evangelical churches do not emphasize the resurrection of our Lord - not at this time of year anyway. In an effort, I think, to move away from the ritual of the re-enactment of the crucifixion which takes place in the streets, filled with drunkenness and pagan worship, very little is said in the church. It is hard not to be homesick...

Our trip to San Pedro was really good. Dr. Pedro (the dentist from the City) went with us and pulled a minimum of 120 teeth out of about 65 people. No one there owns a toothbrush and oral hygiene is a low priority. We also saw lots of people for general consults and Katie did almost 35 ultrasounds. Compared to a year ago when the women were all afraid, we were thrilled. Our friend Silvia, who advocates for the women in the village has offered to go out with us to Unilla the next time to help us get to know some of the women there.

And since we have cancelled all of our regular clinics this week we have gotten to do some of the things that I always want to do but never have time for. One was to visit our friend Victor in the drug and alcohol rehabilitation center that he opened 6 months ago. Victor was a pastor here in Canilla and we became good friends during that time. He is young and many times sat at our table talking with us much like a son would. The desire of his heart has always been to minister to men like these - a desire that was birthed out of his own history of drug use and abandonment as a child. This is a work that no one else wants to do...and the need is great. Thursday when we went (the day that all of the Holy Week festivities really began) he had only 16 men there but normally has up to 26. Most are men that he picks up off the street, abandoned by their families as unworthy of helping. We fixed a lunch for them, made tortillas on the open fire and attempted to encourage them. He is doing great things there, making a difference in many lives, and living completely dependent on God's faithfulness. He has awesome stories already!

I pray that as you celebrate Easter with your family and friends that you will remember the reason that we celebrate. For "Christ has made all things right. I had nothing to do but accept it as a free gift from Him." Hannah Whitall Smith