So, I was at our Bible study the other night…
and I was looking around while we were singing some songs. There were about 35 people there and I had one of “those” moments. We were singing “Cuan Grande es Dios” (How Great is Our God) and I was amazed at the group that God has brought together here in Jocotenango. (You can click Here to see some pictures on our Facebook page.)
I thought you might like to know a little more about the lives of some of the people who were there. (I have purposely not included most of the names, but there are a lot of Carlos and Jorge’s).
– There was Jorge, who was at one time in his life a thief and an alcoholic. Now he is a pastor.
– There was a new guy there who is battling an alcohol addiction.
– That guy was sitting next to another guy who is about 27 years old, separated from his wife and daughter and he has an alcohol problem.
– Next to him was a guy that came in late and left early, I never got his name. He seemed to know the songs we were singing, but he looked like his life has been hard lately.
– Next to that guy was a young man who had his arm around that guy and was praying with him. This young man is about 25, he is recently converted from Catholicism and is soaking up the Bible whenever he can.
– The young man’s brother was on the other side of the room with his 6 year old son. He and his wife are separated. His son lives with his wife. He struggles with alcohol and depression.
– Next to “the brother” was a girl who was about 18 years old, single, and struggling to support her 3 year old daughter and 1 year old baby.
– Next to her was a man who is probably in his 60’s, sometimes it’s hard to tell here. He has 3 adult daughters who are active in our Bible studies. He seems to be a pretty good dad and grandfather. He has a hard time finding consistent work.
– He was sitting next to a single mom with two daughters. One of her daughters just a week before “hurt” both of her hips. The story I heard was that they were both broken, but she was walking tonight, slowly. I never got a straight story on what exactly happened. This family lives up a pretty steep hill. Her mom usually comes with her but she wasn’t there because she was taking care of her grandaughter so she could come to the Bible study.
– Speaking of injuries, another woman from our Bible study broke her leg the same day and wasn’t there that evening.
– Next to me was a guy who I have helped move his family from one place to live to another probably 6 times in the last year. Everything they own fits in the back part of my suburban, (just the part where there aren’t any seats, not the whole suburban) except for the one mattress that he shares with his wife and their son Joshua. He has a hard time finding work.
– Another woman was there, and she is a probably 60 something year old (sometimes it’s hard to tell), single, grandmother who is the primary caregiver for her 10 year old grandson. She never has consistent work, but she cleans some houses and does some cooking to provide for her and her grandson.
– That guy was sitting next to another guy who is about 27 years old, separated from his wife and daughter and he has an alcohol problem.
– Next to him was a guy that came in late and left early, I never got his name. He seemed to know the songs we were singing, but he looked like his life has been hard lately.
– Next to that guy was a young man who had his arm around that guy and was praying with him. This young man is about 25, he is recently converted from Catholicism and is soaking up the Bible whenever he can.
– The young man’s brother was on the other side of the room with his 6 year old son. He and his wife are separated. His son lives with his wife. He struggles with alcohol and depression.
– Next to “the brother” was a girl who was about 18 years old, single, and struggling to support her 3 year old daughter and 1 year old baby.
– Next to her was a man who is probably in his 60’s, sometimes it’s hard to tell here. He has 3 adult daughters who are active in our Bible studies. He seems to be a pretty good dad and grandfather. He has a hard time finding consistent work.
– He was sitting next to a single mom with two daughters. One of her daughters just a week before “hurt” both of her hips. The story I heard was that they were both broken, but she was walking tonight, slowly. I never got a straight story on what exactly happened. This family lives up a pretty steep hill. Her mom usually comes with her but she wasn’t there because she was taking care of her grandaughter so she could come to the Bible study.
– Speaking of injuries, another woman from our Bible study broke her leg the same day and wasn’t there that evening.
– Next to me was a guy who I have helped move his family from one place to live to another probably 6 times in the last year. Everything they own fits in the back part of my suburban, (just the part where there aren’t any seats, not the whole suburban) except for the one mattress that he shares with his wife and their son Joshua. He has a hard time finding work.
– Another woman was there, and she is a probably 60 something year old (sometimes it’s hard to tell), single, grandmother who is the primary caregiver for her 10 year old grandson. She never has consistent work, but she cleans some houses and does some cooking to provide for her and her grandson.
There were more people there, (I I know this is a lot of scrolling on your little phone screen so I am not going to list each and every person.) and each person and their story is important, but the stories start to repeat over and over. There are a lot of people struggling with alcohol. Few people have jobs. Few people have marriages that have lasted. They all struggle with putting food on the table. There are a lot of satanic influences on these families. This is life for most people in Jocotenango.
So, just so you know.
These are the people you all are helping. Please, continue to keep them, and us, in your prayers.
PS
No matter what obstacles we face, or where we have grown up, or where we live, we can always find someone who has an easier life, or a harder life. (Well, except for that one person in the world who has it better than everybody else and that oneperson who has it worse than everybody else.) Really, it all comes down to one thing at the end of our life. The Bible says – All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. It also says, Neither is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved. That name is Jesus and He is always the answer, no matter what obstacles we face.
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