All About Juan

I was really not looking forward to this roadtrip. Just as I'm feeling settled at the base I have to leave for about 36 hours, drive 14 of them across tope infested highways, and deprive myself of sleep. Not fun. Then I met Juan and I forgot about my pity party.

Juan is a 19 year old kid who is very normal by all standards. He lives in a small village not too far from myself, he works hard, and by the grace of God came to know Christ within the last year. One Sunday night just over a month ago, Juan was walking to church along a highway when a truck came up from behind him and the truck's rearview mirror hit Juan's head sending him careening into the dusty ditch. Luckily his brother-in-law, Ramon, was with him and scooped up Juan's limp frame and ran to find their nearest friend with a vehicle. Thankfully they found a friend who took them to the local doctor. When they got there, the doctor took 1 minute to look at Juan and matter-of-factly told the family to get ready for Juan to die. The doctor said Juan may live for 2 hours......3 at the most.

Not willing to give up, the family got in the car and drove to a bigger city with an actual hospital. Upon arriving at the next city, they were turned away and told the same thing: "I'm sorry. There's nothing that can be done for this boy. He may as well already be dead." As devastating as this prognosis was, the family was still not giving up. With Juan's skull exposed, eye out of socket, and more blood in the car than should be in one human body, the family pressed on through the 6 hour drive to Acapulco. When they got to the hospital in Acapulco and the doctors heard the story, they were amazed that he was still alive so they decided to do what they could to help the boy. Fast forward to Tuesday night when I met Juan.

Juan had a checkup and x-ray scheduled with the doctors in Acapulco, but the family had no way of getting to Acapulco so the pastor of their church asked me if I could take Juan. I agreed only knowing that a "sick" person had a doctor's appointment. I had no idea what an impact was awaiting me.

Two of Juan's brother-in-laws carried him into my car as I leaned the seat back for him. He still doesn't have sufficient strength to even hold his head up. As we get him loaded into the car next to me, I'm starting to get a sense of his desperation. I load their luggage into my car. Diapers? What are those doing here? Oh, Juan has no control over his bowels as a result of the accident. On the way to Acapulco on Tuesday night, Juan's brother-in-laws feed him some applesauce so that he has some nourishment. In only minutes he vomits it all up. His body has trouble digesting properly now. He is but a frame at this point after losing 30 pounds since the accident. He can motion "yes" or "no" when I ask him if he's hot or cold. That's about all he can muster.

So with the smell of every foul bodily fluid hanging heavy in the humid Mexican night air, we travel to Acapulco with the mission to get Juan help.

After two appointments and 16 hours at the hospital, our day is complete. The doctors are amazed that Juan is conscious and responsive. He can even lift his hands a bit and move his legs when he's propped up. Miraculous. So now we embark on our trip home. After another 7 hours in the car and wishing for some space to stretch, we get home. Juan and his family are dropped off at their home and we part with grateful hugs. Not so much grateful that we're home, but that God has bonded us and given us a taste of His love for those in so much need. "I truly have family here," I think to myself.

Thank you Juan.

Thank you Jesus.