Shortly after opening La Casa De Rubén last April, during a meeting with community leaders we were having at the house, we heard about a young woman named Rosalina. The person telling us about her said that his organization had helped her several years ago while she was still a student in school. While many years had passed and he lost track of her she had made a lasting impression on him. He couldn’t remember exactly where she lived, only that she was in a smaller community located somewhere near Caiquin.
Since we work with Pastor Jorge in that area I called him. He did not know Rosalina personally so we started to investigate. We learned the name of her community so we drove there and started asking around. It took a few roadside conversations but we finally found Rosalina.
We had to park on the side of the road and take a walk down a narrow, uneven trail, that was mostly dirt but with some rocks scattered here and there, to get to the modest home where she lived with her mom. But they weren’t alone as there were also some other little children, dogs and chickens running around. After finding her community, experiencing the trail to her house and seeing Rosalina in her wheelchair it became more clear why she was not getting the physical therapy she obviously needed.
When we met her she was sitting in her wheelchair outside working on an embroidery project. It was amazing to see the detailed work she was doing with her delicate hands despite the pain and the way they had become deformed due to the crippling arthritis. She told us that she sews mostly to keep her mind busy and pass the time, but also to have something to sell so that she can earn some money to live.
Sadly we were unable to bring anyone else into the house at that time but we promised that as soon as we were that we would contact her. By mid December we knew that we would be ready to bring others into the house in early 2020. The house was never intended to only be about one person but it took us a while to get everything organized and working well enough to be able to care properly for more people. The closer we got to being ready the more we talked and prayed about Rosalina.
For the followers of God there are no such things as coincidences.
At that same time as we were talking and praying about Rosalina we received a call from a doctor at the hospital in Gracias. The doctor wanted to know if Rosalina could come and stay at the house. At the time of the call Rosalina was in the hospital for the second time in just a few months being treated for a respiratory infection that was bordering on pneumonia.
Her doctor told us that the arthritis had so affected her posture that her chest cavity was compressed to the point that she could no longer breathe adequately. However, he also said that with physical therapy her posture would improve enough to significantly improve her breathing.
Before today it had been six years since Rosalina’s last therapy session at CRILE. However, because of La Casa de Rubén she will be able to stay in Gracias to get the care that she has gone without for so long. One of Rosalina’s sisters is staying at the house with her. Her sister will help care for her while staying at the house as preparation to care for her better when they return to their home near Caiquin.
During her session today at CRILE Rosalina began to learn and practice new breathing exercises. She also began to experience just how difficult the physical therapy is going to be because during the consultation and evaluation her limbs were moved in ways they have not moved in over six years. Despite the physical pain we believe that she began to experience the love of God in a new and practical way today.
So please pray for Rosalina as you join us in welcoming her to La Casa De Rubén!
Please contact us if you would like to learn more about how you can be a part of helping Rosalina and others like her.
You can make a one-time or monthly on-line donation here to support La Casa De Rubén. With your generous donations we can continue to improve lives for people like Rubén and Rosalina.
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“I will lift up my eyes to the mountains; From where shall my help come? My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth.”-Psalm 121:1-2