Yesterday was my day to go out in my pick up; this happens once every two weeks. I had a lot planned. So I started out early and went to Dulce Nombre and talked with the pastor.
The main church in Dulce Nombre is slowly opening up. There are real efforts being made in the church for biosecurity. See the front door.
I also went to the Dulce Nombre city hall to see about getting a letter allowing me to go out and do parish work on the days when I’d not normally be able. They told me to come back in the afternoon.
As we slowly reopen, I’ll be doing the final pre-marriage interviews in the communities, since it will be easier for me to get there. I even had one planned for yesterday.
I then went to Dolores where I had already arranged to get a letter from the mayor. An assistant mayor was a Delegate of the Word and he had the letter. It took me five stops to find him, but I left with the letter.
I headed to Santa Rosa to go to the bank and the supermarket. But on the way, down a curved road, I saw my front tire fly off and roll downhill. Of course, the car had to stop.
I got out and saw the damage and then went after the tire, which had rolled about 200 meters downhill.
As I brought the tire out of the grass, someone came and helped me get the tire to the car. He pulled out two of his emergency triangles and put them up. After talking, he went to find Raul who has a tire repair shop at the entrance to Dulce Nombre. He did all this and we didn’t know each other.
I had to wait at least half an hour because Raúl was very busy. As I waited cars passed and at least ten of the folks asked how they could help. Some knew me – though I didn’t remember their names.
Raúl came, assessed the damage and then went to get one of the large jacks he has in his business. He also was going to try to find some lugnuts to replace those that had fallen off.
I had to wait another 45 minutes or more, since Raúl had a lot of business. As I waited, in the hot sun, more folks passed and many stopped and asked how they could help. I assured them that help was on the way.
Raúl finally came and remounted the tire on the pickup. He told me to get new lugnuts on the tire since he had to use lugnuts from the other tires.
It was now almost noon and so I called to cancel the pre-marriage interview I had scheduled for 2:30 pm.
In Santa Rosa, I went to my mechanic. They put new lugnuts on the front tire. One of the posts had been broken but he told me that that is a long repair process and that for the meantime it is safe to proceed with just five. He also fixed a front light that had been broken with the impact.
It was noon when that was finished. I went to the bank and to two supermarkets and then headed back home. I stopped in Dulce Nombre and went to see if I could get the letter from City Hall. They were closed. When I stopped this morning, they told me they were composing a generic letter to use for some of the evangelical pastors as well as me. Who knows when it will be available? They told me, thouhg, that they'll take the letter to the church secretary (right next door to city hall.
While in Dulce Nombre yesterday afternoon, I spoke a bit with the pastor and we tried to arrange a way for me to get medicine out to a distant village. The family is very poor; the single mother has three grown children (16 to 22) and has taken in the three children of a sister who was killed by her husband in Guatemala. The Concepción city hall is helping with the cost of the medicine but it would cost her about fifteen dollars to get a motorcycle ride into Dulce Nombre. I am happy to be able to do this – a real diaconal duty.
I got home and put groceries away. I downloaded the session from the course I’m taking and watched it.
I then went to bed, grateful.
Yes, I was not hurt at all. The car suffered minor damages (which cost about $25). But most of all I had experienced the concern and care of so many persons – some whom I knew and others whom I had never met.
It is humbling to have so many people offer to help. It is a true sign of the grace of God present among the people here. In their poverty, in the midst of the pandemic, they are willing to help a gringo.
God is good – and has blessed us with so many good people.
Today, I went to take the medicine to the family. I went to Concepción for the note to the pharmacy that the municipality would pay for the medicine. Then I went to the pharmacy and then to the community, I talked a bit with the aunt and with the little kid who was one of those receiving the medicine. N the way back I saw someone by his house who had been planning to get married in the church. I stopped and talked with him and his wife and told them that I can come out and do the interviews whenever they have the documents they need. It will be great to help the seven couples from their village.
Now I’m home resting.
Tomorrow is the last day for the diplomade (certificate program) as well as for the Spanish classes I’m taking. Both have been good experiences.
One last point. It's been raining hard the last few nights, although it's generally been sunny and hot during the day. Some of the sunrises and sunsets have been amazing. Here's last Sunday night.
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