Chilapa Visit

Last week, I went on a short trip to Chilapa with the Doctor and his wife, a group of 4 Americans (2 of which are doctors), the kids’ dentist, and 2 of our kids. The purpose of the trip was to offer medicine and dental care to the people of Chilapa. Chilapa is a little village in the mountains with only one paved road. It’s a beautiful place, but is almost like stepping back in time. The people are always eager to see Doc and talk with him about their medical concerns. Some walk up from the town at the base of the mountain, while others walk down from their houses at the top of the mountain.

One of the treatments Doc offers is vitamin IVs. The patience of the people who choose this treatment never ceases to amaze me. Some wait for their IV to finish for 20-30 minutes, while others wait an hour or longer. One of the American doctors told me that the IV treatment takes longer if the person is dehydrated. The women all seem to have the skinniest little arms and sometimes I wonder how the needle even fits into their veins. I always pray a special blessing over those receiving vitamin treatments because you can tell that they have had long, hard lives.

One of the women who came for treatment was believed to be possessed by an evil spirit. She hadn’t been feeling well and had been acting strangely for awhile. Doc, the Chilapa pastor, and one of the Americans spent time praying over her. The rest of us spent time praying on our own outside of the consultation room. Sometimes I forget that we are involved in a spiritual battle. It’s easy to focus on things like how loving and compassionate God is, and forget that there’s also a more serious side to things - as real as God is, Satan is real too. The doctor’s wife was telling me that we always have to be ready to face the enemy. I’m thankful for a God who gives us the strength to do so and the armor to put on for battle.