The following story was written by one of our partners about her recent experience at Hope of Life in Guatemala.
Ana’s Story
By Angie Rivers
What has been seen cannot be unseen. It’s a phrase I’ve heard time and again. It usually refers to some horrible image that appears on Facebook that you wish you could get out of your head. I believe it can also refer to those images God allows us to see, to tear at our hearts, to inspire us to do what needs to be done.
We were in Los Bordos, Guatemala on a mission trip. Brenna had been feeling God tug her heart about supporting one of the families through sponsorship with Hope of Life International. She was heading toward the house to gain permission from the family to take the children’s pictures. On her way, a woman called her over. She asked her to come into a house.
With the assistance of a translator, she followed. They followed the woman out the other side into a sort of covered porch like area and into a cinderblock home with a single window covered by shutters. It was dark, stale, and hot and reeked of human waste. And this is where Ana’s story begins.
What Brenna discovered appeared to be a special needs child lying in the floor. The lady told Brenna the “girl” was her sister and was 38 years old. Ana was quickly scooped up and placed on a urine soaked mattress. Pieces of her diaper where it was both disintegrating and torn by her constantly scratching fingers were scattered about.
According to Ana’s sister, their parents had died leaving her and her husband to care for Anna and their 11 children. They were overwhelmed and could not make ends meet. They were desperate. Brenna asked permission to take a picture and returned with it to the Hope of Life staff.
The answer Brenna received that evening was disheartening. There was no room for Ana. The hospital was under quarantine from a virus, and Kelly’s House, the home for special needs persons, was full. Anna would have to remain in the village. It was a long night filled with prayers and tears…but morning was to bring hope!
Jose, our missions coordinator, said the quarantine had been lifted and they were going to send a doctor to evaluate Anna’s situation. That’s where I came in. My job was to document Brenna’s and Ana’s story.
The ride from the Hope of Life compound to Los Bordos was filled with excitement and anticipation – and of course, prayer. When we arrived in the village, the entire team surrounded Brenna and Wilder, laid hands on them, and prayed. Then it was time to go.
Arrangements were made for an ambulance to bring the doctor. We left the family to tend to last minute goodbyes and arrangements while we returned to the school to help the mission team and await the ambulance. The ambulance, which was simply a converted pick up truck, arrived sooner than we expected. The driver pulled up to the school and allowed us to lead the way to the home where Ana waited. Hope of Life sent a bag of food, dried rice and beans, for the family to sustain them for a time. I gave them the bag with the promise that we would ensure Anna made it safely to Hope of Life.
With Ana safely in the ambulance, we were off. It was a ride like I have not experienced before. There were no safety straps to hold Anna in, or us for that matter, so Brenna kept her arms around the young woman. The breeze blew through the open windows. Ana continued to turn her face toward the breeze. Several times, I know I saw her smile. We wove through traffic and up the mountain side to the Hope of Life hospital. Ana seemed to enjoy the ride!
Safely at the hospital, Brenna took her charge in to the awaiting staff members. While the doctors checked Ana for fever and other signs of disease or infection, we had visitors. A group from another mission team was touring the hospital and wanted to know what was happening. Brenna took the time to share Anna’s story.
Once the doctors were certain that Anna was not sick, and they had given her a sponge bath and a clean diaper, her body was measured. It was determined that Anna weighed 22.5 kilograms (about 50 pounds). The hospital staff contacted Kelly’s House. A bed was available! God was on the move and it was time to move Ana again. When Brenna reached to pick Anna up, the young woman wrapped her arm around Brenna’s neck and smiled. Our hearts were full! Ana traveled in the safety of Brenna’s arms on an ambulance ride back down the mountainside, but this time it was only a short trip.
The last time I saw Ana, she was being fed by her assigned caregiver. Ana was able to sit up with assistance and to eat food that had been pureed like baby food. She was drinking milk from a zippy cup, again with the help of her caregiver.
Ana Patricia Suchite will never be forgotten. She will be prayed for constantly! Will you join me in praying for this young woman? Share her story! The world needs to know that people out there need us! The world needs to know there are organizations like Hope of Life that are reaching out to these people and they need our help.