Woman of Esperanza

This weekend I had the chance to go to a town called Esperanza, which means “hope” in Spanish. On the way there I did not feel as if anything would provide me a boost in my hope. In fact, I knew I was going to a church that struggles to maintain a place in the community.

The community is a growing area and is known for its agriculture and a regular influx of Haitians to help in the fields. While I sat in the pews of the church the pastor asked me to share. I had not really prepared anything but had been reading Galatians 5 so thought I would just share some insight on that.

After preaching one of the women in the congregation asked for a ride home. I had noticed her while I was in front of the church sharing because her eyes were aglow. I willingly gave her a ride along with Diane Miller who had accompanied me to Esperanza. The car ride lasted only a few minutes but our time at her house was much longer.

She told us the story of her life to this point. She has been following Christ for about 32 years, she figures. Her faith had always been strong but not really tested until about two years ago. One day she started getting sick. She went to the doctors but they could not determine what was wrong. Eventually she was hospitalized with something that to this day the doctors still can’t put a name to. She was having major headaches and pain in her legs and was actually losing consciousness.

While in the hospital the doctors told her family that she was going to die. She had come so close that her family actually bought her coffin. She told them this is only a test of faith. She started to get better but her legs were paralyzed for some reason. The doctors told her she would never walk again. She left the hospital eventually under her own power with a walker.

While trying to rehabilitate herself she walked up and down a dirt hill street area in her neighborhood. She did it everyday and shared how God had saved her. She was soon walking without the walker. During these daily journeys she would gather children and share the love of Jesus with them. So many kids started following her that she now has started a church service for kids that has adults attending. She set up a church in her own backyard. I wish I had taken a camera with me because it is a very simple set up but clearly kid friendly, not a usual thing in the Dominican. She also takes the church on the road. While she is still strengthening her legs going up and down that hill she gathers the kids and simply stops in from of some little person’s home and has church there. The kids are all proud to have her stop in front of their home.

About a year after her battle with the unnamed disease she lost her sight. The way she described it was, “Poof it was gone.” Again the doctors were at a loss. For the first month of her vision loss she struggled with being able to walk and knowing her way around but she was determined to learn to live on her own. Her three girls had all moved out after being married. One weekend her youngest daughter was spending time with her and at 5am she woke up and again “poof” had her vision. She got up, cleaned the house, set the breakfast table and cooked breakfast for her daughter. When her daughter got up she asked her mom who was here this early in the morning to clean and cook? Her mom said, “no one, I did it”. Needless to say there were a ton of tears.

She claims that God has given her tests of faith to strengthen her but also to strengthen other people so that they can see what belief in Jesus can do. She says, “ I lived like Job.” I have faith and believe that God is good.

She still meets with about 30 kids and 6 adults two times a week to share God’s word.

What an encouragement she was to me that morning in Esperanza, surely I left there with a much grander hope and faith!