Newsletter - March, 2018
| March, 2018 Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me." Matt. 25:40 Published by the Society of the Good Shepherd, P. O. Box 122, Amberson, PA 17210. (717) 349-7033 |
Although the primary ministry of the Society of the Good Shepherd in Honduras is making interest-free microloans to help small family businesses, we often encounter widows and other persons who are unable to manage a business because of age or health. One such person is Martita Hernandez. Martita lives in a small rural community high in the mountains of Honduras. She will be 55 years old on June 8 of this year, but her life will not be like that of most 55-year-old women. That’s because Martita is a bed-ridden invalid, suffering from severe osteoporosis. Her condition was first diagnosed about 10 years ago, but it has gotten much worse in the last five years. Due to her poverty and the isolated location where she lives, the medical treatment she has received has been very limited.
Like so many people in Honduras, Martita and her sisters grew up in extreme poverty. Her father died when she was a small child, and her mother struggled to support Martita and her three sisters. When her sisters reached adulthood, they moved away. However, Martita never married, and she remained at home with her mother. She still lives in the same house where she was raised. When Martita was in her twenties, one of her sisters died, leaving two young daughters. (The husband had preceded his wife in death.) So Martita and her mother took the two girls in and raised them from childhood as if they were their own daughters. These two girls, who are Martita’s nieces, are now in their thirties. Martita’s mother has since passed away.
As I have mentioned, Martita was diagnosed with osteoporosis about 10 years ago. At first, she was able to carry on day-to-day activities, although with difficulty. However, in the past five years, her condition has become much worse. Thankfully, a few years after being diagnosed with osteoporosis, Martita found Christ, who has been a source of enormous comfort in the trying years that she has experienced.
When Martita’s condition became so severe that she was bedridden, she naturally turned to her two nieces for assistance. She had been there for them when they needed her, and she naturally assumed they would reciprocate. However, in her hour of need, they turned their backs on her. When she implored them for help, they both coldly responded, “Just die and get it over with!”
Thankfully, Martita’s rural neighbors—Chepé and Ventura Muñoz—have responded with Christ-like love towards her. Although they are poor themselves, for several years they have provided Martita with food and other necessities out of their own pockets. Many times, they have also taken her to the doctor (some distance away) at their own expense. Martita now spends her entire days in her bed, which is in her living room. With the help of another person, she can sit up in bed, using a homemade crutch to keep her balance. However, she is unable to get out of bed. Every night, either Ventura or Chepé spend the night at Martita’s house, sleeping on the spare bed in the unused bedroom. This way, Martita is never left alone at night.
The Society of the Good Shepherd just recently learned about Martita and her situation. With the help of our donors, we are now providing her with $50 monthly support. This covers all of her food and household costs. A local brother who recently moved to Honduras from the United States has been paying for the medicines that Martita takes. This past week, when our Honduras director, Luis Vega, visited Martita, he learned that she has had a lot of vomiting and diarrhea lately. For some time, her stomach has been swollen. So this coming week, he plans to take her to the medical clinic in Siguatepeque to have some tests run on her. We are hoping that the swelling in her stomach is not a tumor. Please pray for Martita and her health situation, and also for her caring neighbors, Chepé and Ventura.
The Society of the Good Shepherd, P. O. Box 122, Amberson, PA 17210 • (717) 349-7033
Click on the following link if you would care to make a donation to the work in Honduras: Donations
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