The Well

Out of the familiar quiet, Mayan mountain village, around the mountains spotted with a patch-work quilt of fields, past towns, cemeteries, soccer fields, and more mountains we drive. From there, we go down some windy roads with dust covered trees on both sides. Over some speed bumps we weave around and trough traffic. Over some metal bridges, and then into the chilling site where Fuego showed his might; we remember. We wait to be flagged by the constant construction and rebuilding, and over more bridges, passing also hand build retaining walls and ruined twisted concrete frames of what were once houses. Later we pass the fruit stands with coconuts piled high. On and down to the well paved highway lined by palm trees, and a plaza with modern restaurants, we know we can drive faster here. Next we pull onto the pothole ridden shared road with trucks overfilled with sugar cane, and passing burning fields, trash on the roadside, and also the hazy view from the flat lands of the four volcanoes I know best. Finally we turn onto the final road. It isn't very long, but it takes a while to drive it because even creeping along slow as a turtle, our heads are thrown back and forth by the large rocks of the road. And there, up ahead is a patch of bright blue peaking through the dust and smoke of burning trash from the municipal landfill next door. We made it to the birthing center, “El Centro de Partos el Gozo”.

“The Well” is a good name for what happens here. As he once said to Hagar when she had lost hope, God promises to provide for those who have no hope; who have run out of options. Many of the expectant mothers here are not filled with joy about the new life coming into the world. Many are scared. So many are too young, too poor, or too alone to find much happiness in the confirmation that yes, the test reads positive, they are pregnant. But here God promises that He will be with them. He will provide. And by his grace, there will yet be joy.

Two days a week we make this drive, and set up plastic chairs outside the door. Some days we are very busy, and other days we sit in the heat and wait. Stephanie and Taryn began working in the community for a year, but the building which is now El Centro de partos el Gozo was built and opened in late August. Some mothers have had their babies and return from time to time for baby checkups, or other support. But in all this time through all these prenatal visits, the walls have yet to echo with they cry of a newborn. Until tonight.

We make the drive again, but much faster this time because the main road is closed with unannounced construction in the dead of night, so we have had to go the long way around. We make our plan for once we arrive, and once the tires hit our gravel parking area in “Land of Hope” (an amazing ministry who loves this community with the love of Christ), we are off. It's very hot here, and even though it is now night, the sweat sticks our cloths to us as we work. Our mother Evelyn is already inside pacing as our caretaker and friend, Susana, opened the doors for her. This is her third delivery, but the first one in which she could choose her position, or have the freedom to pace. Her mother and friend wait outside. It is strange to them to be aloud so close to the birth unlike in the hospital here. In fact, a lot is different here. Things move pretty fast, and before we know it, she feels it is time. Less than a minute later, Carlos Alfredo enters the world. He is pale, but his color soon comes and he is caressed by his mother. After this, the women who had waiting patiently outside came in to greet the new little man. This is a community event, and it is not just family who welcome him.

Baby Carlos Alfredo

Evelyn and Carlos

El Cenro de Partos el Gozo team welcoming
our first baby born at The Well

Carlos is the first baby born at The Well. His birth means so much for this community. One of the women who had waited outside for hours, Susana's mother, said that she had experienced the hospital for 37 years, but what happened here tonight, this was different. The local hospital is a national hospital, and it is overcrowded, under supplied, and undermanned. I have heard a lot of stories. I imagine that many staff truly are caring and loving individuals who are simply too overwhelmed to give the care they would like. Because labor is time consuming and they need beds, C-sections are heavily overused. Overcrowding leads to two women sharing a hospital bed. Visitors are responsible for feeding their family members, but have very restricted visiting hours and are not a part of labor. There really aren't other options. We love and know some in this community who could not get to the hospital because the ambulance would not come down that road at night. One mother delivered her won baby along on the floor, but didn't know what to do when the baby didn't breath for a while. He now has special needs as a result. Others have trouble registering their children when they give birth at home, and are always fearful that their children may be taken away.

What happened here was unlike anything Susana's mother had seen before in part because this center was clean, quiet, spacious and well supplied when compared to the hospital. But so much more, she said this was different because of the respect and relational support which was evident in every action. This was a safe birth, but more than that, it was bringing little Carlos into the world surrounded by the love of Christ. Evelyn had the choice to come here, and she had the choice to pace rather than lie done. She had the freedom to let her mother and friends come in and visit her new little life, and she had the quiet privacy to rest through the night afterward interrupted minimally by quiet vital checks with the intent of maintaining rest for mama and baby.

All of this, every moment is because of the love of Christ. He directed the hearts of so many people toward this community and this service in ministry. He influenced the the faithful workers of BuildingGuate who have labored in love for this community for years. He influenced workers from Hope for Home who have seen and worked with so many children with special needs which could have been prevented by good prenatal care and experienced deliveries. God inclined the hearts of Stephanie and the other ladies who have invested in the lives of these women. God also worked on the hearts of countless people who could not come, but chose instead to show their love to these women through donations of money, medicine, and equipment. God is showering His love on the women in this community, and he allows so many people to be a part of it.

Weighing a newborn in a home visit.

Stephanie and I playing with Alaxander,
at one of his baby checkups.
Alaxander comes weekly because his mother's milk dried up
when the hospital kept her separated from him the first days of his life. 
Thanks to a sponsor family in Canada, He receives formula weekly.  

I praise God for what He is doing here. Weather prenatal visits, deliveries, baby checkups or just visits, His love is being shown. These women and babies are valued, and precious. Hagar had lost all hope in the wilderness, until God told her to lift her eyes and there she saw a well. He cared for her, and showed His love through this provision. Even so may women here, some of whom struggle to find joy in pregnancy because of the stresses they live under, find hope and peace in their father who cares for them.

Our friend Josefina a few weeks before she delivered.  

Josefina's baby, born by C-section at the national hospital.
Please pray for Josefina as some in her community say baby Sharon's cleft lip is Josefina's fault.
It is also challenging feeding Sharon, although Josefina is doing a great job.