While in Oaxaca I was able to speak at length with Gaspar. By “at length” I mean for probably around 4 hours. I never get bored hearing his stories, and am always challenged by his life, both present and past. He related that he continues to have physical repercussions for the beating all over his body and machete cuts in his scalp on December 14, 2014. Less than a year ago.
Just last week Gaspar and his wife returned again to Eloxochitlán, Oaxaca, the scene of the brutal attack where two people were killed. It was a time of forgiveness, of redemption and of healing.
I called Gaspar last Friday to talk about how the week had gone. He told stories of handing out wheelchairs, hearing aids, medicine and Sawyer water filters. But the best part, he said, was that in ever case over 50% of the recipients, and in some cases 70% of the recipients, were either those directly involved or related to those involved in the unrest last December. Their “enemies” in other words.
I mentioned a picture of a table where they were all seated (below). “Oh yes,” Gaspar said, “that was the big wooden table that absorbed the force of a Molotov cocktail that was thrown into the room where we were hiding. The bottle broke under the table, and all the glass and shrapnel hit the bottom of the table. Not one piece flew out into the room.”
In a beautiful example of showing Christ’s love and forgiveness, those that beat and attempted to kill a small band of Christians and others in this town received the gift of mobility through wheelchairs, the gift of hearing through audio devices, the gift of health through free medicine, the gift of a lifetime of clean water through Sawyer water filters that were handed out, and the gift of life from 8 audio Bibles and another 24 or so Bibles that were distributed. (See a video on the water filters HERE.)
Below, a short video on the wheelchairs that were distributed in the village.
