Family Spotlight
San Raimundo, Guatemala
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| I built Crispin's home last summer with the Christ Community Church of Milpitas youth group. I knew he was going to be profoundly affected by his home and his experience with the group even though I did not know his whole story until now. The other day, when I went to visit, I did not have anyone else with me, so I think he felt comfortable sharing his story, even though it was painful. We were both crying by the end. |
| Crispin grew up in a very poor family. He told me stories of sharing one egg between five siblings because they did not have enough money to eat. He and his wife were married at eighteen and fifteen, respectively, and now have four children of their own. When they were first married, they stayed with Crispin's parents because they had a roof over their heads there. That was fine for a few years, until he began to have trouble with his family, and they kicked him and his kids out of the house. |
| Crispin said that was the lowest point of his life. He had three kids, and no place to call home. He could barely provide food for them, and they would often eat every other day, because that is all they could afford. He had a few sheets of tin that they slept under, but they had to keep selling the tin, sheet by sheet, to have money to eat. Eventually, Crispin found himself with only a few sheets of tin left and nothing else for his family. He was at rock bottom, and could not find a way out. Someone offered him $30,000 quetzales for his oldest son, Edwin. It was unbearable for Crispin to think about selling his son to human trafficking, but he could not think of another way to provide for his family and keep them alive. He almost went through with the deal, and even met with the guy who was to buy his son in Quetzal City, but something told him to go home and be patient. |
| When he got home, one of the local pastors sought him out . He told Crispin that God wanted to bless him, and that he needed to have patience. Crispin was confused by that statement, but the following week, he was approached by Pastor Gregorio, another local pastor. Gregorio told him that he needed to prepare because he was going to receive a house. |
| Crispin told me that he could not believe it when he heard, and he did not believe it until the materials were dropped off at the site. His wife and kids were ecstatic, and he was filled with joy, because he knew that this was the blessing from God that the pastor was talking about. |
| At the site a year ago, Crispin told me that "he could have never imagined" such a blessing in his life. He sobbed when he saw that the group bought two beds for his family to sleep in, because they had all been sleeping on the floor. He also loved working with the team. Crispin helped build the entire roof of his house. His was one of the most touching dedications I have ever witnessed. |
| Crispin talks about how he loves the group that came to build for him and that he prays every day that God would take care of them and walk with them wherever they might go. He knows that they were the hands and feet of God and the medium that God used to provide for his family and save his son Edwin's life. |
| It is always interesting to think about how a family's life is changed by the physical gift of a roof over their heads, but it is even more incredible to see how God uses us in ways we could never have even imagined. All we did was answer His call to build that house that week. But God used our work to accomplish so much more, and we were all blessed. |
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