Chi Chi

Chi Chi playing with my kids. (Notice mom and Titus having a water gun fight in the backround?) :)
Chi Chi and her mother.

When my parents lived in Clarksville, they were the host parents for an international student from Guatemala named Maria Mercedes Barrios. We never called her that, though. We've always called her by her nickname, Chi Chi. She became like a daughter to my parents while I was living far away and came to almost all of our family holidays. We loved having her as part of our family. She is a tiny person with an enormous heart.

Several years ago she returned home to live and work in Guatemala, which was a requirement of her Walton Scholarship. She and her mother came to the U.S. this week to attend her sister's wedding in Mississippi and to see my parents. Mom drove them up to see me and the kids and I loved spending the day with them.

I'm always fascinated to learn about other countries, but I was surprised to hear about the violence and corruption that are currently in Guatemala. Chi Chi and her mother explained that they love their country, but it is not a safe place to live. A woman can not go in public with any jewelry, nice clothes, or a cell phone, because she will get robbed or even killed for it. A life taken...for a cell phone! Gangs run neighborhoods, forcing bus drivers and store owners to pay a daily fee in order to live. The police are just as corrupt and they do nothing. Citizens build walls around their houses and can't trust their government to protect them.

Last week, Chi Chi's uncle, a well-respected dentist was kidnapped and held for ransom. A family friend generously gave them the money to rescue her uncle. They delivered the money, but he was murdered anyway. For $10,000.

They explained that Guatemala is not a Christian nation, but it's historical spiritual roots are in voo doo and witchcraft. They do not have the same value on human life that we do in America.

Chi Chi said this is not uncommon. They see 15-20 kidnappings like this on the news every night. It has just never happened to them. Typically, the police do nothing. They have a friend who is a senator, so his murder may actually be investigated.

That sounds like a scary movie to me. My brain can't wrap around what it would be like to live and raise a family in the midst of that kind of violence and corruption. There are so many things in the U.S. that we take for granted. We are so naive. How dare we be so critical of our country, our government, or whine about paying taxes? We have so much to be thankful for.

It also helped me understand why so many people in Central and South America desire to live in the United States. Chi Chi is trying to get transferred to Bayer's office in North Carolina and hoping to find a way to bring her mother with her. I would do the same thing. I think I'd do anything to protect my children. It sure complicates our "border problems", doesn't it?

Almighty God,

I pray for Guatemala tonight. I pray that you would turn your eyes towards this nation. I beg you to bring justice and freedom to her people. Rescue them from the giant of corruption. I pray that you would begin stirring within them a value for the preciousness of human life. I pray that a storm of righteousness, truth, and integrity would begin slowly invading their government. Bring peace. Bring hope. Bring justice.

Raise up who ever it will take. Give that person/persons courage and tenacity...and protection. I pray that Guatemala would become a safe place to live once again so her people can enjoy their heritage...their culture...their home.

I pray that you would convict the hearts of the men who murdered Chi Chi's uncle. I pray that you would bring justice, forgiveness, and reconciliation. Heal the hearts of those left behind to mourn an unthinkable loss. Thank you, God, for being near to the broken-hearted. Amen.