Saturday Post -- 23/10/10

As you can see from the pictures, above, we've been out and about with a local family this week, spending time on Sunday afternoon with Sammy & Nayara Gutierrez and their family. Way back in the dim and distant past -- or, to be more precise, the '90s -- my parents elected to sponsor a child at La Palmera school in Trinidad, where I was to later on spend my gap year in 2000/1. That child turned out to be Sammy Gutierrez Jr. and he is pictured, from 2003, in the first photograph. Through this sponsorship, our two families became very close, with my parents visiting them on a couple of occasions over the years, and Amanda and I had long been planning to meet with them again.

So we were naturally delighted to accept their invitation for lunch on Sunday past. Only I wasn't mentally prepared to meet the man standing next to me in the second photograph. Sammy is now studying civil engineering at university and is a martial arts specialist. I don't know about Amanda, but with those kind of credentials I'm not planning on calling him 'Junior' any time soon.

It was a real thrill to us to hear of his and the family's progress, with one development towering, Sammy Jr-like, above all else: Sammy and Nayara's coming to a saving faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Nayara was first, accepting her need of a saviour four years ago at a church meeting she'd been invited to. But, typical bloke, Sammy dug his heels in, all the time going further down the road of alcohol abuse, until, about a year ago, he finally gave in. And not a drop has passed his lips in the time since. As turnarounds go, it's positively Rooney-like. Not only that, but he's since joined FT and is working as a teacher as part of the Community ministry here. This helps him in two ways: firstly, he gets the encouragement of working alongside other Christians; and secondly, he's not under the same pressure to do so many gigs with his band on the Trinidad party circuit, where liquid temptations abound.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, Amanda's been out and about in the community with the nurses again while I've been back working on the website after meeting Diego to discuss some further updates this week. We were also able to get back out to San Pedro for another follow-up visit, this time with Amanda coming along as part of the health team.

I have to dash now as the Friday English class is starting soon, but I'll close in the usual fashion...

Prayer
• For the construction work required to complete the next phase of FT HQ, required in time for the next surgical campaña in two weeks’ time, in which Amanda will be heavily involved.
• For Craig as he seeks to get the new website live as soon as possible.

Praise
• For the arrival of our newly-fixed computer, which we’d left in La Paz last month for repairs.
• For a great afternoon of catching up and fellowship with the Gutierrez family on Sunday.

¡Que Dios les bendiga!

Craig & Amanda