A month ago, Ivan Rosalia (missionary with Literacy & Evangelism International) called me about Jordan. Jordan was very sick and needed to get to a doctor. I called Doctor Fernando (Dominican missionary doctor who works with Students International) and found out that he would not be able to go to see Jordan until the following week. So, we decided, we had better go get Jordan and his mom and bring them to Dr. Fernando. What I didn't know, was where Jordan lived.
Jordan lives in the mountains in a small mountain community that has 33 homes and only 7 children. Most of the homes are occupied by older folks whose grown children have left the area to find work in Jarabacoa or other places. There isn't a church in this area. There is a school that was built by a group of American's but it sits empty. It would be difficult for a 4x4 vehicle to reach this community, so we made a plan. Alexi, a believer from Nueva Vida Jarabacoa, knows Jordan and where he lives because his wife grew up there. Alexi would take his motorcycle to get Jordan. I would follow with my car and go as far as I dared (Fun!). And when we met up on the road, I would bring Jordan back in my car so that Jordan would be protected from the cold. This worked well, and we soon had Jordan with Dr. Fernando. After a checkup and x-rays, Dr. Fernando gave Jordan some medicine for pneumonia. And we brought Jordan home.Today, Ivan and I decided to visit Jordan and see how he was doing. We decided to take motorcycles so that we could go all they way to Jordan's house. Alexi and Ivan rode on one bike and I was on my own. I was curious to see where Jordan lived and off we went. The trip to Jordan's house is. . . adventurous! Riding on un-mantained dirt roads/paths/??? is always an adventure. We drove up steep inclines and down them. Down is much more challenging, as when you apply the brakes, the motorcycle slides. We crossed streams and even drove down streams at times. At times, the trail was muddy and slippery, other times dry but it always was filled with deep ruts. After about 35 minutes of bumpy riding, we arrived.
Leaving our motorcycles, we climbed by foot onto a narrow ridge and there we found Jordan's house along with 3 others. Jordan's mom was not there, and Jordan was being cared for by an older man and 76 year old woman. We were warmly welcomed and encouraged to sit in chairs they brought out from a small wood house. As we sat, the woman told her husband to go and get some fruit so she could make some juice. I watched as he hopped off the ridge into the jungle to an orange tree, picked 3 oranges and came back. Very soon after, we were drinking orange juice. We talked with the couple for some time. The lady told me she was born here and she will die here. Alexi and the man had a lot of fun showing me (the American who knows nothing about life here) how they do things. It was fascinating. They lived without electricity and appeared to be completely self-sufficient. They did have running water - Using gravity, tubes brought water from a stream. Chickens were plentiful. Two goats were penned and a huge pig that had given birth to 7 piglets just 21 days earlier. Coffee trees were everywhere and a machine was there to remove the husk from the coffee bean. The man showed me furniture he had made and the tools he used. It was fascinating.
While there, a man arrived with a mule and two sacks of coffee and off the two men went to begin working with the coffee beans. Jordan's mom also arrived with 2 of Jordan's sisters. It was fun time as I was able to understand more about Jordan and where he comes from.
The situation with Jordan is not good. Praise God, it appeared that Jordan's pneumonia was gone. This is a blessing. But Jordan does not seem to be growing. He has little strength and eats little each day. Jordan turns 12 on January 3. I have not been around many kids that have the challenges that Jordan has.
The details are sketchy. When Jordan was young, he did receive care at a good facility in Santiago. While it is difficult to know the reasons, Jordan's family decided to bring him back to the mountain village. Perhaps, had he lived closer to a city, there would have been help.
Today was an emotional day. It was exciting and fascinating to meet people who live a very different life. I experienced the thrill of discovery! At the same time, I felt helpless before a small boy who needed so much help. What could I do to help these people? The distance alone is the most obvious reason that they have not received help.
Probably one of the biggest challenges we face is that day after day, we are bombarded by needs. In the US, I think I was very shielded from needs. Here, there is no shield. It is in your face. And there comes a point where you feel like helping is pointless. Now, I know it isn't, but there are those feelings. God is a God of change and with God, all things are possible!
Today was another day to trust God and may tomorrow be the same. There really is no better way to live.
[I am sorry I did not bring a camera on this trip. Photos came from Ivan who had taken them on a prior trip to see Jordan.]
