Update on Martin

I spoke to Elena this evening around 8:30 p.m., after dropping off her grandkids. Laura is with Martin tonight. She is keeping the kids. We get them back tomorrow at around 8:30 a.m. She said that she saw Martin this evening, and was amazed at how good he looked. He can see out of both eyes now. The swelling in his face, head, and around his eyes has practically disappeared. He is talking, joking, and enjoying visitors. All of this is good news. Laura mentioned that they continue to be concerned about his right foot. It is possible that he could lose 2 or 3 toes due to the burning that occurred when the electrical charge exited his body. A friend of my from PA, Gary S., mentioned in an email today that this is fairly common in electrical shocks of this nature. Nevertheless, the doctors have not made a determination as to whether this needs to happen. Let's pray it doesn't.

I asked Elena to remind me of her testimony, one that she gave at a joint church prayer meeting we had this afternoon. After the service in Jesús María, many of us came over to Santa Bárbara. After hearing testimonies from Laura, Javier and Elena about what happened two days ago, we prayed for quite a while, and sang a couple of songs. It was a special time.

During Elena's account of what happened, she said that when she heard the noise of the electrical shock, and heard Martín fall, she rushed out and saw Martín lying motionless, a small pool of blood forming around his head. She knelt down and cradled his head, and prayed, "Lord, give him life." Martín gasped for breath, then opened his one eye, and tried to get up.

The paramedics came and Martín actually resisted their help, not recognizing their voices, and not understanding what was happening to him. Elena encouraged him to be still. "They are just trying to help you," she said.

Elena's reflection was simple. "I asked the Lord that Martín could have life and breath. And my prayer was answered."

Mayra and I met Elena through a Reg and Cesca Genter, way back in 1997. Reg was a pastor at First Baptist Church, White Lake, now Woodside Bible Church, White Lake Campus. The Genters are now ministering at The Chapel, Sandusky. Reg's sister, Ruth, is married to a man who worked at the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City at that time. Elena was their maid. She trusted Christ first, and was baptized in 1999. Her daughters Laura and Lety also put their faith in Christ. We were at Laura and Martin´s wedding, and had the joy of seeing them baptized in 2002. When we moved out to Ixtapaluca, we moved here precisely because Elena, Martin and Laura had moved out her several years before, in 2001, and the first study in this area started in Elena's house February, 2002. Elena is, well, pretty amazing. She taught herself to read by reading the Bible, and promptly read the whole thing. When you catch her at the right moment, she'll recite a good part of the gospel of John by memory.

I mentioned to her tonight that maybe she has a hidden gift, that of resurrection. She said, "Yes, maybe I do, but who is going to believe me?"

I do, Elena. I do.

(Elena at a baking class this past summer, on the far left)