In our last update about Oti and Hector, we shared their need for prayers for healing. The need continues.

Oti fell again as a result of her knees being weak. She once again decided not to return to the doctors because “all they do is take my money.” This is an ongoing issue in Guatemala with many of the families we serve. They don’t seem to get much help from the local clinics and the remedies don’t really help. This creates a situation where they don’t get the care they need or they self-medicate, taking whatever they find or the pharmacists will give them some short-term pain relief.

Hector, on the other hand, has recovered from his spinal injury but now that he can get around, has started drinking again. He drinks on and off, as income allows. Olga has encouraged Oti not to enable him, like when he asks her to go down the street and buy some booze for him, to make him do it if he really wants it. The doctors told him that he has damaged his stomach from all of his drinking and that he may continue to have gastrointestinal issues as an ongoing consequence.

Oti told us she is encouraged by our visits and regains her strength for a time after we come to see her.