Providence

I don't think that people use this word much, but for me-
learning of (God's) Providence changed my life.

By saying "providence," it really is an attribute to God's character:
His sovereign but detailed love and concern for each one of our needs.

This past week, I had the blessing to see God's providence
and tender Love reach out to these 2 elderly women: Paulina and Maria.

Back in January, I accidentally came across Paulina and Maria.

I was out looking for a few more elderly to add to the feeding program

and completely walked past their home without noticing them.

All of the sudden, one of them yelled out to me:

"Ay señorita, por favor- haz me una casa!)

("Hey lady, please build me a house!")

I went over with the other Guatemalan ladies who were with me

to talk to them and find out their situation.

Turns out these 2 ladies are sisters who never married.

They took care of their parents until they died

and were left without children or family after their parents passed away.

Below are photos of their house...

Turns out that their father built the house back in the 70s,

but now that they are orphaned and without husbands or children,

it would be impossible for them to rebuild themselves a dignified place to live.

I told Paulina and Maria that unfortunately I did not have money 

to build them a house, but I invited them to join the feedings on Monday.

Well..."providentially" within a few days of meeting Paulina and Maria,

I received a donation from someone specifically to build a new house!

I knew exactly where that money needed to go...

Last week, we had the joy to rebuild these sisters a new home...

Their new home!

Words cannot describe the joy to know that you have been sent

and used to show God's love and mercy

(which is alive and working in our lives each day)

to those who have been forgotten and shunned by society.

To see these 2 woman sit on a mattress for the first time

and joyfully bounce up and down on them....

To sleep on my own bed at night knowing that there is yet another person

in San Lucas who knows how a real bed feels...

To have one less person to worry about when the wind is strong

or when there are torrential rains....

It is such a gift to be led to the least of His brothers

and to witness the Love of God!

(Above) Teaching Paulina and Maria how to make a bed...

(Fun fact for the day:  San Lucas does not sell sheets anywhere in town!!!!

After searching high and low and not finding anything,

I finally came to the conclusion that 

probably because hardly anyone owns a mattress in town, 

that the stores figured it was pointless to sell sheets 

for mattresses that don't exist.

Go figure.  

My solution: take the sheets from my house :)

Words were not enough for them or for myself

to express the joy and deep fulfillment it is to give and to receive.

But there was one last problem:  Their "dresser" (below left)...

Definitely was not going to go with the new house :)

Thankfully, I was able to find them a nice dresser for a decent price (above right)...

AND a friend of mine (Butch Mueller)

had time to build them a stove.

These 2 sisters still do not have running water, electricity, or a bathroom-

but this has been a good start!

Beyond the material "things" 

that I was able to be an instrument to bring to Paulina and Maria,

it was yet again another consolation to see God's Providence at work-

His loving, intimate and attentive Hand directing our lives and hearts 

if we are docile and open to letting Him lead our lives

to give His love and blessing to others.