Difficult Realities

   Poverty kills. This is a hard truth to swallow, but, regardless of the difficulty, it remains true. When you enter into life in a 3rd world country, life expectancy drops drastically. Unsanitary living conditions, no access to clean water, work situations, diet, and lack of adequate medical care cause disease and death in many parts of the world. It is something with which we are confronted on a daily basis. Sometimes I seem to float through my days, utterly amazed at the way the Lord is displayed and the things that He is doing among us. Some days I grow so accustomed to the poverty that surrounds me that I cease to be surprised by it. Other days its effects stop me in my tracks…

   Saturday day afternoon was one of those latter days.

   It was a particularly hot afternoon and I found myself craving a chocobanano (frozen banana dipped in chocolate and sold for 1 cordoba- about 5 cents) so Barb, Whit, and I set out in search of chocobananos.
   As we walked out of the church and were passing my friends’ house at the corner of our property (pictured above right). I saw several members of the family in the yard including my little precious baby Junieth. Of course I had to stop and greet them and kiss her little cheeks. “Buenas,” I called as I walked through the gate. As soon as I got near little Junieth, my heart just dropped. I saw that her tiny body was completely COVERED in sores and blisters (pictured left). You could tell that she was in so much pain. She just sat in her grandma’s arms wailing. My heart broke.
   I discovered that she has a really common bacterial infection that most children get from playing in the dirt. My mind immediately flashed back to the afternoon I spent sitting in the dirt just laughing and playing with her (read Suckers, Hugs, & Whispers of His Love). I asked how long she had been sick and they responded that it had been nearly a week. When I asked about what medications she was taking, her grandma confessed that she remained untreated this entire time because her dad was out of work and hadn’t been able to afford the medicine.  
   I immediately asked if I could take her to our medical clinic to see if we had any medicine that we could give her to relieve her pain and fight off the infection. They, of course, said yes and so I carried little Junieth to the clinic. I was able to get the medication that she needed to clear up the infection. Both medications together cost less than $2. I thought about the reality that for something that costs less than $2, Junieth has been suffering for almost a week. How long would she have been in pain without that medication? What would be the end result if the infection was never properly treated? I don’t have answers to these questions, but they have been running through my mind continuously this week.
   I went back to visit Junieth the following day. Praise the Lord- the sores and blisters are already drying up and the infection beginning to clear. 

   That same afternoon, after eating our chocobananos, we went to visit Jayson. Jayson is an absolutely precious, jubilant little 5 year old boy whose house neighbors our church. Jayson could always be seen running around the church property with a joyful smile spread across his face (pictured right– before his illness). About a month ago, he started having some health problems. He had been really sick to his stomach and his family originally thought that he had some sort of parasite (a very common health issue here). When the health problems began to cause headaches and other problems, he was taken to the hospital in Chinandega. At first they thought that he had a parasite in his brain. His condition continued to worsen and he was taken to the hospital in the capitol city of Managua.
   When he arrived in Managua and they began testing, the doctors discovered a large tumor in his brain. He had surgery to remove the tumor, but, because of its location, only a portion could be removed. He is now at home resting and recuperating from brain surgery and awaiting test results next month that will determine the next step.
   It was so difficult to see him just sitting so listlessly in the chair in his yard (pictured below left). His usual joyful expression had been replaced by a blank stare. Once again my heart broke. What are the odds that a doctor would give someone in his condition if they were receiving proper medical care and were living in sanitary conditions? What are his chances of survival?
   Now I do absolutely believe that our God is a God of miraculous healings. I believe that the Lord can touch Jayson and completely remove any trace of this tumor. I believe that with all of my heart. I am praying and asking for that. However, as I sat in their back yard watching him rub his eyes continuously, holding on to his sister and she lay across my lap, and seeing the pain in his mom’s eyes as she talked about his condition I was once again taken aback by the harsh realities of life. My heart was broken once again for the poverty to which my friends and neighbors are subjected. This afternoon I was confronted once again with the way that poverty seeks to rob them of their lives.
   We fight against poverty on every forefront and yet it still exists. Jesus said, The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. -John 10:10 We fight against all which seeks to steal, kill, and destroy in this place. We fight to bring life in all its abundance. And yet death and destruction still seem to lurk around every corner.
   Like I said, I have no answers at the moment.  I don’t know the solution to the pain and poverty that surrounds me. I know that we will continue to battle against poverty. I don’t want us to take a band-aid approach to alleviating poverty by just paying for things that people need and temporarily covering over the devastating affects (although sometimes I do find myself doing this in immediate needs). I want us to help empower people to rise above the poverty through job opportunities, money management techniques, better nutrition and health care, supplying access to water, and above all bringing people into relationship with my God who is the source of all healing and hope. We step forth in building His Kingdom here and now, but I know that this side of eternity death and destruction will always be lurking in the corners.
    So, we pray for children like Junieth and Jayson. We pray for healing. We provided medical care when we are able. We visit and support hurting families. But ultimately, I know that our hope doesn’t lie in finding a solution to the pain which surrounds us. Our hope lies in eternity.