First Vine Project in 2019

Our founder Woody Woodson, messaged Cindy and I and asked us to help Dr. Alex Vasquez, a Guatemalan heart surgeon who practices in Alabama, USA.   The son of his mother’s housekeeper lives 10 km from us in Guatemala and Dr. Vasquez asked for help.

Ricardo was shot about three years ago and stayed much of two years in a local hospital.  The gunshot was low abdomen and spinal causing paraplegia and leaving him with colostomy.  Ricardo suffered the complication of extensive sacral and buttock decubiti.  He is 21 years old now, with a complex set of problems.  He is bed ridden in his current situation, pale, and sickly looking.   Dr. Vasquez came and visited Ricardo with us just before we went to the states in December.  Guatemalan doctors are looking again at the pressure sores doing debridement and encouraging healing.

Upon our return from family visit in USA Vine staff (now with addition of Jason and Lilivet Ryder) met Dick Rutgers at the bodega.  We collected wheelchairs and padding and met at Ricardo’s mother’s house in El Manzano.  It is always amazing to watch Dick Rutgers at work.  He has a tender heart and skill that comes with years of work.  He also brought his posse – two sibling groups that are fatherless.  We replaced the chair Ricardo has with a chair in which the leg and feet are adjustable.  Encouraging him to stay off his buttocks to allow for continued healing we will follow and when healing is complete will return for appropriate fitting/padding and try to help gain more independence.  Nutrition was discussed and we will return to fit his bed for a trapeze soon.

This set of health problems is difficult no matter where you are.  In the developing world, house on a steep mountain side, cobblestone street, no sidewalks, 85-90 $ a week in transportation costs, nutritional add on to the diet without insurance creates a huge financial and personal burden on a family.

Jason Ryder and our friend David Mollinedo both helped with translation – in fact so many different conversations were happening it is hard to imagine how we could have handled this initial fitting without both brothers there.  Maria – Ricardo’s mother asked how much this service was going to cost…. I have been giving away Vine resources for ten years.  I love that look when they find out it comes from Jesus.  It’s free.  Dick Rutgers led us in a beautiful prayer.  This story is not yet complete.

Jason and Lilivet Ryder are moving into a house very close to the bodega, we pray next week.  We will soon have three containers on which they can cut their teeth.  Lilivet will soon have their second child and is quite busy, making a nest, taking care of Kristen and the new one on the way and learning a new ministry.  They will be a good asset for Vine International and the work as it goes forward.

While waiting for the containers to be cleared we are not letting any dust collect on our shoes.  We are meeting the occasional ministry in the bodega.  We are helping our neighbor Lilly by building a chicken coop for protection of her hens, source for eggs and meat for her family.   We continue to work in Pavon prison with El Barrios para Cristo and Pastor Nacho teaching in Genesis.  We started on Abraham’s life stories yesterday.   And on Sunday’s the Bible study group that meets in our home is moving through the Psalms.   One of our teenage neighbors opened her note book and shared her outlines and study notes done over the Christmas break.  It was obvious she had worked through the psalms for herself and we were all blessed, especially me!

Please be in prayer for the Ryders as they prepare to take the reins of Vine International – Guatemala.  There are many details to be covered.  Pray specifically for their new baby, new house arrangements and financial support for this important work.

Thank you.

In Christ,

Dennis and Cindy McCutcheon