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A donation of First Aid Kits was given to Don Clemente
and his son and daughter-in-law. |
The first
time we entered the community of “White Hill,” we met
Don Clemente, his face shining with kindness and gentleness. He
answered all of our questions and told us a little about himself. As we talked,
he sent someone to buy some soda. Before we left, he loaded us up with peaches,
a squash, and some corn from his fields. As we drove away, it was obvious that we had
found a man of peace. Through the years,
our focus was on “Pine Hill,” so we didn’t see
Don Clemente often. But always when we stopped in to visit, he was
kind and generous with both his time and the fruits from his fields.
One
night, our son got sick and we took him to see the doctor in the clinic. To
this day, I believe God used our son’s illness to put us in the right place at
the right time, because when we got there, the clinic was packed with people.
Most of the conversation around us was in ZK, so we didn’t understand much at
the time, but we did realize that there had been an accident of some kind. Clay
decided to take a closer look and learned that it was Don Clemente who had fallen while out cutting firewood.
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After the handrail was installed,
Don Clemente was able to leave his house! |
The
terrain all around “White Hill” is steep hillsides. Don Clemente had slipped and he fell many feet down the side of the
hill. (I can’t be sure, but I’m thinking it was 300 feet.) He had hit his head
and twisted his back. He was paralyzed from the fall, which for many in this
area is like a death sentence, but he refused to go the hospital.
A few
weeks later while we were in the city, we were introduced to a man who was a
homeopathic chiropractor. He traveled all over Mexico, giving treatments.
Surprisingly, he had been to “Pine Hill” before and he assured us he would come
to help Don Clemente. For the next
few months, this man came every other week. Little by little, Don Clemente
began to regain his strength until he could walk on flat ground.
A year
ago, a mission team from Ohio helped put in a handrail outside of Don Clemente’s house to help him have
more freedom. And last summer a mission team from Idaho helped us hold a VBS
for the children in the community. Since the VBS we have been visiting Don Clemente every Tuesday. We sing
praises with him and the children who gather, and we tell a Bible story.
Yesterday,
being Tuesday, we visited again. After the story, Clay and Don Clemente chatted for a bit. Don
Clemente is trying to encourage his sons to study the Bible with him, which
we are excited to see. Because of this reason, we have been asked to give them
time as a family. To be honest, I’m not sure how to take it. We’ve been kindly
asked not to keep coming to the house for Bible Study.
So, we
ask that you pray for Don Clemente
and his sons. Don Clemente’s plan is
for the family to read the Bible together for 10-15 minutes a day. Our prayer
is that God will reveal Himself to this family through His Word!
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking,
correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be
thoroughly equipped for every good work.
2 Timothy 3:16-17