“Muy bien, muy bien, muy bien!” Elmer and I slapped our hands together in fast succession, our heads moving at the same time as our hands slapped, timed perfectly with each “muy bien” we screamed. It was always followed by laughter. That is how this family is. They love to joke around, love to laugh. While materially impoverished, they are always rich in laughter and service. Elmer was a product of his family. He was the middle of seven children, having three older sisters and three younger brothers. Josue, the father of the family, instilled in his children a passion for learning and a strong faith in Jesus. Elmer had the best of these characteristics. Following in the footsteps of his grandfather, he wanted to be a Pastor when he grew up. Some days he would go to the church all dressed up, preparing for his future as a Pastor.
One day, I went to have lunch with the family as I always did. This family is so hospitable that it is literally impossible to enter the house without eating something. They told me Elmer was not feeling well and that he had a stomach ache. I didn’t think anything of it, thinking he had the flu. A couple weeks later, he was still sick. They had taken him to the medical clinic in Cotzal and they had given him injections but he was not better. They took him to a hospital in the nearby town of Nebaj. The doctors in Nebaj did not know what was wrong with him. I visited him a few times in the hospital and at one point he appeared better. He was able to talk then and he told me thank you for visiting him and gave me a big hug. He was such a sweet kid.
The family decided the hospital was not helping and took him back to their home. One night I got a phone call from Elmer and he asked me to lunch with him and his family the next day at his home. He sounded better and I was excited to see his recovery for myself. Walking to his house, I could see him waiting for me from a distance. I noticed right away that while his condition had improved, he still wasn’t himself. While eating, he began getting chills despite it being a hot day. Josue got him up and arranged a tiny soccer game. He tried to play, but was clumsy. His chills got stronger, he couldn’t stop shaking. It was the start of another fever. He wasn’t better. We prayed together and I urged them to go to the city to get help but the family was resistant after what happened in Nebaj.
I arrived the next day and he was worse. He had gotten extremely skinny as he vomited up everything he ate. He was in extreme pain. I got stronger with the family, urging them to do something. We prayed for an hour for the will of God. I was sure this time they would go. Their answer stunned me. They said that their decision was to trust in God and not go to the hospital. They also told me not to tell another trusted family friend, Paul Townsend, of the situation. I felt so powerless. I cried that night. They had faith that God would heal him. That was on Friday.
On Sunday, I arrived back at their house. Elmer was screaming in pain. Every part of his body hurt. I told them not to worry about money if they preferred to go to a private hospital. The family got into action. Josue borrowed a car and we went to a private hospital in Nebaj as it started getting dark. He was seen in the private hospital and a doctor examined him without a sign of care or concern in his face. He gave them a list of things it could be, wrote a note, and told them there was nothing they could do. They went directly to the hospital in Quiche that night, about 2 hours away.
It was in Quiche they diagnosed him with Appendicitis. But it proved to be too late. He had two operations and to my knowledge was given strong antibiotics. The appendix had already burst and the infection was spread too far. He died from Septic shock that next Saturday.
I was passing by Quiche soon after hearing of his death. Josue had called me screaming in anguish that Elmer had died. I was with a group driving to Antigua where I would stay until my flight. A man named Ivan took me to the hospital in Quiche. I will never forget that experience trying to comfort that family soon after losing their 12 year old son and brother. His father, mother, and one of his sisters were there. All were wailing. I embraced them, cried with them, and couldn’t find the words to comfort them. Ivan was a blessing to have there at that time. He reminded them of their six other children, reinforcing to them that Elmer was in heaven and that they must wait to see him again with hope. He even got the mother to laugh briefly. Ultimately as the ambulance arrived to take his body home, the grief was too much. They were returning to Cotzal with their dead son. I was going home. The mother kept repeating to me: “There is no more muy bien muy bien Jordan, no more jokes...” I just told her in heaven, there would be many more “muy biens” together. I said goodbye to the family right before the ambulance took them away. Ivan and I got back in the car together and rode to Antigua, mostly in silence.
The experience leaves all those involved with many questions. Why did God not heal Elmer? What does God see that we don’t see? What could I have done differently? How can we honor the short life of Elmer and make his death mean something? How can we educate families to seek medical attention earlier? What can be done to improve health care in the region so children don’t die from something as curable as appendicitis?
This is one story I wish I didn’t have to take home with me. Please keep this family in your prayers.
One day, I went to have lunch with the family as I always did. This family is so hospitable that it is literally impossible to enter the house without eating something. They told me Elmer was not feeling well and that he had a stomach ache. I didn’t think anything of it, thinking he had the flu. A couple weeks later, he was still sick. They had taken him to the medical clinic in Cotzal and they had given him injections but he was not better. They took him to a hospital in the nearby town of Nebaj. The doctors in Nebaj did not know what was wrong with him. I visited him a few times in the hospital and at one point he appeared better. He was able to talk then and he told me thank you for visiting him and gave me a big hug. He was such a sweet kid.
The family decided the hospital was not helping and took him back to their home. One night I got a phone call from Elmer and he asked me to lunch with him and his family the next day at his home. He sounded better and I was excited to see his recovery for myself. Walking to his house, I could see him waiting for me from a distance. I noticed right away that while his condition had improved, he still wasn’t himself. While eating, he began getting chills despite it being a hot day. Josue got him up and arranged a tiny soccer game. He tried to play, but was clumsy. His chills got stronger, he couldn’t stop shaking. It was the start of another fever. He wasn’t better. We prayed together and I urged them to go to the city to get help but the family was resistant after what happened in Nebaj.
I arrived the next day and he was worse. He had gotten extremely skinny as he vomited up everything he ate. He was in extreme pain. I got stronger with the family, urging them to do something. We prayed for an hour for the will of God. I was sure this time they would go. Their answer stunned me. They said that their decision was to trust in God and not go to the hospital. They also told me not to tell another trusted family friend, Paul Townsend, of the situation. I felt so powerless. I cried that night. They had faith that God would heal him. That was on Friday.
On Sunday, I arrived back at their house. Elmer was screaming in pain. Every part of his body hurt. I told them not to worry about money if they preferred to go to a private hospital. The family got into action. Josue borrowed a car and we went to a private hospital in Nebaj as it started getting dark. He was seen in the private hospital and a doctor examined him without a sign of care or concern in his face. He gave them a list of things it could be, wrote a note, and told them there was nothing they could do. They went directly to the hospital in Quiche that night, about 2 hours away.
It was in Quiche they diagnosed him with Appendicitis. But it proved to be too late. He had two operations and to my knowledge was given strong antibiotics. The appendix had already burst and the infection was spread too far. He died from Septic shock that next Saturday.
I was passing by Quiche soon after hearing of his death. Josue had called me screaming in anguish that Elmer had died. I was with a group driving to Antigua where I would stay until my flight. A man named Ivan took me to the hospital in Quiche. I will never forget that experience trying to comfort that family soon after losing their 12 year old son and brother. His father, mother, and one of his sisters were there. All were wailing. I embraced them, cried with them, and couldn’t find the words to comfort them. Ivan was a blessing to have there at that time. He reminded them of their six other children, reinforcing to them that Elmer was in heaven and that they must wait to see him again with hope. He even got the mother to laugh briefly. Ultimately as the ambulance arrived to take his body home, the grief was too much. They were returning to Cotzal with their dead son. I was going home. The mother kept repeating to me: “There is no more muy bien muy bien Jordan, no more jokes...” I just told her in heaven, there would be many more “muy biens” together. I said goodbye to the family right before the ambulance took them away. Ivan and I got back in the car together and rode to Antigua, mostly in silence.
The experience leaves all those involved with many questions. Why did God not heal Elmer? What does God see that we don’t see? What could I have done differently? How can we honor the short life of Elmer and make his death mean something? How can we educate families to seek medical attention earlier? What can be done to improve health care in the region so children don’t die from something as curable as appendicitis?
This is one story I wish I didn’t have to take home with me. Please keep this family in your prayers.
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