Update on Padre Pablo

As you recall, a few weeks ago I asked everyone to pray for Padre Pablo after he had fallen and broken his femur and his hip. Pablo is 60 years old or so, although I thought he was a lot older than that.

Well, the good news is that he was able to get surgery and he is in recovery back here in Antigua and has started physical therapy. It was quite a ride, though!!

First of all, you will recall that he fell off his bike and originally went to the public hospital where he was not helped. He checked himself out and went home, where he was in immense pain for 3 days. Finally, one of his room mates, Miguel, helped him to return to another hospital - a private one called Hermano Pedro. This hospital was not really set up to help him much, but because he had spent so much time volunteering there, they agreed to help him until he could get home for the surgery he needed.

Well, that was quite an ordeal! Being a British citizen, he could have free healthcare back in England, but he didn't have the money to get there. Plus, due to his injuries (remember - we're dealing with a broken hip and a broken femur here!!), he would need an attendant to accompany him and take care of him. There is a guy here, Chaz, who was able to do so - but that is another whole long side story.

Basically, it boiled down to this...Pablo did not want to return to England - he wanted to stay here. The people in England did not want to help him financially, so he was going to have to put everything on his credit card, which would have been several thousand dollars. The public hospital here wouldn't take him back after they realized the extent of his injuries and Hermano Pedro was not equipped to handle his care.

Finally we decided to try to take him to a hospital in Guatemala City, which we were able to do. They did not have the surgical equipment there that was necessary, so we had to go to another hospital and pick it up for them (I know - crazy, huh?? This only happens in Guatemala!! Haha). We dropped him off there and there was no room available for 2-3 days, so we was on a gurney in the hallway!

He was finally given a room with about 20 other people, all very sick and in pain. A huge ministry opportunity!! People were bleeding, urinating and defecating and the smell was horrible. His heart was not strong enough to withstand the surgery, so he just lay there for days waiting. No tv, no books, no curtains over the windows. I cannot imagine how demoralizing it would be. Finally, a heart specialist happened to be in the hospital, so they went ahead with the surgery, with the heart surgeon on standby in case he was needed.

The surgery went really well. A few days later one of the pastors here, Jeff Mills, went to visit him and the hospital told him he would need to take Pablo back to Hermano Pedro!! In his tiny little car!! Just after his major surgery!! Again...it happens here!

So, Pedro was taken back to Hermano Pedro here in Antigua and has started physical therapy. I understand it is going well and he is starting to get up and around. All in all, I think it worked out well for him - despite the insane conditions and length of time - because his heart is really here in Guatemala and with his *adopted* son Luis. Sometimes we don't know why God is allowing these kinds of things, but in His good plan and timing we will find out.

Thanks for your prayers for Pablo!! I know he appreciates it!