The rest of the story

This story is a little long, but it is so good it has to be shared.  Some may be familiar with it already, but now there is more to the story.

Last summer, a friend of mine started on an adventure that would last for about six months.  Marianne took her government stimulus check and decided to invest it by going on a missions trip to Nicaragua.  While in the country she visited in the home of a family with a little six year old boy.  Having three rambunctious boys of her own, she thought it odd that this little boy hid behind his mom the entire time.  And then she found out why.  The boy, Hafid, was severely cross-eyed; to the point where he was basically blind because of his inability to focus on objects.  He could barely walk as a result.  Unsure and unsteady, he clung to his mother.

Marianne with Hafid. Giselle is in the doorway.

Marianne returned home to her three healthy boys, but she couldn’t forget about  little Hafid.  But what could she do about him?  She didn’t know, but she knew that God wanted her to do something.  She decided she would try to help.  She started asking around and located an opthamologist that would perform surgery on the boy for free.  Then she located a medical facility where the surgery could be performed – for free.  Next she looked for an anesthesiologist – and found one who would offer his services for free.  Finally she set about to get Hafid to South Bend.  Working through both the U.S. government and the Nicaraguan government, the paper work got done and Hafid flew with his mom to South Bend. 

There was just one problem.  Hafid and his mother, Giselle, speak only Spanish.  Marianne – and everyone else in the story – speaks English, with the exception of a young man named Denis.  Denis is the son of a national pastor in Nicaragua who is bi-lingual, so he came along as well.

The group arrived in South Bend in late November, just in time for the winter snow – but they loved it.  Hafid even put some in the freezer so that he could take it back home with him.  The surgery was done shortly thereafter – but things did not go as well as hoped, so Hafid, Giselle and Denis were forced to stay for many more weeks.

Now for the rest of the story:

Denis "enjoying" winter in Indiana.

Before coming, Denis had applied for a scholarship that is offered to one Central American student every year.  If he were to win it, he would be provided free tuition at a Christian college in the U.S.  An important part of the scholarship application process , though, involved an interview.  When Denis committed to traveling as an interpreter, he knew that he might miss the opportunity to interview.  He came anyhow.

Because the medical situation in South Bend dragged on, Denis missed his interview – and seemingly his chance at the scholarship.  But the foundation offered him a chance to interview in the states – if he could somehow get to Arkansas.  South Bend, Indiana is a long way from Arkansas, but Marianne’s dad offered to drive Denis there for his interview.  So off they went on a whirlwind trip to the South and back in a little over 24 hours.

In the meantime, Hafid had a second surgery which was completely successful.  He is now a healthy six year old with 20/20 vision, though he has to wear glasses.  And Hafid also is now attending a private school in Nicaragua due to the benevolence of people who met him and his mom while they were here.  He’ll also be bilingual someday.

And Denis?  He’ll be starting college at a Christian University in Arkansas.  He won that lone scholarship.  I love that because when he came he knew he might be forfeiting his dream, still he came anyhow.   And God took care of him.  And Hafid.

Marianne?  She’s just an everyday mom who listened to God, and as a result there’s a little boy in Nicaragua whose life has been changed.  Denis?  He’s just a typical teenager who listened to God, and as a result he’ll be living his dream this fall.

You?  Me?  Maybe there’s an exciting story out there for us, too – if we’ll just listen to God.