Newsletter - March, 2007

The Least of These My Brethren

March, 2007

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

The High Cost of Discipleship
He who does not take his cross and follow Me is not worthy of Me. (Matt. 10:38)

Virgilio and Cristina

For most Christians in the United States, the cost of Christian discipleship is often relatively little. In other parts of the world, the cost is often much higher. One brother who has paid a high price for his service to Christ is Virgilio Alvarez. Virgilio is an evangelist and former pastor of a church in Siguatepeque, the town where the Society’s ministry is centered in Honduras. Virgilio’s ministry on behalf of Christ has taken him to various towns and villages throughout the region surrounding Siguatepeque.

During the past year, Virgilio was preaching in the rural village of San Jose de Comayagua, which lies northwest of Siguatepeque. While staying there, he was bitten one night by a species of the assassin bug, called chinches in Honduras. These bugs are prevalent in many of the rural areas of Honduras. They live in the brush, and they also invade many of the rural homes that are made of unplastered adobe or of sticks and mud, where these bugs live in crevices in the walls. They also invade the thatched roofs that are common in many rural areas.

Assassin Bug

At night, when the residents are sleeping, these bugs come out of the walls and roofs and attack their sleeping victims. They typically bite people on the face and then suck their blood. The bite itself is not particularly harmful, although it causes the person to itch. However, the feces of many of these assassin bugs carry a deadly virus called trypanosoma cruzi. The bugs leave their tiny droppings or feces near the place of their bite, and when the person rubs or scratches the bite, he invariably enables the virus to enter the wound. From there, the virus begins spreading throughout the person’s entire body. Frequently, these assassin bugs bite persons near the eyes, and the virus can enter people when they rub their eyes.

The virus spread by the infected bugs causes an illness known as Chagas’ disease. The disease is named after Carlos Chagas, a Brazilian physician, who discovered the virus in 1909 and determined that it was carried by the assassin bugs. If left untreated, this virus eventually weakens the heart and digestive system. Chagas’ disease kills approximately 50,000 people a year in Latin America—primarily the rural poor.

Rural Houses Like This Can Harbor Assassin Bugs

Virgilio ended up contracting Chagas’ disease from his bug bite, and he is presently receiving treatment for it. The doctors are monitoring his heart to make certain it has not been seriously damaged. As I mentioned, the assassin bugs frequently bite sleeping persons around their eyes, which causes severe inflammation of the eyes. Virgilio was bitten near one of his eyes, which irritated an already existing eye problem.

Actually, both of Virgilio’s eyes now have severe problems—although not primarily a result of his Chagas’ disease. His eyesight has become so bad that he can no longer read even large print. Nor can he drive a car or even ride a bicycle. As a result of his near-blindness, Virgilio was recently forced to resign his position as pastor.

A few years ago, the Society had made a loan to Virgilio and his wife Cristina to enable them to expand a small corner store or pulperia that they had started in the front room of their house. Virgilio and Cristina have three children. Now, this pulperia is their main source of income, along with a job that Cristina has taken working at a maternity clinic for unwed young mothers. They are so appreciative of the help our readers have given them in expanding their pulperia.

Virgilio & Cristina’s Pulperia

Virgilio is hoping to have eye surgery on his right eye sometime this year. To do that, he will have to go to a specialist in Guatemala. He also needs a cornea transplant on his left eye, which fortunately can be done in Honduras. If the surgeries are successful, Virgilio should be able to resume his ministry as an evangelist and pastor.

With all of his troubles, I thought that I might find Virgilio very sad and dejected when we visited him on our recent trip to Honduras in February. However, Virgilio was his usual cheerful, upbeat self. He sees all of this as simply part of carrying the cross, and his trials have not diminished his joy in the Lord in the least. DB.

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