Courtney, Tanner and I had a fabulous trip to Guatemala. The weather was just beautiful and we are very grateful for that since we did not have air-conditioning anywhere. So what made the trip so fabulous? For me it was listening. I had the privilege of listening as my guatemalan friends shared their lives. They shared their heart aches and their joys. They were encouraged that we would care enough to listen to their concerns as parents and wives. One friend of mine, Veronica, has a daughter who is very, very ill. Anuyli who is 9 years old, receives peritoneal dialysis 4 times per day. Yes, you heard that right, 4 times PER DAY. They have a room curtained off with plastic to make it as sanitary as possible. (see the above picture) We rubbed the fluid out of Anyuli's legs and feet during dialysis. You can see how her face is puffy. That is because she only has one kidney that operates at 65%. They other kidney does not function at all. She is seeing a nephrologist who has said that he will not consider a kidney transplant until she has been his patient for 6 months so that he can get to know her. Her sister Danielle is going to be the kidney donor. Honestly, Anyuli is very sick. She does not have much energy and I don't know how long she will be able to receive these treatments and still function. The first evening that I went to their home to watch the dialysis, Anyuli started to cry as the fluid was entering her abdomen through a large tube. Veronica and I started crying too. It is horrific to watch a child so young and vulnerable need such invasive medical measures to live! PLEASE pray for Veronica and Anyuli! Veronica has 6 children and her only son, Evan, died four years ago when he was shot during a robbery. He was 19. Veronica is devastated at the thought of losing another child. I don't understand this suffering which seems completely unacceptable. I do know that God is good and sovereign. Please join me in lifting up this family to the heavenly Father's arms.
