At the top of our webpage you can see José Gaitan´s aged hands weaving a basket. If you scroll down, you can see half of his smiling face. Señor José was first our neighbor; his son, Pastor Justo, being one of the main reasons we decided to build in Catrigandí. For a while Señor José was my roommate in our home while I built and Colleen was back in the States.. While we were still lighting our way with candles, I came home to find him asleep with the snub of a candle burning ever closer to the block of wood that it sat upon. I was grateful that I decided to come home a day early and decided the time had come for our first solar panel. José marveled and laughed at the switch and the ensuing glow of the bulb. It was so fun to see his reaction (and such an improvement over candles or kerosene) that we´ve made solar lighting a bit of a sideline project, having now installed simple systems for 2 elderly couples and 2 families. José´s grandchildren finished high school this past year, so he, his son, and his daughter-in-law decided to return to their family land in a very remote scattering of farms called “6 nickels” while the children board in town to continue their studies. It is far, but most of the distance can be covered by an equipped 4×4 in the dry season. So I decided to go and take a blessing to the family that has been such a blessing to us.
Perhaps you could spend an evening, an hour, or even 5 minutes in candlelight or lamplight to help your kids understand how most of the world lives. It may be “enlightening”!!! “You, O Lord, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light.” Psalm 18:28
Bendiciones!
What a special gift of light you have given to this special family! How fun to see a bit of the process. May the ” Light of the world” continue to fill you to overflowing as you share His love, grace, generosity and care in the places He has invited you to go! Love and prayers for your family, Maryanne