The Perfect Gift
Cindy and Sandy, our contacts in Florida and the women responsible for last years Christmas container brought a team of six to help organize and work in the clinic, and to give clothes and shoes to the people here. One of the team members was Barbara. She is a registered nurse who immediately became the doctor at our clinic. This wonderful team wanted to have the mountain experience so on their second day after working the clinic we took them to one side of the mountains and then on their only Saturday here we took them to the other side of the mountains which is more difficult to get to, in fact on our second trip we got stuck on the wrong side of the river because of a rain storm. It was interesting to see the different illnesses, (most of which we had medicine for and were able to treat) the life style, the cleanliness and the amazing beauty of the mountains but for me the most beautiful thing I saw was the little baby girl that had weighed only 4 ½ pounds when she was eight months old, three years ago, still alive and well.
Doctor Barbara had mentioned earlier that she wanted to sponsor a family. On our first trip to the other side of the mountains, I introduced her to a single woman, Consuelo, who had come to the clinic often and was raising five children ages 2, 5, 10, 12 and 15 alone. Consuelo is part of a humble group of mountain people who will not rummage through the clothes we have to give but rather wait until we personally hand them an item.  Her body is withered and her face is sunken with premature wrinkles from over work and worry. When Jose saw her the first time he thought she was dying. She lives in a one room mud hut with no water, no electricity, no bathroom, no recognizable beds and no cupboards. The hut was clean and orderly, decorated only by her beautiful children and one tiny little doggie whose duty it was to protect this family by constantly yapping. (He was too small to make a real bark.) The children were quiet, timid and so well behaved and trusting that if I had told them to jump off a cliff I am afraid they would have.
After meeting Consuelo, Barbara agreed to sponsor her and her family by giving them $100 a month. She offered more but I assured her that $100 a month would be an excellent beginning and all that Consuelo would probably be able to understand. If we needed to we could add more later. As we left I told Consuelo that she needed to come to the clinic on Tuesday.
Tuesday arrived and Barbara was prepared to give Consuelo her first installment of 1000 Limpiras equivalent to 50 American dollars. When Consuelo arrived at the clinic I brought her in to give her the good news. I asked her if she received any help from anyone, the government, family members or the ex spouse. She looked at me with her worried eyes and said “We live meal to meal and day to day only by the grace of God”.  I was not prepared to behold such faith and such humility and when I attempted to tell her of Barbara’s generosity my heart was so full and the spirit of love so strong that tears began to flood my eyes. I could not stop them and had to leave the room to regain some composure before I was able to tell her the good news and hand her the money. Barbara wasn’t able to hear the words Consuelo spoke but there was no mistaking the gratitude that filled the clinic.
On Wednesday some of the team went back up the mountain to visit, provide health care, amputate two deformed digits from a child with six fingers and deliver some milk products for mal nourished children and adults. We stopped by Consuelo’s to take some photos and before we left she gave us two cups of fresh beans.
On Thursday Consuelo’s mother came to the clinic. She told me that Consuelo was helping her now and expressed how grateful she was for this gift to her daughter. She told me that she was a widow and raising three grand children from a child of hers that had died. I was stunned by this declaration of sharing. Later that day Elmer cooked the beans that Consuelo had given. As I ate the beans my heart sang and they were the best tasting thing I have ever eaten. They were the perfect gift! 
With a full heart, Evelyn Castellar
James 1:27
“Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction,”
Thank-you Barbara………..