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Cesar & Andrea's Family

Cesar, Andrea and their 3 children (Lizbeth 12, Pablo 10, Joselyn 8) are dear friends of ours who live in a shack in the middle of a beautiful Guatemalan forest.   

 

When Cesar was 26, he was enjoying a normal life.  He had a beautiful wife and was starting a family.  He had a pretty good job, (any job in rural Guatemala is a good job), and he was a star in the local men’s soccer league.

 

Suddenly, his back began to bother him.  For three years, he continued working his manual labor job, but with each year the back pain grew worse.  Soon he could not bear the pain to even get out of bed.  With limited resources, Cesar and his family began to seek medical help.  What they discovered was terrifying.  Cesar had an incurable and fatal degenerative spinal disease.  He was told he would not live much longer, and that he would be bedridden for his final months or years.

 

By this time, Cesar had 3 beautiful young children.  As Christians, Cesar and his wife believed God for healing.  But they also began to accept the reality that God’s will for their life may be drastically different than anything they had ever imagined.

 

After enduring 3 years of deterioration, the pain and suffering grew to its worst.  In the most excruciating night of pain that Cesar can recall, he was surrounded by doctors and family.  His doctors advised him that he would not make it through the night.  A wife prepared herself for life without her husband, and young children prepared to say goodbye to their daddy.

 

Cesar slipped into a 3-month coma.  He recalls the story beautifully.  “I looked down and saw angels at my feet, their beauty indescribable.  Each one took the weight of one of my legs in their arms, and gently caressed them.  As they comforted me, a distinct voice whispered into my ear.  The voice was very clear, and very close.  When I turned to look for the person, no one was there.  But three times the voice said the same thing.  “Isaiah 41:10”

 

After 3 months, Cesar awoke from the coma.  That was 3 years ago.  Today if you have the privilege to visit Cesar, you will leave his home blessed beyond measure.  He has the majority of God’s Word memorized.  He preaches God’s power, grace, mercy, love, and mystery better than any trained pastor or evangelist I have ever heard.  Weighing next-to-nothing, and fighting through severe head, jaw, throat, back, and leg pain, he shouts worship songs to his Heavenly Father with heartfelt depth and passion.  He looks you in the eye, asks you questions, listens intently, and longs to know you. 

 

It’s hard to explain, but I always come away from hanging out with Cesar feeling deeply loved.  Yes, I am always challenged, convicted, and awed at his committed life of steadfast faith.  Everyone who meets him is.  But as I walk home from his house – every single time – I come away with an overwhelming confidence in the fact that he loves me and cares for me.  I know, without a shadow of a doubt, that he prays for me, for my wife, and for my kids.  I cherish those prayers because I know that God hears the prayers of a righteous man (Proverbs 15:28).

 

But I want to go a little bit deeper than sharing a heartwarming story about a sweet Guatemalan family.  The thing is - I have never seen a greater expression of life, hope, and joy than I have through the life of a man who happens to be suffering through a long, painful, terminal disease.  It simply defies logic.  It destroys the false teachings of the prosperity gospel, distinguishing its flames with the refreshing Living Water of Jesus.    

 

Today, Cesar and his family moved into a new home being built through the 12x12 Love Project.  Donated by the Moreau family, and the “Blitz” youth-group from Savannah Christian Church, their new home will protect Cesar from the cold nights, and make daily life a little bit nicer for Andrea.  Although beautifully kept, their old home couldn’t keep out the cold, as it was constructed from tree trunks and bark, patched with tin and cardboard.  The new home is unique (more than 2 normal 12x12 houses), with a wheelchair-accessible wrap around porch, a private bedroom for each child, and lots of windows so Cesar can see the beautiful Guatemalan forest and wildlife from his bed. 

 

Today, when everything was finally ready, we carried Cesar from his dad's home over to the new home. During the last 4 weeks of construction, he had not yet seen any of the progress.  When we set his wheelchair down in front of the new home, his response demonstrated exactly who he is.  Weeping, he raised up his hands and thanked Jesus.  He prayed beautifully and heartfelt, thanking God for his goodness, and giving thanks - by name - to everyone who helped make this happen.  (see pictures below)

 

While Cesar is very thankful for his family’s new home, he always reminds us that his real home is not here. “In my eternal home, I will run on streets of gold with a new and perfect body.  I will be in the presence of my loving Heavenly Father.  I will run, jump, and play soccer again.  But until then, I will give thanks to God for the life that he has given me, for my family, and for my sickness.  I ask him every day to glorify himself through my weakness.”

 

Cesar’s family's testimony reminds us that true victory is not found in this life and its temporary gains.  It is not found in comfort, security, or even in friends and family.  It is not found in a fulfilling career, big salary, nice home, higher education, exotic vacations, or enjoyable retirement.  Rather, it is found in making the name of Jesus famous, and this is done as we give ourselves away completely for his sake.