Juana came into the clinic on Sunday with her friend Candalaria, a woman who I have know for many years and whose family we have helped on several occasions. Juana is the mother of 5 small children. Her husband recently became ill and has been hospitalized and unable to work. Juana and her children have been living on a little piece of property which they bought on payments. It does not have a house, so they have been living under a 10x10 piece of plastic...which is fine until the rains begin in just a few weeks. She came with Candalaria asking for help. So today we flew out to their village, met with one of the local pastors and went to visit Juana. What she said was true and her pastor came as well. The church is willing to help with the labor and some of the materials and we will help them with the roof. So it becomes not just the "rich Americans" helping, but the body of believers reaching out to a family in need....just the way it is supposed to be. The best part of this morning however was to see Candalaria. She is a woman for whom we have prayed for for years. Her husband drank, was unfaithful, left her for a time, beat her and the children - in short, they have been a family in great distress since I met them. Recently however, Felipe (her husband) gave his life to the Lord, has stopped drinking and is working to feed and care for his children. They live in a tiny adobe one room house...but it is theirs. It is such a testimony of the faithfulness of God to hear our prayers and His power to change hearts! Please continue to pray for them though, they are so poor. We have reached the time of year now where the corn, which is the main staple of their diet, is gone. No one can plant until the rains begin and then there is the 5 month wait for harvest. So folks who are out of corn now have almost 6 months in which they will need to buy corn - which is unaffordable for some...like this family. In the last month I have noticed the change, the desperation in the faces of women who come into the clinic, battling for their children. It happens every year but every year it hits us the same. The burden to help overwhelms us. Knowing how is the problem. So pray for us too if you think of it. We need His wisdom and His provision. "Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need." Hebrews 4:16