Sergio’s Land

“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” James 1:27

We have waited months to write this blog! Sergio is one of the original students at the feeding center. According to Lazaro, he was so malnourished that his hair was beginning to turn white. After 6 years at the center, Sergio enjoys his meals, works hard at school, and always has a smile. We try to provide him with extra vitamins and food to supplement for the days he is not at the center.

Sergio’s father passed away causing his mother to be responsible for five children. A landowner allowed the family to live in a block shed in order to be a type of security for his second home. Last fall, the landowner decided to begin the process of selling the land. Obviously this would have a great impact for Sergio’s family since they did not have any other place to live.

Sergio’s sponsor has been burdened about the family having a permanent place to call home. We have looked at several options, but land is so expensive. Sergio’s sponsor, Vera, was offered a temporary job at her husband’s work in order to earn money specifically to buy land for Sergio’s family. I am not going to tell you Mrs. Vera’s age but let’s just say she is a grandmother who should be enjoying a slow pace of life instead of steel toe boots. However, she put on coveralls with steel toe boots and worked for weeks. When she finished her job she had enough money to buy the cheapest piece of land we could find. When the owner of the cheap land was approached again, he had changed his mind about selling the land! What a disappointment! For Mrs. Vera–What a true testimony of a servant’s heart!

But God…

But God knew that several months later He would use another family to provide the funds needed to purchase land. Not just any land, but the land where Sergio is currently living. Our preference was to allow Sergio to live on his current land, but we thought it would never be possible!

This morning Soy, the lawyer, and the landowner completed all of the necessary papers needed to purchase the land! We have been holding our breath until the ink was dry on the title!

I believe in giving credit where credit is due. Lazaro Suruy, Lisa Vargas, and Telma Reyes played important roles in securing the land for Sergio’s family. A huge thank you is simply not enough.

Tonight a widow sleeps in a block house with her five children knowing she does not have the worry of not having a place to live tomorrow.