I would like to share a little story about the love of my life. Well, it's not about a man, it's about a boy who was abandoned. I want you to meet Diego
This is the first picture of when we met. He was only a few months old, 2 or 3, no one was certain. This was taken in Guatemala during the medical brigade that is held every 6 months. Through making and selling jewelry, I was able to fund raise money to bring the children from an orphanage in San Lucas, Guatemala to the medical brigade in Guatemala City to be seen by the doctor, receive medication and vitamins. When I held him in my arms, I felt so much joy. I had been praying for this little guy ever since I found out about his story and how he got to the orphanage. This is the story I know:
Diego was found in a septic tank as a new born, Yes, a new born, the umbilical cord and the placenta were still attached. By a pure miracle, he was crying and a passerby heard him and walked over to see what was happening. Diego was rescued, taken to a nearby hospital to be treated. His knee was injured when he was dropped in the septic tank and the doctor's decided to operate on his knee. My friend, Monica Martinez who works at Millers Children's hospital as a Physical Therapist Assistant, was at the medical brigade and looked at Diego's knee. She was able to give some techniques to Diego's nanny on how to stretch the muscles and help with the scar.
Diego was found in a septic tank as a new born, Yes, a new born, the umbilical cord and the placenta were still attached. By a pure miracle, he was crying and a passerby heard him and walked over to see what was happening. Diego was rescued, taken to a nearby hospital to be treated. His knee was injured when he was dropped in the septic tank and the doctor's decided to operate on his knee. My friend, Monica Martinez who works at Millers Children's hospital as a Physical Therapist Assistant, was at the medical brigade and looked at Diego's knee. She was able to give some techniques to Diego's nanny on how to stretch the muscles and help with the scar.
Who would literally throw this beautiful innocent child away? Why? What was so horrible in their life that an angel was too much to bear??? I don't know. I wish I could have the answers to the “why's”. One day I was driving and I started to pray for little Diego (this is something that I do every time I think of him) and a thought popped in my mind; “Forgiveness." God has forgiven me of so much filth. I am no angel by no means, yet He continues to bless me to remind me of His love and forgiveness. Then, I started to pray for Diego's mom. I cried and cried as I begged God to show her His mercy. I do not know what happened. I do not know if she was the one who threw him away or if she was raped and had fears. I do not know. Every so often I think of her and when I do I say a little prayer. Who am I to cast judgment? We are all capable of the same thing. We may not throw a baby in a septic tank, but we are capable of not doing a single thing when we see a dying child on the side of the road. That child lives in Africa, in Central America, in your hometown. I fall short in so many ways even with family. I continue to pray that I do not just keep on walking.
Diego turned a year old sometime in December (no one knows the exact date). He looks healthy, but he has a lot of complications with his stomach, possibly intestinal tract. The director of the orphanage told me that they have taken him to see a doctor, but they cannot figure out what is wrong. Diego's diet has been changed and even then it has not been successful (*sigh*). I saw him this past February at the brigade and then after when we visited the orphanage the following Monday. I am a stranger to Diego, so he did not want me to hold him, touch him, not even look at him. I was so sad, but I completely understand. I've work with children long enough to understand about stranger anxiety. I have a plan this summer. My plan is to steal his heart ;)
Prayerfully, I will be staying the month of August in Guatemala and live at the orphanage. He will see me everyday and I will play with him and even change his diaper. Ok, if you know me you will know that I gag at the thought of poop, so this is BIG!!! I am willing to work through my gag reflux and even change his DIAPER!!! Well here's a picture of my little guy now
Diego turned a year old sometime in December (no one knows the exact date). He looks healthy, but he has a lot of complications with his stomach, possibly intestinal tract. The director of the orphanage told me that they have taken him to see a doctor, but they cannot figure out what is wrong. Diego's diet has been changed and even then it has not been successful (*sigh*). I saw him this past February at the brigade and then after when we visited the orphanage the following Monday. I am a stranger to Diego, so he did not want me to hold him, touch him, not even look at him. I was so sad, but I completely understand. I've work with children long enough to understand about stranger anxiety. I have a plan this summer. My plan is to steal his heart ;)
Prayerfully, I will be staying the month of August in Guatemala and live at the orphanage. He will see me everyday and I will play with him and even change his diaper. Ok, if you know me you will know that I gag at the thought of poop, so this is BIG!!! I am willing to work through my gag reflux and even change his DIAPER!!! Well here's a picture of my little guy now
Isn't he cute???? Adoptions in Guatemala are closed. This happened in 2007 because many children were being robbed and sold. It became a business. Even for Guatemalan's it is not easy to adopt. Adoption would bring money to orphanages and since there are no more adoptions many orphanages have closed their doors. Does that mean that there are less children being abandoned? By no means! On the contrary, there are more children on the streets, being raped, stolen and sold through human trafficking. There are many children and adolescents whom are brought to the U.S to be prostituted. I know that I will not be able to stop human trafficking, but I do know that I can make a difference in a handful of children. Now do you understand a little more of why I would like to move to Guatemala? I don't want to hear the child crying in the septic tank and continue walking.
"On the day you were born your cord was not cut, nor were you washed with water to make you clean, nor were you rubbed with salt or wrapped in cloths. No one looked on you with pity or had compassion enough to do any of these things for you. Rather, you were thrown out into the open field, for on the day you were born you were despised. “ ‘Then I passed by and saw you kicking about in your blood, and as you lay there in your blood I said to you, “Live!” "(Ezekiel 16:4-6 NIV)
