His eye is on the sparrow and I know He watches over me.

Manuela has worked for us for 24 of the 26 years that we have been here. She started when she was about 10 in the clinic in San Andres where she would translate my terrible Spanish into Quiche and then help me clean after a day when would we see 50 to 75 people. She and her sister Rosa became like daughters to me. And their daddy, who was a pastor would come and explain the plan of salvation to many Quiche women. I’ll never forget how he would bring in his poster of the cross as the bridge to Jesus. He is with the Lord now, but he left a permanent mark on my heart.

Manuela married a very Godly young man who is a teacher and they have a little 4 year old son. She always had an interest in the laboratory and when she was old enough, we helped her get through the lab tech program. She is super smart and the biochemist who helped train her tried hard to convince her to work for her. Thankfully, she chose to continue working here. She has helped us invaluably in setting up the lab in our hospital. 

In the last year, Manuela has had a strange set of symptoms which left us all puzzled until things got so severe that we took her into our favorite (but very expensive) hospital where they initially diagnosed her with lymphoma. They have since changed that diagnosis to ALL - Acute lymphoblastic leukemia.  She began treatment through a hospital that is run by the social security system here in Guatemala. It seems like they are taking good care of her but every trip into the city and all the exams are very expensive. Almost no one has health insurance here.

I write all of this to ask for prayers for Manuela. Her faith is strong but she is only allowed visitors twice a week and only through a window. She will stay in the hospital 3 weeks for chemotherapy and if her bloodwork is ok, she can go home for a week. Then back for another 21 days for a total of 8 cycles. So if you have a word of encouragement, a prayer for her, or an offering, we would be  so happy to pass those on to her!