Searching for Allison's mother
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Mission Moment: Sunday, June 19, 2011
Alison, the 9-year-old girl in the photo above, stole the hearts of the Mission: Peru 2011 team. We met her while evangelizing in Chalhua in mid-May. She was living with her maternal grandparents because her mother was in a hospital in Lima being treated for epilepsy and her father had deserted her. Alison had not seen her mother in three years.
God put on our hearts the desire to reunite this family and to help them in whatever way we could.
Shortly after our short-term team returned to the States in late May, C4C Peru missionary Jaime Servat went to Lima to locate Alison’s mother. We discovered that she was no longer in the hospital, but working on a farm about one hour north of Lima near Huaral City. Alison’s mother, whose name is Taina, was supposed to be on an outpatient treatment for her epilepsy. However, we learned, she could not afford to continue treatments.
Jaime was able to get an address for some of Taina’s relatives in Lima and visited them in early June. “I contacted her brother and sister, who told me that she is living in Huaral and suffering some epilepsy attacks and (it) would be good news that our C4C worldwide mission may help her,” Jaime reported then. “They are willing to be part of a Christian church because they know God is healing. But they need to be encouraged.”
On Sunday, June 12, Jaime traveled from our C4C Peru base in Huaraz to Huaral about a seven-hour drive away. He went with Taina’s sister, Pilar. When Jaime met Taina he could see how Alison bore a strong resemblance to her mother.
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Taina, left, walking through the field in Lumbra.
Jaime was able to talk with Taina about “her health and His Word.” They traveled to the village of Lumbra, where she has been living and working. Lumbra is located outside Huaral. “They were excited,” Jaime said, “and after I presented the Lord Jesus Christ (to them) they told me the motives for living in Huaral.”
Taina also told Jaime she is planning to move back to Chalhua in August “to live forever with our loved Alison.”
“Really, I could not believe it, but God was making His will (to be done),” Jaime exclaimed. “So praise God!
“Our new sister in Him, Taina, now was excited because she knows her loved daughter Alison needs her.”
The plan is for her family to open a store in Chalhua. Many families have small storefronts out of their homes, selling food items and other goods.
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Jaime praying for healing for Taina.
On the day before Jaime met Taina, the woman had suffered an epilepsy attack. She told him she has about four per month. Jaime asked her to send him the cost of her treatments and medications so we may see if it is possible for us to help her return to the doctors’ care. When she returns to Chalhua, she could be taken to the hospital in Huaraz for further follow-ups.
But, Jaime added, “We believe that sister Taina is healed by the Lord!”
We give thanks to God for allowing us to find Taina and pray that she and her daughter Alison will soon be reunited in Chalhua.
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